Quote: "He found that he was afraid of what she did, now that she was working with him. His peace of mind depended on him knowing what she did and why."
Significance:
Seems to me that Bigger doesn't completely trust Bessie, perhaps believing her to have an ulterior motive. Or, it could just be good buisness, deciding on how she can be used by what she does. Either way, it leads me to believe that Bigger would throw Bessie under a bus to save his own skin.
Question:
Do steriotypes in this novel dismiss other steriotypes?
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Native Son 3/29/09
Qoute: "Though he had killed by accident, not once did he feel that need to tell himself that it had been an accident...And in a certain sense he knew that the girl's death had not been accidental." (106)
Significance:
It seems Bigger has gotten so used to killing that he is unable to differentiate one act of murder from another. Sure, it's possible he actually did kill Mary on purpoae, but there's not enough evidence to support that. I believe Bigger feels that the murder was a conscious effort for the reason of convience. He's dealt with intended murder before, so he'd be able to get through it. If he completely admits to it being an accident, chances are he wouldn't know how to deal with it.
Question: Will Bigger ever be able to face facts?
Significance:
It seems Bigger has gotten so used to killing that he is unable to differentiate one act of murder from another. Sure, it's possible he actually did kill Mary on purpoae, but there's not enough evidence to support that. I believe Bigger feels that the murder was a conscious effort for the reason of convience. He's dealt with intended murder before, so he'd be able to get through it. If he completely admits to it being an accident, chances are he wouldn't know how to deal with it.
Question: Will Bigger ever be able to face facts?
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Native Son 3/25/09
Quote: "He was not crying, but his lips were trembling and his chest was heaving.He wanted to lie down on the floor and sleep off the horror of this thing. But he had to get out of there."(92)
Significance:
This quote shows Bigger having external fear, rather than the internal fear he had throughout the novel. That is probably because he had never done anything this bad before, and after doing it, is now able to know true fear. However, he does keep his wits about him, and manages to control his actions in order to escape the scene. Afterward, he plans on how he can further escape his crime, showing he's not too panicked to reason. Whether that's good or bad, I know not.
How long can Bigger run from the consequences of his crime.
Significance:
This quote shows Bigger having external fear, rather than the internal fear he had throughout the novel. That is probably because he had never done anything this bad before, and after doing it, is now able to know true fear. However, he does keep his wits about him, and manages to control his actions in order to escape the scene. Afterward, he plans on how he can further escape his crime, showing he's not too panicked to reason. Whether that's good or bad, I know not.
How long can Bigger run from the consequences of his crime.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Native Son 3/24/09
Quote: "'Bigger please! Don't say sir to me....I don't like it. You're a man just like I am; I'm no better than you. Maybe other white men like it. But I don't. Look, Bigger..." (70)
Significance:
This shows Jan to be completely devoted to equality for all, as would be expected. However, it just seemed to me like he was talking to Bigger like Bigger was a child. A sort of "you only think something because you don't know any better" kind of thing. I'm sure his intentions are good, but they way he communicates his beliefs just seems off. Maybe I'm reading too much into this.
Question: Why did Jan speak to Bigger in that manner?
Significance:
This shows Jan to be completely devoted to equality for all, as would be expected. However, it just seemed to me like he was talking to Bigger like Bigger was a child. A sort of "you only think something because you don't know any better" kind of thing. I'm sure his intentions are good, but they way he communicates his beliefs just seems off. Maybe I'm reading too much into this.
Question: Why did Jan speak to Bigger in that manner?
Monday, March 23, 2009
Native Son 3/23/09
Quote: "'What you kick me for?' Gus asked. "'Cause I wanted to,' Bigger said."
Significance:
Wow, Bigger's definitely got some anger issues. Still, that doesn't stop him from being an entertaining character. He's like the protagonist that never should have been. Or, better yet, that never was. I find it hard to believe that we're supposed to be rooting for him. Maybe my opinion will change later.
Question: What will Bigger and Gus' relationship after this be like?
Significance:
Wow, Bigger's definitely got some anger issues. Still, that doesn't stop him from being an entertaining character. He's like the protagonist that never should have been. Or, better yet, that never was. I find it hard to believe that we're supposed to be rooting for him. Maybe my opinion will change later.
Question: What will Bigger and Gus' relationship after this be like?
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Native Son Quote 1
Quote: "'He's just crazy,' the mother said, "Just plain dumb black crazy."'
Significance:
This quote interests me because it can have two meanings. Bigger's mother is either using the term "dumb black crazy" as an accepted steriotype of her race, or as just a mere expression, like black and white added to a phrase to demonstrate importance. Also, when your own mother says your crazy, it must be so.
Question:....Am I the only one who wasn't expecting that scene in the movie theater?
Significance:
This quote interests me because it can have two meanings. Bigger's mother is either using the term "dumb black crazy" as an accepted steriotype of her race, or as just a mere expression, like black and white added to a phrase to demonstrate importance. Also, when your own mother says your crazy, it must be so.
Question:....Am I the only one who wasn't expecting that scene in the movie theater?
Friday, March 20, 2009
1984 Essay
Nathaniel Burns-Sarno
English 10 Honors/ Mr. George
March 20, 2009
1984 Essay
Is Winston A Hero?
A hero, by definition, is; “A [person] of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities,” (Dictionary.com). That means that simply committing brave acts is not enough to gain one the title of hero. One must also integrate morality and justice into said acts in order for them to be considered heroic. The act itself is not nearly as important as the purpose behind it. Unfortunately, even when a person goes through with an act that they consider to be heroic, the purpose of their act can blind them from their moral values. History is full of people who chased their dream, only to lose sight of what is truly important; their humanity. For heroes, humanity is especially important. For, how can one be a hero without the ability of feeling sympathy for others? It is for that reason that I believe Winston, the protagonist of George Orwell’s 1984, cannot be considered a hero. Although many who read this novel may believe him to be standing up for what is right, I believe it to only be an act in order to have what he wants. His disguise as a rebel in an unjust society cannot hide the selfishness that runs rampant in his heart. He is simply an ordinary man, who really did not accomplish anything special.
Winston, whose job in life was to rewrite history for the Ministry of Truth, goes through life with a slight suspicion in the back of his mind that what he is doing is wrong, and that the dystopian society he lives in is not fair or just. He even keeps a diary of all his private thoughts, in order to hide them from the Party. This shows (early in the story, at least) that Winston has the concept of fairness and justice. However, he simply goes along with it, showing that while in his heart he strongly disagrees with the society he lives in, he is still wise enough to value his own life. He knows very well the penalty for thoughtcrime, even writing in his diary, “Thoughtcrime does not entail death: thoughtcrime IS death,” (Orwell 28). Keeping a balance between valor and wisdom is often a quality in a good hero, so it makes sense that one would view his inward defiance of the Party as heroic in its own way. However, that is not truly the case, as throughout the novel, it seems everyone has their own feelings of resentment for the party bottled inside them. The only way for Winston to be viewed as a hero in the society he lived in is if everyone else was viewed as a hero, too. If everyone was a hero, no one would be. Without victims in need of saving, heroes would have no purpose. As I stated earlier, one must have a purpose in order to be a hero.
Another argument proclaiming Winston as a hero is sprouted from his love for Julia. After all, anyone willing to do anything for the one they love without fear of the consequences must have a kind, brave heart. I myself believed this not too long ago. That was until I became familiar with Winston’s cluttered room of a mind. It is one thing to put your own life in danger for the one you love, but pulling them under the bus with you seems to express an emotion unlike love. Both Winston and Julia knew that their relationship was wrong, and considered illegal by the party. They knew that if they were caught together, the consequences would be unthinkable. However, that did not stop them from seeing each other on a daily basis. It is reasonable for lovers to desire each other’s company without even considering how it is viewed by the rest of the world. Those who are truly in love, on the other hand, value the happiness and well-being of each other much higher than their relationship. If they had even the slightest bit of actual love for each other, they would have gone their separate ways. Winston’s affection for Julia seems much too selfish, as if he does not allow himself to ponder for too long whether or not he is putting her in danger. A true hero would not think twice about the situation, and immediately end the relationship in order to secure the well-being of the one they love.
The third(and in my opinion, the most logical) argument for Winston’s heroics is that he completely goes against a society that he very well knows could erase him from existence. However, the things he is willing to do in order to bring down Oceania seem to outweigh the injustices the society has put its people through. When asked what he would be willing to do in order to fight the party, Winston accepts the possibilities of murder, sabotage that would cause the deaths of hundreds of innocent people, disseminate venereal diseases, and even throw sulphuric acid in the face of a child. The willingness to do any one of the things on that fails to demonstrate the qualities of a hero. They do, however, demonstrate the qualities of a villain. This shows that Winston’s ideas of fairness and justice have changed since the beginning of the novel, and not for the better. He is indeed no hero. However, I actually could not go as far as to call him, or any character in this novel, an actual villain. They are simply average people who were made victims of their dystopian society. In a world like that, there are no villains or heroes. There are people who live, and people who die.
The fact that Winston, while being threatened with starved rats to his face, would cry out, “Do it to Julia! Do it to Julia! Not me! Julia! I don’t care what you do to her. Tear her face of, strip her to the bones. Not me! Julia! Not me!” (286), serves as the final nail in the coffin that serves as my argument. A hero is someone who protects others, no matter who they are, even if it costs him his life. Winston does the exact opposite, selling out Julia to save himself. The fact that Winston was romantically involved with Julia only makes the situation worse. In the end, he gave up. That is something no hero worth his salt would ever do.
Winston is no hero. He is an average man who did nothing that others before him had not done already. The only difference is that the novel is centered around him. I truly believe that had the novel been centered around any other character, there would be much more similarities than differences.
English 10 Honors/ Mr. George
March 20, 2009
1984 Essay
Is Winston A Hero?
A hero, by definition, is; “A [person] of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities,” (Dictionary.com). That means that simply committing brave acts is not enough to gain one the title of hero. One must also integrate morality and justice into said acts in order for them to be considered heroic. The act itself is not nearly as important as the purpose behind it. Unfortunately, even when a person goes through with an act that they consider to be heroic, the purpose of their act can blind them from their moral values. History is full of people who chased their dream, only to lose sight of what is truly important; their humanity. For heroes, humanity is especially important. For, how can one be a hero without the ability of feeling sympathy for others? It is for that reason that I believe Winston, the protagonist of George Orwell’s 1984, cannot be considered a hero. Although many who read this novel may believe him to be standing up for what is right, I believe it to only be an act in order to have what he wants. His disguise as a rebel in an unjust society cannot hide the selfishness that runs rampant in his heart. He is simply an ordinary man, who really did not accomplish anything special.
Winston, whose job in life was to rewrite history for the Ministry of Truth, goes through life with a slight suspicion in the back of his mind that what he is doing is wrong, and that the dystopian society he lives in is not fair or just. He even keeps a diary of all his private thoughts, in order to hide them from the Party. This shows (early in the story, at least) that Winston has the concept of fairness and justice. However, he simply goes along with it, showing that while in his heart he strongly disagrees with the society he lives in, he is still wise enough to value his own life. He knows very well the penalty for thoughtcrime, even writing in his diary, “Thoughtcrime does not entail death: thoughtcrime IS death,” (Orwell 28). Keeping a balance between valor and wisdom is often a quality in a good hero, so it makes sense that one would view his inward defiance of the Party as heroic in its own way. However, that is not truly the case, as throughout the novel, it seems everyone has their own feelings of resentment for the party bottled inside them. The only way for Winston to be viewed as a hero in the society he lived in is if everyone else was viewed as a hero, too. If everyone was a hero, no one would be. Without victims in need of saving, heroes would have no purpose. As I stated earlier, one must have a purpose in order to be a hero.
Another argument proclaiming Winston as a hero is sprouted from his love for Julia. After all, anyone willing to do anything for the one they love without fear of the consequences must have a kind, brave heart. I myself believed this not too long ago. That was until I became familiar with Winston’s cluttered room of a mind. It is one thing to put your own life in danger for the one you love, but pulling them under the bus with you seems to express an emotion unlike love. Both Winston and Julia knew that their relationship was wrong, and considered illegal by the party. They knew that if they were caught together, the consequences would be unthinkable. However, that did not stop them from seeing each other on a daily basis. It is reasonable for lovers to desire each other’s company without even considering how it is viewed by the rest of the world. Those who are truly in love, on the other hand, value the happiness and well-being of each other much higher than their relationship. If they had even the slightest bit of actual love for each other, they would have gone their separate ways. Winston’s affection for Julia seems much too selfish, as if he does not allow himself to ponder for too long whether or not he is putting her in danger. A true hero would not think twice about the situation, and immediately end the relationship in order to secure the well-being of the one they love.
The third(and in my opinion, the most logical) argument for Winston’s heroics is that he completely goes against a society that he very well knows could erase him from existence. However, the things he is willing to do in order to bring down Oceania seem to outweigh the injustices the society has put its people through. When asked what he would be willing to do in order to fight the party, Winston accepts the possibilities of murder, sabotage that would cause the deaths of hundreds of innocent people, disseminate venereal diseases, and even throw sulphuric acid in the face of a child. The willingness to do any one of the things on that fails to demonstrate the qualities of a hero. They do, however, demonstrate the qualities of a villain. This shows that Winston’s ideas of fairness and justice have changed since the beginning of the novel, and not for the better. He is indeed no hero. However, I actually could not go as far as to call him, or any character in this novel, an actual villain. They are simply average people who were made victims of their dystopian society. In a world like that, there are no villains or heroes. There are people who live, and people who die.
The fact that Winston, while being threatened with starved rats to his face, would cry out, “Do it to Julia! Do it to Julia! Not me! Julia! I don’t care what you do to her. Tear her face of, strip her to the bones. Not me! Julia! Not me!” (286), serves as the final nail in the coffin that serves as my argument. A hero is someone who protects others, no matter who they are, even if it costs him his life. Winston does the exact opposite, selling out Julia to save himself. The fact that Winston was romantically involved with Julia only makes the situation worse. In the end, he gave up. That is something no hero worth his salt would ever do.
Winston is no hero. He is an average man who did nothing that others before him had not done already. The only difference is that the novel is centered around him. I truly believe that had the novel been centered around any other character, there would be much more similarities than differences.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
1984 3/12/09
Quote: "Under the spreading chestnut tree, I sold you and you sold me..."
Significance: I finally get what that means! I even forgot it was part of the text for a bit, but it was always in the back of my mind. It speaks of how people can quicly be turned to sell out another for their own gain, while at the same time they person they sold out does the same to them. And it did indeed happen in that manner.
Definitions:
torpid-having lost motion or the power of exertion or feeling.
capitulated- to surrender, often after negotiation of terms.
Significance: I finally get what that means! I even forgot it was part of the text for a bit, but it was always in the back of my mind. It speaks of how people can quicly be turned to sell out another for their own gain, while at the same time they person they sold out does the same to them. And it did indeed happen in that manner.
Definitions:
torpid-having lost motion or the power of exertion or feeling.
capitulated- to surrender, often after negotiation of terms.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
1984 3/11
Quote: "The object or persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power."
Significance:
These three simple sentences embody a huge part of the Party's motives. At first, I thought there might be some kind of conspiracy within the methods they used to convert people, or at least some contradictions. However, it seems that what you see is what you get, laid out quite bluntly by O'Brien. No ulterior motive. The methods simply are what they are.
Definitions:
abasemenr: to lower physically
solipsism-theory of holding that the self can know nothing but its own modifications and that the self is the only existent thing.
Significance:
These three simple sentences embody a huge part of the Party's motives. At first, I thought there might be some kind of conspiracy within the methods they used to convert people, or at least some contradictions. However, it seems that what you see is what you get, laid out quite bluntly by O'Brien. No ulterior motive. The methods simply are what they are.
Definitions:
abasemenr: to lower physically
solipsism-theory of holding that the self can know nothing but its own modifications and that the self is the only existent thing.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
1984 4/10/09
Quote: "The command of the old despotism was 'Thou shalt not.' The command of the totalitarians was 'Thou shalt.' Our command is 'Thou art.'"
Significance:
I actually prefer this line to descibe the Party as opposed to the Party's slogans. It cleary states that they not only plan on creating a conformed society, but a perfectly conformed society. All who have a history of stepping out of line are removed from existence, as they are seen as different from others. Differences cannot be tolerated in their world. All must be born the same.....Which leads me to wonder if all must die the same, too.
oblong-elongated, usually in a square or circular form.
moreover- in addition to what has been said
Significance:
I actually prefer this line to descibe the Party as opposed to the Party's slogans. It cleary states that they not only plan on creating a conformed society, but a perfectly conformed society. All who have a history of stepping out of line are removed from existence, as they are seen as different from others. Differences cannot be tolerated in their world. All must be born the same.....Which leads me to wonder if all must die the same, too.
oblong-elongated, usually in a square or circular form.
moreover- in addition to what has been said
Thursday, March 5, 2009
1984 3/5
Quote: "'You knew this, Winston.' said O'Brien, "Don't decieve yourself. You did know it. You have always known it."'
Significance:
I kinda knew it, too, now that I think about it. I had been wondering why the Party would do something as stupid as to grant certain people the power to turn off the telescreens(really, it wouldn't benefit the Paety at all.) But know I get it. It was a trap. Pretty clever. As for O'Brien.....kumbafu.
Definitions:
Hmm....really, none at the moment.
Significance:
I kinda knew it, too, now that I think about it. I had been wondering why the Party would do something as stupid as to grant certain people the power to turn off the telescreens(really, it wouldn't benefit the Paety at all.) But know I get it. It was a trap. Pretty clever. As for O'Brien.....kumbafu.
Definitions:
Hmm....really, none at the moment.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
1984-Ignorance is Stength
Quote: "The Ministry of Peace concerns itself with war, the Ministry of Truth with lies, the Ministry of Love with torture, and the Ministry of Plenty with starvation. This contradictions are not accidental, nor do they result from ordinary hypocrisy: they are deliberate excersises in doublethink."
Significance:
This quote is significant because it speaks of how the Ministries have used doublethink to essentially change the meaning of words to their opposites. This shows that maybe those in charge do see the power of words, as they chose only positive words to represent their negative actions. This also sheds some light on why the Party is so fearful of words.
Definitions:
Tenet: a principle, belief, or doctrine genuinely thought to be true
vilify: to lower in estimation or importance.
Significance:
This quote is significant because it speaks of how the Ministries have used doublethink to essentially change the meaning of words to their opposites. This shows that maybe those in charge do see the power of words, as they chose only positive words to represent their negative actions. This also sheds some light on why the Party is so fearful of words.
Definitions:
Tenet: a principle, belief, or doctrine genuinely thought to be true
vilify: to lower in estimation or importance.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
1984 War is Peace
Quote: "Winston stopped reading for a moment...the blissful feeling of being alone with the forbidden book, in a room with no telescreen, had not worn off. Solitude and safety were physical sensations, mixed up somehow with the tiredness of his body, the softness of the chair, the touch of the faint breeze from the window that palyed upon his cheek." (199-200)
Significance:
This quote clearly shows what a rarity it is to be alone in Winston's world. It seems even the slightest bits of comfort fascinate him, which makes it evident to the reader just how bad life is in this novel. The question on my mind is whether or not Winston will continue to be fascinated by his slight freedom later on, or will he take it for granted?
Definitions:
superstates: Massive powers
indefatigably: without tiring
Significance:
This quote clearly shows what a rarity it is to be alone in Winston's world. It seems even the slightest bits of comfort fascinate him, which makes it evident to the reader just how bad life is in this novel. The question on my mind is whether or not Winston will continue to be fascinated by his slight freedom later on, or will he take it for granted?
Definitions:
superstates: Massive powers
indefatigably: without tiring
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