I came into Second Life not knowing anything about the program. I was nervous that I would not know how to operate it or that I would get completely lost with a vast amount of options. Second Life really is like another world with people from all over the globe who can access it. It can be a fun place, but since I do not yet know how to operate it, it could be a little frustrating.
When I first signed into Second Life, I chose a woman to be my “representative”, sort of speak. She appeared naked at first, which freaked me out, but a few minutes later she was wearing jeans and a purple shirt. In class I found out that I am able to change her outfits and buy shoes and purses, but sadly, I have not yet figured out how to do this. I even signed up for a Second Life meeting with the professor but could not log into the system at my designated time. Bummer.
This brings me to another fall back – the system freezing issue. Many times when I am in Second Life, the system blocks and I need to restart my computer. At first I thought I’d loose information in the program but later I realized that my “representative” stays in the same location as it was before the program froze.
I must say I do enjoy Second Life when I navigate through it and explore the opportunities it holds. I’d like to learn more about it so I can use all the possible options and maybe even chat with people from all over the world. I think it is a great program and a very smart tool for class since it embraces so many different ideas and “rooms” to visit. I think once I get acquainted with Second Life, I will really enjoy it and continue to use it even after this semester is over.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
"Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin
The history of women could be described as an emotional rollercoaster of desperate fights in order to first establish and later preserve women’s rights. During the 1800’s, women were their husband’s possession and did not have the freedom to enjoy their lives the way any human being should be able to. In Kate Chopin’s story “The Story of an Hour” she describes the time when women were supposed to keep quiet, bear children, and be servile to their men. She expresses her feelings through a female protagonist in her story. In “The Story of an Hour” she portrayed, the protagonist, Mrs. Mallard on an emotional roller coaster all in one hour. After learning of her husband’s death Mrs. Mallard elevates to her epiphany of freedom, but then descends to her death of disappointment when the news turns out to be wrong. The main reason for Mrs. Mallard’s disappointment is that she finally felt as if she would be able to live her life and enjoy the simple things she could not have enjoyed before during the time her husband was alive, such as simply looking out the window and indulging herself with the sounds, scents, and the color that filled the air. She felt as if she now had the power to act, speak, or think without restraints. With her husband gone, she would now be her own person. What might be viewed as cold heartedness made it possible for her to dream about her future with illumination and feel her soul and body finally free.
All the visions she had of her freedom would be obsolete by the sight of her husband alive. Mrs. Mallard’s hopes and dreams died with her at the sight of him. The doctors assumed it was because she was overcome with joy; ironically, she was terribly dismayed and her disappointment killed her. This situation could be interpreted under the approach of feminist criticism. The irony is that her freedom was only momentary and her life lasted less than one hour. Mrs. Mallard’s marriage to her husband was more of duty than love. She must have been extremely unhappy to feel such joy and excitement after finding out about her husband’s death. She unconsciously celebrated his death instead of grieving as anyone else would. But can we really blame Mrs. Mallard for what seems like, her cold heartedness? Her human behavior could be seen as strange to some; however, during that time it would be much more easily understood by all women who shared Mrs. Mallard’s struggle. The value of a woman’s experience and perspective in understanding is being introduced by the author. Kate Chopin kept the story brief for a reason as well; to show just how brief and short Mrs. Mallard’s actual life was.
All the visions she had of her freedom would be obsolete by the sight of her husband alive. Mrs. Mallard’s hopes and dreams died with her at the sight of him. The doctors assumed it was because she was overcome with joy; ironically, she was terribly dismayed and her disappointment killed her. This situation could be interpreted under the approach of feminist criticism. The irony is that her freedom was only momentary and her life lasted less than one hour. Mrs. Mallard’s marriage to her husband was more of duty than love. She must have been extremely unhappy to feel such joy and excitement after finding out about her husband’s death. She unconsciously celebrated his death instead of grieving as anyone else would. But can we really blame Mrs. Mallard for what seems like, her cold heartedness? Her human behavior could be seen as strange to some; however, during that time it would be much more easily understood by all women who shared Mrs. Mallard’s struggle. The value of a woman’s experience and perspective in understanding is being introduced by the author. Kate Chopin kept the story brief for a reason as well; to show just how brief and short Mrs. Mallard’s actual life was.
"Paul's Case" by Willa Cather
Willa Cather’s “Paul’s Case” is about a young 16 year old boy, Paul, who is motherless and alienated. His lack of maternal care has led to his isolation. Paul does not feel content in his yellow wallpapered house and feels detached from the society he lives in. He dreams of the luxurious life of New York City, in hopes of changing his life around by leaving behind the isolation he lived in. The only happiness he feels is working at Carnegie Hall and dreaming of the rich and wealthy, as a means to escape his reality. His father was an overpowering and detached figure in his life, which created more distress for the boy.
Paul’s true reality centers around his disinterest for school. His isolation and alienation in his life had a lot to do with the problem of his schooling. This disinterest in school reflects Paul’s alienation because of the unusual attention he receives there that he doesn’t get at home. In class one day, he was at the blackboard and “his English teacher had stepped to his side and attempted to guide his hand” (203). Paul, at the moment of being touched, stepped backwards suddenly and put his hands behind his back. Paul, growing up without a mother figure in his life, was unaccustomed to any affection or care from his teachers that mothers tend to give. Therefore, his alienation is portrayed in his attitude toward school and relationship with teachers. He was not sure how to react to the touch a caring adult, nor did he understand the fact that someone wanted good for him. The poor boy was trapped in a very lonely world which he created in his mind. He blocked out his teachers and wanted something new; something that would set him apart from the ordinary spectrum he no longer wanted to be a part of.
Paul’s true reality centers around his disinterest for school. His isolation and alienation in his life had a lot to do with the problem of his schooling. This disinterest in school reflects Paul’s alienation because of the unusual attention he receives there that he doesn’t get at home. In class one day, he was at the blackboard and “his English teacher had stepped to his side and attempted to guide his hand” (203). Paul, at the moment of being touched, stepped backwards suddenly and put his hands behind his back. Paul, growing up without a mother figure in his life, was unaccustomed to any affection or care from his teachers that mothers tend to give. Therefore, his alienation is portrayed in his attitude toward school and relationship with teachers. He was not sure how to react to the touch a caring adult, nor did he understand the fact that someone wanted good for him. The poor boy was trapped in a very lonely world which he created in his mind. He blocked out his teachers and wanted something new; something that would set him apart from the ordinary spectrum he no longer wanted to be a part of.
“The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” by Samuel Clemens
“The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” by Samuel Clemens is an example of a frame tale, where a story is being told about another story which took place previously. Samuel Wheeler, who tells the story, has a Southern accent which can be almost heard as one reads the story. The story starts out with one goal but then completely changes the topic of what the reader thought the story was originally about. It is easy for the reader to forget about Leonidas because they have been entertained and almost want to get away from Wheeler’s ramblings.
Jim Smiley has a serious gambling problem in the story. He wants to live the American dream of money and success but he struggles with work ethics, making a priority out of getting rich quick. Smiley trains his frog to beat any other frog in Calaveras County which to him is not cheating but rather a helping tool for his frog. That is a very American frame of mind. “…I’ll resk forty dollars that he can outjump any frog in Calaveras Country” Smiley says in the story (275). The story has a hustler attitude and some cheating in it. But the important aspect of it all is that Smiley does not recognize the cheating and only thinks of about the quickness of his frog so he could make more money and feel satisfied.
All in all, this story is basically about nothing. One can draw many conclusions about the frog and say that perhaps the frog was in the story to represent education. Smiley teaches the frog and it learns to carry out its expectations as a “student.” Also, there was a mention in the story of Daniel Webster and connected to the frog. Webster was an educator and the creator of the American dictionary which could be ironic and/or symbolic as well. It seems to me that Clemens used humor to create mockery in this story of the American way of life.
Jim Smiley has a serious gambling problem in the story. He wants to live the American dream of money and success but he struggles with work ethics, making a priority out of getting rich quick. Smiley trains his frog to beat any other frog in Calaveras County which to him is not cheating but rather a helping tool for his frog. That is a very American frame of mind. “…I’ll resk forty dollars that he can outjump any frog in Calaveras Country” Smiley says in the story (275). The story has a hustler attitude and some cheating in it. But the important aspect of it all is that Smiley does not recognize the cheating and only thinks of about the quickness of his frog so he could make more money and feel satisfied.
All in all, this story is basically about nothing. One can draw many conclusions about the frog and say that perhaps the frog was in the story to represent education. Smiley teaches the frog and it learns to carry out its expectations as a “student.” Also, there was a mention in the story of Daniel Webster and connected to the frog. Webster was an educator and the creator of the American dictionary which could be ironic and/or symbolic as well. It seems to me that Clemens used humor to create mockery in this story of the American way of life.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Jorge Luis Borges "The Other Duel"
Jorge Luis Borges’s “The Other Duel” was slightly difficult for me when it came to fully understanding the meaning of the story. However, I did find it quite interesting that Borges mentioned La Serviliana, a woman, but gives the reader only a quick glimpse of who she is. Although La Serviliana holds only a short mention in the story, she is a significant character whom the reader catches an interest for. The woman is not treated with much respect by Cardoso and Silveira and is almost thrown around from one man to the other until both get weary of the woman. “…Cardoso spent one night with her and sent her off at noon. He didn’t want the other man’s left-overs” (141). La Serviliana was treated as an object, rather than a woman. Her existence in the story is questionable, but what is even more questionable is why Borges chose to take her presence ever so lightly instead of developing her character and telling the reader more about her background.
What happens to La Serviliana at the end of the story barely made any difference because it did not matter to the story’s meaning. It seems that La Serviliana was used for the sake of the plot and not to introduce her as a potential well developed character. This may go back to and have reference with the way women were treated during the period of Borges’s lifetime in South America. Women were used for their natural instincts of child bearing and household responsibilities. La Serviliana’s mention in the story was dealt with in a sexual manner and humiliated her as a woman. Whether it was necessary or not for the dishonor of a woman to be mentioned in the story remains unanswered in my mind. However, I do believe she plays a vital role in describing what type of men Cardoso and Silveira were. La Serviliana holds the answers to the men’s machismo approaches.
What happens to La Serviliana at the end of the story barely made any difference because it did not matter to the story’s meaning. It seems that La Serviliana was used for the sake of the plot and not to introduce her as a potential well developed character. This may go back to and have reference with the way women were treated during the period of Borges’s lifetime in South America. Women were used for their natural instincts of child bearing and household responsibilities. La Serviliana’s mention in the story was dealt with in a sexual manner and humiliated her as a woman. Whether it was necessary or not for the dishonor of a woman to be mentioned in the story remains unanswered in my mind. However, I do believe she plays a vital role in describing what type of men Cardoso and Silveira were. La Serviliana holds the answers to the men’s machismo approaches.
Ambrose Bierce "An Occurance at Owl Creek Bridge"
Ambrose Bierce’s “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” remarkably plays with the illusion of time. As Farquhar stands on the bridge with a noose around his neck, Bierce leads the reader to believe that the rope breaks and that Farquhar falls into the water below, only to escape to his farm, where he is reunited with his wife. However, at the end of the story it is revealed that Farquhar has, in fact, been hanged and that these imaginings took place in the seconds before his death. Bierce gave a very detailed description of what Farquhar had supposedly gone through while getting away from the soldiers. “Farquhar dived-dived as quickly as he could. The water roared in his ears like the voice of Niagara, yet he heard the dulled thunder of the volley and, rising again toward the surface, met shining bits of metal, singularly flattened, oscillating slowly downward” (137). The reader finds that he or she is rooting for Farquhar and wants him to get away.
The remarkable point of Bierce’s writing is being able to stretch out only a couple seconds into a well developed thought process. The reader can picture Farquhar as he finds himself in the water, after the rope supposedly breaks and allows him to have another shot at freedom. It is not until Part III that the reader realizes what was previously described was only Farquhar’s imagination; it was simply wishful thinking on his part. But the reader cannot forget that in reality, it would be more or less impossible for this to take place, since Farquhar would not have enough time to so descriptively think about his get away. From the time Farquhar was falling, to the snapping of his neck and him swaying back and forth from the rope, was not a sufficient amount of time in order for all his thoughts to process through. And for that reason, Bierce’s story is a true fiction masterpiece.
The remarkable point of Bierce’s writing is being able to stretch out only a couple seconds into a well developed thought process. The reader can picture Farquhar as he finds himself in the water, after the rope supposedly breaks and allows him to have another shot at freedom. It is not until Part III that the reader realizes what was previously described was only Farquhar’s imagination; it was simply wishful thinking on his part. But the reader cannot forget that in reality, it would be more or less impossible for this to take place, since Farquhar would not have enough time to so descriptively think about his get away. From the time Farquhar was falling, to the snapping of his neck and him swaying back and forth from the rope, was not a sufficient amount of time in order for all his thoughts to process through. And for that reason, Bierce’s story is a true fiction masterpiece.
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