English1223f2

Finally, the message of dealing with grief that is caused by one’s own personal choices is important because everyone makes poor decisions that can lead to suffering. In Sonny’s Blues, the narrator clashes with his brother Sonny over many issues simply because the narrator wishes Sonny the best possible outcome. He tells his mother, “Don’t you worry, I won’t forget. I won’t let nothing happen to Sonny.” (49). However, it seems that the narrator causes himself a lot of grief because he doesn’t seek to understand the ends which Sonny wishes to accomplish. For example, after Sonny tells his brother that he wishes to be a musician, “I somehow had the feeling that being a drummer might be all right for other people but not for my brother Sonny.” (49). He also goes on to say, “I sensed myself in the presence of something I didn’t really know how to handle, didn’t understand” (50). This shows that the narrator does not understand his brother very well. The narrator seems to feel that he knows what is best for Sonny even though he may not understand him. As a result, Sonny says, “I hear you. But you never hear anything I say,” (52). It sums up their whole relationship in a nutshell. The tension boils over when, as the narrator describes it, “So I got mad and he got mad, and then I told him that he might just as well be dead as live the way he’s living. Then he stood up and he told me not to worry about him any more in life, that he was dead as far as I was concerned” (54). The narrator’s hard-headedness causes him to suffer because he drives Sonny away when all he wants is what is best for Sonny. However, later the narrator and Sonny talk and the narrator says, “…something told me I should curb my tongue, that Sonny was doing his best to talk, that I should listen” (57). The narrator says later “I realized, with this mocking look, that there stood between us, forever, beyond the power of time or forgiveness, the fact that I had held silence – so long! – when he had needed human speech to help him” (57). The narrator finally understands that if he is to truly help Sonny in accomplishing his goals, he must listen in order to learn what Sonny actually wants to accomplish. This advice is relevant for everyone because, in relationships with friends, partners, or family, we can have good intentions yet hinder whomever we are trying to help because of our own faults. The narrator’s fault was his inability to listen, and because he tries to overcome it, Sonny helps him understand what is actually going on in his head.

Gazing up into the darkness I saw myself as a creature driven and derided by vanity; and my eyes burned with anguish and anger.

The boy got his chance at his dream, the obstacle that kept him away from reality for periods of time. As all young boys he fantasized about relationships. But the forgetfulness of others destroyed his plan. In an after thought the young boy realizes that his dream was never going to be reality being a inexperienced young boy, he became furious.

The effect that individual and social attitudes have, towards the freedom, future and responsibility of the abused child, unborn child and their self's. Both of these stories are based on selfishness, "concerned chiefly or only with oneself". These topics are compared between the stories, "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas" and, "Hills Like White Elephants". Firstly the two stories express the importance that their action holds in order to obtain the future that they imagine. The couple's future depends on the abortion, "we'll be fine afterward. Just like we were before". The future of the town of Omela, depends on the child's incarceration. "They know that if the wretched one were not there sniveling in the dark, the other one, the flute player, could make no joyful music". Secondly the stories express their responsibility as a society and individuals. "If the child were brought up into the sunlight", "that would be a good thing indeed; but if it were done, in that day and hour all the prosperity and beauty and delight of Omelas would wither and be destroyed". They must keep the child out of society to protect the town's happiness by putting it's impurities in public would destroy the happiness of the individuals of the town. Compared to the girl in, "Hills Like White Elephants" who decides that her own feelings do not matter as long as the termination of her pregnancy regains the happiness that her and her partner once had. "But I don't care about me. And I'll do it and then everything will be fine". Thirdly the freedom of the type of life that the individuals may lead depends on the choices of societies and individuals. The people in the town of Omela have the attitude that the sacrifice of one, is worth the happiness of the town, "they all know that it has to be there". "They all understand that their happiness", "depend wholly on this child's abominable misery". Compared to the man in, "Hills Like White Elephants" who has the attitude that he can make his partner think that the sacrifice of the child is worth to regain the happiness of the couple. "That's the only thing that bothers us. It's the only thing that's made us unhappy".

There is no official commentator on the story we are going to look at Thursday, so, if anyone has any thoughts, feel free to write them here.
Also, look at the latest entry in the main blog to see the William James passage to which the subtitle of the story refers.

I have sent everyone in the class an invitation to join this blog. If you did not get an invitation, let me know.

I do not want to fall a class behind so early in the term, so I would like you to go on to the next story--"The Yellow Wallpaper." This means that on Tuesday we will spend some time discussing "The Most Dangerous Game" but will spend most of the class on "The Yellow Wallpaper."

My PowerPoint presentation for the first lecture (focusing on plot structure) is available on the network <\\Plato\dat\courses\engl\klawson>.