nostalgic memories

The single biggest disadvantage of romanticizing nostalgic memories of the past is that it makes it easier for us to fantasize and ignore the problems of the present. When we put on our rose-colored glasses to peer into a different time, desperate for something that is fundamentally out of our reach, we cease to think about the consequences it may have on our present, perhaps harming our future as well.

Jay Gatsby is a prime example of this. The goal of his life is to recreate the sweet memories he shared with the Daisy Fay of the past. Her "bright ecstatic smile" (90) and "lovely" (13) face had captivated him as a young soldier—but she gave it all to another. Five years later, he stubbornly believes that the dim romance that was on the verge of blossoming between them still has a chance to bloom into the fragrant flower of true love.

With his eyes set on this target, Gatsby becomes blind to what he has made of his present life. He has reduced himself to a man with an unhealthy eagerness to climb the social ladder—as he forges “gonnegtion[s]” (75) with shady people—and a desperate greed for amassing wealth—as he becomes involved in organized crime. His emotional frame is out of sync with the passage of time. In fact, the knocking over of Nick's clock during his first reunion with Daisy is a clear symbol of the clumsiness of Gatsby's attempt to stop time and retrieve the past.

By glamorizing the sentimental memories of former times, Gatsby essentially allows them to dictate his very existence. He thrives on the wild hope that Daisy will one day return to him, and when he realizes that she has slipped "out of reach of his hand" (117), he can no longer survive. Similar to Roger Chillingworth of The Scarlet Letter, Gatsby perishes when his life’s purpose is defeated.

an unusual wish

One of the first characters we meet in The Great Gatsby is Daisy, wife of wealthy, fractious Tom Buchanan. It is interesting to note that many aspects of Daisy’s character actually reflect those of the idolized 1920s flapper: a pleasure-seeking woman full of thoughtless giddiness whose superficial cares revolve primarily around her popularity, self, and beauty.

Nick first describes Daisy’s “absurd, charming little laugh” and “low thrilling voice.” He also draws our attention to her face, “sad and lovely, with bright things in it, bright eyes and a bright passionate mouth.” Although these sensual descriptions highlight Daisy’s singular beauty, her speech and actions reveal the immaturity and impetuousness of her inner nature. For instance, when Nick tells her (out of common courtesy) that everyone in Chicago misses her, she emphatically demands to return right away—no doubt to revel in the adoration of her devotees.

When Nick politely enquires about her little daughter, Daisy startles readers by replying, “I hope she’ll be a fool—that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” While revealing her belief that a girl can have more fun if she is beautiful and simplistic, Daisy's flapper-mom-like wish for her daughter is not so unusual when viewed in light of the fact that she is the product of an age that values women for their sexuality over their intelligence. Just as Daisy conforms to the social standard of American femininity in the 1920s in order to avoid her tension-filled life—such as her strained marriage and tangled love affair with Gatsby—so too does she hope for her daughter to be protected under a shield of lovely naivety.

The Value of Punctuation Usage in an Ever-Changing World

Claim Sentence: Although the debate over the flexibility of punctuation rules in an ever-changing world may seem trivial, it is in fact crucial in terms of today’s concern over decreasing literacy. Furthermore, fixed punctuation rules make for clarity and precision in one’s writing, lending ethos and expression to authors, from past and future alike.

Having set rules of punctuation is crucial to the English language as it makes for coherent, expressive writing and allows writers to demonstrate their intelligence and credibility. Additionally, there is the danger that in an ever-changing world, flexible punctuation rules may very well lead to “the downfall of literacy” (Source A). The primary benefit of adhering to the rules of punctuation is that it accords expression in one’s writing, much like pauses and changes in tone of voice when speaking. Elizabeth Austen of “On Punctuation” personifies certain punctuation marks by attributing a special characteristic to each, such as the “voluptuous uncertainty” of the question mark and the “come-hither wave” of the comma. These sensual ascriptions show how punctuation has the capability to transmit subtle connotations that words cannot convey.

More importantly, adherence to punctuation rules is vital for a piece’s coherence, as it allows for effective separation and linkage of ideas; without this, many literary masterpieces would be plagued with confusion. Now, critics would argue that Emily Dickinson’s unconventional use of “the sweet interrupting dash” (Source B) and irregular sprinkling of capitalization in her poem as well as Austen’s complete lack of punctuation in hers do not hinder one’s ability to understand their message; rather, they lend an artistic, personal touch. To this, Hitchings would reply that both of these pieces are poems, avenues of “Possibility” (Source C) where one is encouraged to be creative and where flexibility with punctuation rules is perhaps to be expected. However, in prose, he says that set rules make for “clear, effective, and consistent communication” (Source A). Poetry is meant to be multilayered with deep meanings open to interpretation, but if one insists on applying its unique rules to other pieces of literature, it would result in general confusion and even lack of credibility.

In “Notes on Punctuation,” author Lewis Thomas seems to side with Austen and Dickinson as he pokes fun at the rigid rules of punctuation and bends them in original, innovative ways to create a humorous effect. Being a physician and scientist, however, he would be expected to abide by those very rules in his medical research and lab reports. In fact, all other professionals such as teachers, doctors, lawyers, and engineers must conform to the rules if they want any credibility or trust. If they ventured to experiment with punctuation in their documents as Thomas does in Source D, they would be harming their own integrity as it would no longer be possible to write in a formal and professional manner. It would also leave room for dangerous misinterpretations with, in some cases, possibly life-threatening consequences.

 Furthermore, without a concrete set of rules for punctuation, literacy rates and general understanding of the English language would suffer. An older generation reading literature by younger people may not understand or misinterpret it based on the punctuation usage of their days; similarly, current readers will not be able to relate to previous literary masterpieces as they struggle to decode the strange symbols such as the “pilcrow” and “hedera” (Source A).

Consistency in punctuation rules is as important as stipulated traffic rules: that even one person does not realize that a red light means stop can be costly. Like traffic signals, punctuation marks direct the flow of your ruminations, creating order and preventing your thoughts from going in unintended directions. If everyone is not aware of the rules because of the fact that they are constantly changing, the result is an unsightly literary accident that would be difficult to reverse.

the beauty of language

Throughout the novel Black Boy, Richard Wright uses beautiful language to describe his journey from innocence to experience in the Jim Crow South. In Chapter 2 of the novel, Wright uses an anaphora to convey the childish pleasure and depth of emotion that nature evoked in him as a young boy. He starts off by saying, "There was the breathlessly anxious fun of chasing and catching flitting fireflies on drowsy summer nights" (45). Readers smile here at the beautiful simplicity of a child's fascination with fireflies, as it is a common experience we all can relate to. He continues further, saying, "There was the aura of limitless freedom distilled from the rolling sweep of tall green grass swaying and glinting in the wind and sun" (45). Vivid imagery allows one to picture the scene and wonder at how a child could make the connection between swaying fronds of grass and the notion of freedom. We ache at the realization that despite his tender age, even young Richard yearns for true freedom from his oppressive society. His use of the anaphora furnishes artistic effect to the passage and adds rhythm to his words, making it more pleasurable to read. By relating himself to nature in each repetition, Wright succeeds in inspiring readers to reflect upon their own relationship with the natural world around them; the ability to find pleasure in it being a proof of lightness of spirit and the inability a proof of a soul darkened with the weight of societal concerns.

slavery: its crippling legacy

In 1492, Christopher Columbus made the historic voyage to the Americas. His excursion heralded a new, two-way traffic between Europe and the Americas. Across the eastern and western halves of the world, a large-scale movement occurred—a major transfer of plants and animals, as well as people and diseases. Named after the legendary voyager, the Columbian Exchange produced lasting effects which still reverberate today. A chief component of this exchange was the slave trade. Although this brutal human commerce was outlawed over 150 years ago, the inherent racism that fueled this system can still be felt today. Freed slaves suffered much emotional and psychological damage, which they passed down through the generations. Their feelings gave rise to a lot of resentment, anger, and pain felt within the black community today. Though not forced to toil long hours under the hot sun and the brandishing whip of an overseer, blacks still suffer in other ways. For instance, the poor housing, lack of employment opportunities, and the inadequate health care and education that many blacks cope with today are due to the fact that they have had to play catch-up, as they had been denied certain opportunities that were always available to those of the white race. Moreover, the enslavement of blacks by people who considered them inferior greatly diminished their self-worth, causing them to view themselves in the same light of inferiority. This lack of self-esteem then results in self-destructive behavior—as well as a serious doubt of their complete acceptance as equal members of society. The rampant crime rate that is spiraling out of control in America’s inner-city neighborhoods, the drug abuse and single parent homes, and the high abortion rate in the black community have all led to the breakdown of the black American family. These present unfortunate conditions of many blacks are all part of the crippling legacy of the original institution of slavery, the haunting effects of which rebound to this day. 

                                                 

the essence of beauty

One of the things we discussed in class this past week was Emily Prager’s piece titled “Our Barbies, Ourselves.” While I agree that Barbie portrays a twisted ideal of women, I believe that she is also representative of a society that has become increasingly obsessed with external beauty. Unlike what the makers of Barbie would have us believe, our body does not define who we are. Inner beauty, the beauty of the soul, is what truly matters. It is an illumination of the heart that manifests itself in one’s strength of character and unwavering moral standards. Think about it. A person with a beautiful face may succeed in appealing to your peripheral sense of enjoyment for only so long, but a person with pleasing character will captivate your heart for a lifetime.

This idea brings to mind a poem by John Keats titled “La Belle Dame sans merci,” in which he describes the encounter between a knight and a mysterious elfin beauty. At first, the lady’s “long” hair, “light” step, and “wild” eyes enthrall him and he eagerly follows her to her “elfin grot.” Because the soldier is so caught up with her external beauty, he fails to realize that her enigmatic smile actually conceals a heart of stone. As a result, once the lady has successfully trapped him in her cave, she swiftly delivers the knight to his chilling end.

This is similar to what Prager suggests in the last line of her piece: Barbie has “trapped” us in the need to conform to others’ ideals of superficial beauty, such that we become oblivious to what really matters. In order to escape, we can embrace the freedom of rising above petty societal beauty standards and develop our character, for the nurturing of inner beauty is what makes us a true human being. 

motherhood

After reading Giovanni and Jacobs's pieces this past week, I thought about the role a mother's sacrifice and love play in the survival of her children. In Harry's case, Lily Potter threw herself in the way of Voldemort's curse--giving up her life to save her son. Jacobs, too, risked her life to ensure that her children would not be sold into slavery.

The bond between a mother and her child is phenomenal. A mother is the sole being who is willing to sacrifice everything to see her child thrive and prosper, without any expectation of returns. The discomfort a woman endures while carrying her child within her for months on end, the excruciating pangs of childbirth, and the sleepless nights she spends thereafter mark just the beginning of a mother's path of continual sacrifice. Such is the natural affinity between a mother and her child that she understands the needs of her child before he is even capable of expressing them; she is aware of his fears without being told.

Like researchers have now realized about mother's milk, there is no substitute for mother's love. No one can extract and bottle motherly compassion. The warmth of your mother's love has the power to melt away your worries; the radiance of her smile can brighten your otherwise gloomy day; her gentle words and comforting hugs make you feel like you can accomplish anything.

In essence, your mother is your sanctuary.