At the beginning of Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, the LCS is an uneducated girl(for she was taught be her father) and is "not civilized, at least not for me!( Sijie 27) according to Luo. Not only that, she is a country girl who has no knowledge of the outside world. Ironically, the beauty of this "uncivilized girl" captures Luo's heart, and his reading's has "educated" her causing her to venture out into the world. Not only does she have the audacity to leave without telling anybody, she tries to erase who she is and where she comes from, by make herself seem more 'citified'. But why does the novel end with her leaving, most likely, her first love, without telling her father she going, or without telling the narrator who had helped her beyond measures? Is it her new found knowledge and her "beauty" that is a "treasure beyond price", that gives her a new arrogancy? Or does she use her new found knowledge in a positive way to really go out and explore the world that has been hidden to her for so long? The author could have ended the novel this way to show how much of an impact Luo actually had on the LCS. Nobody would have ever guessed that the LCS would change who she was and attempt to leave her country lifestyle. She would be using her beauty to help her get through the western culture as oppose to the Chinese culture.
Another bit of irony is the fact that Luo and the narrator are sent to get "re-educated" or to have the western culture 'erased' from their minds, and yet they still find the western culture through literature and influence the LCS in the process. Once he found the books on Western culture, he even exclaimed that "with these books I shall transform the Little Seamstress. She'll never be a simple mountain girl again." (Sijie 100) Yes, he indeed transformed her, and in a way his plan backfired.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Oh Othello! (test)
Othello is the most tragic hero in the play "Othello." What makes this a tragic vision, is everyone is affected just as much as Othello is, yet he is the one who is naive, easily manipulated, and not trustworthy. His actions and "blindness" causes the downfall of him and everyone else.
Iago's plan is to destroy everybody. His jealousy or "The green eyed monster" (Othello Scene 3) is seen throughout the play, and this jealousy strengthens his resentment for Othello. [Iago speaking]"I will put the Moor At least into a jealousy so strong That judgment cannot cure." (Othello). It is Iago's own assumptions and suspicions that causes him to compose a plan for revenge.
Although it is Iago who manipulates Othello, it is Othello's only flaw, his naivety, that kills him and leads to the atrophy of everyone else also. Othello, this powerful warrior, is easily bamboozled by Iago. He would have never imagined that Iago would ambush him.[speaking to Iago]"And, for I know thou'rt full of love and honesty." (Othello Scene 3) Because of his strong trust in Iago, Iago's plan is a success. A reason why everyone is affected as much as Othello is because everyone's strength becomes his or her weakness. It could also be seen as a chain of events. It was their "fate" or a situation that was inevitable. "Who can control this fate? 'tis not so now." (Othello Scene 3) Without Othello being in love with Desdemona, Iago's plan would have never worked. Nor would his plan have worked if Desdemona really wasn't a faithful wife who truly was the victim. Without the web of love and relationships, Iago's plan would have failed. This could be a reason why everyone is affected just as much as Othello: because of the relationships between them all.
There are many themes found in Othello that are also present in other plays. The main one is "blindness." Just like Oedipus in Sophocles play "Oedipus Rex" Othello is also blind to some extent when it comes to everything that is going on around him. "Blindness" causes them both to run into death and devastation of other's. Another important theme that is found throughout Othello and is found in Oedipus Rex is fate. Othello tragedy could be seen as his fate to lead everyone and himself to their doom. Just like Oedipus, his fate also brought about the death of loved ones and disaster for many.
Othello is a tragic hero simply because he is "blinded" by lies. It is love that leads him on to a path of jealousy and rage that at the end destroys everyone.
Iago's plan is to destroy everybody. His jealousy or "The green eyed monster" (Othello Scene 3) is seen throughout the play, and this jealousy strengthens his resentment for Othello. [Iago speaking]"I will put the Moor At least into a jealousy so strong That judgment cannot cure." (Othello). It is Iago's own assumptions and suspicions that causes him to compose a plan for revenge.
Although it is Iago who manipulates Othello, it is Othello's only flaw, his naivety, that kills him and leads to the atrophy of everyone else also. Othello, this powerful warrior, is easily bamboozled by Iago. He would have never imagined that Iago would ambush him.[speaking to Iago]"And, for I know thou'rt full of love and honesty." (Othello Scene 3) Because of his strong trust in Iago, Iago's plan is a success. A reason why everyone is affected as much as Othello is because everyone's strength becomes his or her weakness. It could also be seen as a chain of events. It was their "fate" or a situation that was inevitable. "Who can control this fate? 'tis not so now." (Othello Scene 3) Without Othello being in love with Desdemona, Iago's plan would have never worked. Nor would his plan have worked if Desdemona really wasn't a faithful wife who truly was the victim. Without the web of love and relationships, Iago's plan would have failed. This could be a reason why everyone is affected just as much as Othello: because of the relationships between them all.
There are many themes found in Othello that are also present in other plays. The main one is "blindness." Just like Oedipus in Sophocles play "Oedipus Rex" Othello is also blind to some extent when it comes to everything that is going on around him. "Blindness" causes them both to run into death and devastation of other's. Another important theme that is found throughout Othello and is found in Oedipus Rex is fate. Othello tragedy could be seen as his fate to lead everyone and himself to their doom. Just like Oedipus, his fate also brought about the death of loved ones and disaster for many.
Othello is a tragic hero simply because he is "blinded" by lies. It is love that leads him on to a path of jealousy and rage that at the end destroys everyone.
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