Found Poem:
I would just be caught up in the machinery again,
But now I realized it was perfectly normal.
It was a mistake to let myself get carried away by such imaginings.
Contrary to what I thought, everything was very simple.
You can always find something to be happy about,I might have discovered that in at least once instance, the wheel had stopped.
Of course, hope meant being cut down on some street corner, as you ran like mad, by a random bullet.
But everybody knows life isn't worth living, once again, the machine destroyed everything.
Sometimes we think we're sure when in fact we're not.
These things happen.
Have you no hope at all?
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Stranger Journal 5
In part 2, the sentence structure is different in that the sentences are longer and more detailed. I think this suggests that Mersault is starting to have some feelings and he can't quite figure out how to act, he's starting to go a little bit crazy. Also, he mentions more words about feelings which is different. Also, on page 66 he says "I felt the urge to reassure him that I was like everybody else, just like everybody else." He repeats himself, and when a person repeats themselves like that it can suggest that they are trying to convince not only the other person, but more that they are trying to convince themselves of something. Also, I thought it was interesting at the beginning of Chapter 2 of part 2, Mersault sees Arabs in prison and they help him and show him how to roll up his bed and such even after he tells them that he is in prison for killing an Arab.
Another thing that I noticed is that some of the images surrounding Mersault change. For instance, the image of windows and the image of walls is very prevalent in part 2. It's kind of cool that those two images are together because they kind of contradict each other a little bit. Walls could suggest being blocked in, cornered or trapped. But windows are like a view of the outside, they could represent hope. Walls could represent all the things that are holding him in and how he feels trapped, but windows could represent any sort of hope that he has.
One scene that I found interesting on page 73-76 is when Marie visits Mersault is Jail and they are in the visiting room and people are talking to their relatives through the glass and Mersault describes all the Arabs sitting on the ground talking to each other and he even says "The murmuring of the Arabs continued below us". Just the physical placement of that is interesting, how all the Arabs are below them, which could symbolize them being less important, or less regarded in society and being treated as lower status. Which is different that the more detached way he describes them in part one. It's almost like he's noticing more and he's using more metaphors and less short, succint, sentences.
I feel like in part 2, Mersault is starting to question himself and he's wondering if all his ideas are right. But sometimes when you doubt yourself you just cling to your old ideas even tighter because even though you suspect they may be wrong, you're so scared of what would happen if they are. Mersault's old, indifferent attitude isn't working for him anymore after he kills a man. And I think that, like with the Chaplain and such, he gets really angry and he's clinging to these old ideas even harder, and repeating himself, and trying to convince himself of how he's feeling because he's scared of what would happen if he opened up his heart or mind to something new. Also, the longer, more rambling and figurative sentences could represent the fact that he is no longer a free man, so all he does all day is sleep and think alone so since it's narrated in first person, his thoughts are no longer just actions "I did this...then this happened...etc." because he's not doing anything. So the writing gets more free and flowing because Mersault is just alone with his thoughts all the time in prison.
Another thing that I noticed is that some of the images surrounding Mersault change. For instance, the image of windows and the image of walls is very prevalent in part 2. It's kind of cool that those two images are together because they kind of contradict each other a little bit. Walls could suggest being blocked in, cornered or trapped. But windows are like a view of the outside, they could represent hope. Walls could represent all the things that are holding him in and how he feels trapped, but windows could represent any sort of hope that he has.
One scene that I found interesting on page 73-76 is when Marie visits Mersault is Jail and they are in the visiting room and people are talking to their relatives through the glass and Mersault describes all the Arabs sitting on the ground talking to each other and he even says "The murmuring of the Arabs continued below us". Just the physical placement of that is interesting, how all the Arabs are below them, which could symbolize them being less important, or less regarded in society and being treated as lower status. Which is different that the more detached way he describes them in part one. It's almost like he's noticing more and he's using more metaphors and less short, succint, sentences.
I feel like in part 2, Mersault is starting to question himself and he's wondering if all his ideas are right. But sometimes when you doubt yourself you just cling to your old ideas even tighter because even though you suspect they may be wrong, you're so scared of what would happen if they are. Mersault's old, indifferent attitude isn't working for him anymore after he kills a man. And I think that, like with the Chaplain and such, he gets really angry and he's clinging to these old ideas even harder, and repeating himself, and trying to convince himself of how he's feeling because he's scared of what would happen if he opened up his heart or mind to something new. Also, the longer, more rambling and figurative sentences could represent the fact that he is no longer a free man, so all he does all day is sleep and think alone so since it's narrated in first person, his thoughts are no longer just actions "I did this...then this happened...etc." because he's not doing anything. So the writing gets more free and flowing because Mersault is just alone with his thoughts all the time in prison.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Stranger Journal 4
Topic: "Evaluate the author's use of first person point of view. How does the point of view align with the protagonist? How does the point of view support a theme in the novel?"
My basic ideas for this topic are that he chooses to write the novel in first person because one of the major ideas throughout the book is the exploration of human nature and the randomness or meaninglessness of life in general. A possible theme for the novel that is explored through the use of first person narration could be: As humans, we are each individuals who have complete control over our decisions and actions, however our independence is irrelevant, or even detrimental, because of the lack of a defined meaning of life or purpose.
Basically, throughout Mersault's narration, we get the sense that he's an individual. He's very different, he does random things, it's obvious that he's in charge of his actions. Even when he knows what the socially or politically correct thing to do is, he sometimes ignores that. He has free will. But he's also consistently speaking about how things "don't mean anything" so he doesn't really understand what he should or shouldn't do because the social "rules" or etiquette in society don't necessary make sense and who's to say that those are correct?
It definitely relates to the idea of "The Absurd" or this idea that life really doesn't make a whole lot of sense. And, even though we have free will, what's the point of free will if we don't know what to do with it? I think the first person point of view aligns with Mersault because he doesn't have much need for other characters. He enjoys people, but is often annoyed with them and is never really very close to anyone. He often holds back his thoughts. It could contribute to a theme that each person is mostly concerned about themselves and their own well being. Having a third person narrator would take away much of the point of the novel. The whole idea is Mersault's individualism and his thoughts and him being a "stranger" to the world, or killing someone who was a "stranger". He speaks about things that are literal and here and now, and so first person makes more sense because its more literal than an omniscient narrator\, because it would be like a God which Mersault doesn't believe in anyways. And his actions make little to no sense in many areas so it would be confusing to have it narrated, even if it was limited third person.
Some Quotes that could possibly relate to these ideas: (Color Coated to correlate to the above paragraphs)
"To stay or to go, it amounted to the same thing" (57)
I think this shows how Mersault, no matter what he does, he feels like it all amounts to the same thing. This is a subtle connection to this recurring idea throughout the novel that all people die eventually. No matter what you do with your life, eventually you die. So I get a sense from him that it's like, it doesn't matter much what you do because there's not this defined purpose of life, you die either way.
"It was then that I realized you could either shoot or not shoot." (56)
Again, I feel like this is saying we-all-die-in-the-end-so-what's-the-point type of thing. And I think this relates to the first person narration because he uses it to show Mersault's reasoning and make this book really about human nature and particularly an individual person's actions when faced with the idea that life is meaningless.
My basic ideas for this topic are that he chooses to write the novel in first person because one of the major ideas throughout the book is the exploration of human nature and the randomness or meaninglessness of life in general. A possible theme for the novel that is explored through the use of first person narration could be: As humans, we are each individuals who have complete control over our decisions and actions, however our independence is irrelevant, or even detrimental, because of the lack of a defined meaning of life or purpose.
Basically, throughout Mersault's narration, we get the sense that he's an individual. He's very different, he does random things, it's obvious that he's in charge of his actions. Even when he knows what the socially or politically correct thing to do is, he sometimes ignores that. He has free will. But he's also consistently speaking about how things "don't mean anything" so he doesn't really understand what he should or shouldn't do because the social "rules" or etiquette in society don't necessary make sense and who's to say that those are correct?
It definitely relates to the idea of "The Absurd" or this idea that life really doesn't make a whole lot of sense. And, even though we have free will, what's the point of free will if we don't know what to do with it? I think the first person point of view aligns with Mersault because he doesn't have much need for other characters. He enjoys people, but is often annoyed with them and is never really very close to anyone. He often holds back his thoughts. It could contribute to a theme that each person is mostly concerned about themselves and their own well being. Having a third person narrator would take away much of the point of the novel. The whole idea is Mersault's individualism and his thoughts and him being a "stranger" to the world, or killing someone who was a "stranger". He speaks about things that are literal and here and now, and so first person makes more sense because its more literal than an omniscient narrator\, because it would be like a God which Mersault doesn't believe in anyways. And his actions make little to no sense in many areas so it would be confusing to have it narrated, even if it was limited third person.
Some Quotes that could possibly relate to these ideas: (Color Coated to correlate to the above paragraphs)
"I said that people never change their lives, that in any case one life was as good as another..."
This could relate to there not being much of a purpose in life and that everyone is mostly alone in life. "It didn't matter to me, but I knew what I was supposed to say."
This is an important aspect in the novel, that Mersault knows typical social customs, but still sometimes doesn't follow them."To stay or to go, it amounted to the same thing" (57)
I think this shows how Mersault, no matter what he does, he feels like it all amounts to the same thing. This is a subtle connection to this recurring idea throughout the novel that all people die eventually. No matter what you do with your life, eventually you die. So I get a sense from him that it's like, it doesn't matter much what you do because there's not this defined purpose of life, you die either way.
"It was then that I realized you could either shoot or not shoot." (56)
Again, I feel like this is saying we-all-die-in-the-end-so-what's-the-point type of thing. And I think this relates to the first person narration because he uses it to show Mersault's reasoning and make this book really about human nature and particularly an individual person's actions when faced with the idea that life is meaningless.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Stranger Journal 3
The title of The Stranger is interesting because of the differences in translation and their various connotations. Here in the United States, stranger definitely has a negative connotation as opposed to foreigner or outsider which although they could have negative connotations, don't necessarily have dangerous ones. Stranger is often associated with "stranger danger" or needing to have some type of caution or beware of strangers. They're definitely seen as threatening, menacing, foreboding, or dangerous.
Foreigner is an interesting concept that shifts the perception of the story. Foreigner suggests, rather than just a person that you don't personally know who could potentially be dangerous, but that the person does not belong in the certain area regardless of your personal relationship to him. This takes on some ties to the Pied-Noirs and European occupation of Algeria since all Europeans could have been seen as "foreigners". It could also suggest that Mersault is a foreigner in his world, or that he doesn't belong there or doesn't fit in. Foreigner is a little more mysterious and in depth about his character and not belonging to the world around you.
The outsider is a softer word compared to Foreigner and stranger. I don't like this one as much because I don't find it as interesting. The outsider suggests that there is a specific group of people and someone infiltrates the group or is in some way not part of this group. Again this could relate to the social aspect of the times about how the Europeans were outsiders in Algeria and how Mersault is an outsider in this community and with Raymonds friends or with the Arabs.
I'm not sure which title I like best, but I do think that the selection of one of those three titles slightly changes the focus and some of the themes of the novel as a whole because of their different connotations.
I also find it interesting that he chose this title of stranger, or foreigner or outsider or whichever. It must be in reference to Mersault since he is the main character, but it has so many other connotations as well. Also, the title itself "The Stranger" is a bit contradictory or paradoxical because "stranger" by definition is someone unspecific, undefined, their just a stranger. "A" stranger. but "The" stranger, implies that the person in specific, using the word the implies that there is one particular person, one specific person, that is the focus. Which kind of defeats the purpose of stranger. I think that's pretty cool since Camus plays a ton in this novel with contradictions.
Foreigner is an interesting concept that shifts the perception of the story. Foreigner suggests, rather than just a person that you don't personally know who could potentially be dangerous, but that the person does not belong in the certain area regardless of your personal relationship to him. This takes on some ties to the Pied-Noirs and European occupation of Algeria since all Europeans could have been seen as "foreigners". It could also suggest that Mersault is a foreigner in his world, or that he doesn't belong there or doesn't fit in. Foreigner is a little more mysterious and in depth about his character and not belonging to the world around you.
The outsider is a softer word compared to Foreigner and stranger. I don't like this one as much because I don't find it as interesting. The outsider suggests that there is a specific group of people and someone infiltrates the group or is in some way not part of this group. Again this could relate to the social aspect of the times about how the Europeans were outsiders in Algeria and how Mersault is an outsider in this community and with Raymonds friends or with the Arabs.
I'm not sure which title I like best, but I do think that the selection of one of those three titles slightly changes the focus and some of the themes of the novel as a whole because of their different connotations.
I also find it interesting that he chose this title of stranger, or foreigner or outsider or whichever. It must be in reference to Mersault since he is the main character, but it has so many other connotations as well. Also, the title itself "The Stranger" is a bit contradictory or paradoxical because "stranger" by definition is someone unspecific, undefined, their just a stranger. "A" stranger. but "The" stranger, implies that the person in specific, using the word the implies that there is one particular person, one specific person, that is the focus. Which kind of defeats the purpose of stranger. I think that's pretty cool since Camus plays a ton in this novel with contradictions.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Stranger Journal 2
One minor character I chose to look at was Celeste. The meaning of the name Celeste is "heavenly." I'm not quite sure yet how that ties into the character, but Camus definitely plays a lot with religion in the novel so it is interesting and not surprising that he chose a religous name. The description Mersault gives of Celeste is that he is "there, as always, with his big belly, his apron, and his white moustache." He sounds like almost a grandfatherly figure since they always meet up at his place.
Another minor character in chapter 3 is Salamano, along with his dog. Mersault tells of how the two spend every minute together and they sort of look like each other, but they hate each other. Also, Salamano says something interesting when Mersault asks him what the dog is always doing that irritates him so much and Salamano replies "He's just always there." Salamano is always beating his dog and then his dog forgets and does it again and then he beats him again and so on a so forth. First off, I think this could relate to the overall theme of pointlessness in life in general. I mean, they keep doing the same thing over and over day in and day out and yet nothing is accomplished and it's really meaningless. This has obvious connections to the philosophy of Absurdism that Albert Camus was fond of. It's quite absurd that people should go all their lives in circles going about doing things that don't matter. It doesn't change anything and whatever you accomplish, is eventually forgotten and you start back over again.
One other thing I thought this could connect to was because Salamano and his dog are really all each other has yet they can't seem to get a long and they are always contradicting each other, I thought it was similar to the inner workings of Mersault himself since he is constantly contradicting with himself and although he knows what he should be doing, he often finds himself forgetting or chosing to do something else instead. And many of his personality traits as well as his actions blatantly oppose and contradict each other.
As far as the cultural setting in chapter 3, I noticed a lot of mention of street cars. Which is interesting because it makes everything seem a little more fast paced than in the first two chapters where there was more talk about countryside, etc.
Also, when Raymond talks to Mersault about the women that he had been previously seeing, he talks about beating her and punishing her and all this. Which definitely relates to those times when women weren't necesarily viewed as equal to men and it was okay to beat a woman. And it seems like women are seen more as objects.
Another minor character in chapter 3 is Salamano, along with his dog. Mersault tells of how the two spend every minute together and they sort of look like each other, but they hate each other. Also, Salamano says something interesting when Mersault asks him what the dog is always doing that irritates him so much and Salamano replies "He's just always there." Salamano is always beating his dog and then his dog forgets and does it again and then he beats him again and so on a so forth. First off, I think this could relate to the overall theme of pointlessness in life in general. I mean, they keep doing the same thing over and over day in and day out and yet nothing is accomplished and it's really meaningless. This has obvious connections to the philosophy of Absurdism that Albert Camus was fond of. It's quite absurd that people should go all their lives in circles going about doing things that don't matter. It doesn't change anything and whatever you accomplish, is eventually forgotten and you start back over again.
One other thing I thought this could connect to was because Salamano and his dog are really all each other has yet they can't seem to get a long and they are always contradicting each other, I thought it was similar to the inner workings of Mersault himself since he is constantly contradicting with himself and although he knows what he should be doing, he often finds himself forgetting or chosing to do something else instead. And many of his personality traits as well as his actions blatantly oppose and contradict each other.
As far as the cultural setting in chapter 3, I noticed a lot of mention of street cars. Which is interesting because it makes everything seem a little more fast paced than in the first two chapters where there was more talk about countryside, etc.
Also, when Raymond talks to Mersault about the women that he had been previously seeing, he talks about beating her and punishing her and all this. Which definitely relates to those times when women weren't necesarily viewed as equal to men and it was okay to beat a woman. And it seems like women are seen more as objects.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Stranger Journal 1
1. Connections to Culture:
I thought that the mention of theaters and all the people going to watch the matinees connected to the culture of that time, obviously a lot of people all went out on sundays to the movies or what not. Also, the mentions of him smoking cigarettes could definitely be a part of the culture at that time, since it was a lot more popular back then. I thought it was interesting on page 23 he says "The local girls, bearheaded, ..." and I thought that was maybe a connection to the muslim culture, the fact that they weren't wearing head scarfs. And then the mentions of little cafe's and that the soccer team had come back you can definitely tell the culture is different from the united states. Also, the things like theaters and cafe's are definitely European influence so I thought how you can see in the culture all the influence that the French and Europeans, Pied-Noirs, have had on the culture in Algeria in this time period.
2. Mersault's Actions:
Mersault does a lot of weird things. He's very particular about his actions, meticulous and organized, but then he goes off and does something really weird and random. His character does not make any sense at all. For example, on page 21, he says "I picked up an old newspaper and read it. I cut out an advertisement for Kruschen Salts and stuck it in a n old notebook where I put things from the papers that interest me. I also washed my hands, and then I went out onto the balcony." First of all, why would he be reading an old newspaper why not a current one? Why would you want to read old news? Second of all, why in the world does he cut out a random advertisement, what about that is interesting? And then the fact that he keeps a notebook filled with things from papers that are interesting, shows how organized he is. But in a really weird arbitrary way. Then he says he washed his hands and went out on to the balcony. Those two things are completely incoherent and have nothing to do with the previous statements or with each other and have no bearing on the novel whatsoever. His character has the weirdest, conflicting personality.
3. Tracking an image/word/phrase:
There were a lot of different images and phrases that could be tracked. One image that I kept seeing over an over again was the color scheme of black, white and red. He mentions black a whole bunch and that connects to the funeral and such, and then he talks about white and white light, which is interesting since black and white conflict just like his character. And then, he mentions red, that the earth was red and red ties and red this and that. I think that could be a little creepy because those are all really intense colors. And red could connect to blood which could foreshadow the fact that he murders someone in the novel. Another phrase that I heard more than once in the first two chapters was "It doesn't mean anything". I thought that had an interesting reflection of existentialism or absurdism. Just the lack of meaning in the world and the fact that he says "It didn't mean anything." And also, "It wasn't my fault" kind of have undertones of those particular theories that were popular at the time with Camus. Also, I saw a lot of mentions of people that were either young or old. Like with his mom's funeral he talks about all the really old people and when he sees a man on the street he talks about how old he is with his cane. Then he talks about all the children and really young kids. I don't know what the purpose or meaning behind this would be, other than the fact that it's again kind of a contrasting or conflicting image. I think that contrast and things that are conflicting with one another, could be a major theme in this novel because we've already seen so much of it with white and black and young and old and Mersault's personality, and also because of Camus Absurdism views that the world doesn't really make any sense at all. So, I think a lot of his writing might be very conflicting as part of a greater theme that the world really makes no sense.
I thought that the mention of theaters and all the people going to watch the matinees connected to the culture of that time, obviously a lot of people all went out on sundays to the movies or what not. Also, the mentions of him smoking cigarettes could definitely be a part of the culture at that time, since it was a lot more popular back then. I thought it was interesting on page 23 he says "The local girls, bearheaded, ..." and I thought that was maybe a connection to the muslim culture, the fact that they weren't wearing head scarfs. And then the mentions of little cafe's and that the soccer team had come back you can definitely tell the culture is different from the united states. Also, the things like theaters and cafe's are definitely European influence so I thought how you can see in the culture all the influence that the French and Europeans, Pied-Noirs, have had on the culture in Algeria in this time period.
2. Mersault's Actions:
Mersault does a lot of weird things. He's very particular about his actions, meticulous and organized, but then he goes off and does something really weird and random. His character does not make any sense at all. For example, on page 21, he says "I picked up an old newspaper and read it. I cut out an advertisement for Kruschen Salts and stuck it in a n old notebook where I put things from the papers that interest me. I also washed my hands, and then I went out onto the balcony." First of all, why would he be reading an old newspaper why not a current one? Why would you want to read old news? Second of all, why in the world does he cut out a random advertisement, what about that is interesting? And then the fact that he keeps a notebook filled with things from papers that are interesting, shows how organized he is. But in a really weird arbitrary way. Then he says he washed his hands and went out on to the balcony. Those two things are completely incoherent and have nothing to do with the previous statements or with each other and have no bearing on the novel whatsoever. His character has the weirdest, conflicting personality.
3. Tracking an image/word/phrase:
There were a lot of different images and phrases that could be tracked. One image that I kept seeing over an over again was the color scheme of black, white and red. He mentions black a whole bunch and that connects to the funeral and such, and then he talks about white and white light, which is interesting since black and white conflict just like his character. And then, he mentions red, that the earth was red and red ties and red this and that. I think that could be a little creepy because those are all really intense colors. And red could connect to blood which could foreshadow the fact that he murders someone in the novel. Another phrase that I heard more than once in the first two chapters was "It doesn't mean anything". I thought that had an interesting reflection of existentialism or absurdism. Just the lack of meaning in the world and the fact that he says "It didn't mean anything." And also, "It wasn't my fault" kind of have undertones of those particular theories that were popular at the time with Camus. Also, I saw a lot of mentions of people that were either young or old. Like with his mom's funeral he talks about all the really old people and when he sees a man on the street he talks about how old he is with his cane. Then he talks about all the children and really young kids. I don't know what the purpose or meaning behind this would be, other than the fact that it's again kind of a contrasting or conflicting image. I think that contrast and things that are conflicting with one another, could be a major theme in this novel because we've already seen so much of it with white and black and young and old and Mersault's personality, and also because of Camus Absurdism views that the world doesn't really make any sense at all. So, I think a lot of his writing might be very conflicting as part of a greater theme that the world really makes no sense.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Eyes Journal 7
Theme Words:
- Jealousy
- Time/ Waiting
- Perseverance
- Dreams
-Doubt
-Self Love
-Community
-Struggle
-Ambition
-Personal Growth
-Overcoming Adveristy
-Marriage
-Idealism
Waiting:
In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neal Hurston repeatedly selects words centered around time and in particular, waiting for things. Through Janie's struggle to push herself into action, Hurston suggests that we shouldn't wait for things to come to us, because it's a waste of valuable time, but instead we should constantly pursue our dreams.
Doubt:
In the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hurston often notes how the main character, Janie, doubts herself and thus, takes a long time to be happy. She implies that self-doubt undermines our ability to achieve our goals.
Idealism:
Throughout Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hurston shows her characters pursuing idealistic love or success and they all struggle and have a hard time finding happiness. Hurston suggests that something does not necessarily have to be perfectly ideal for someone to be happy, that we can find happiness in flawed society because we are flawed people.
- Jealousy
- Time/ Waiting
- Perseverance
- Dreams
-Doubt
-Self Love
-Community
-Struggle
-Ambition
-Personal Growth
-Overcoming Adveristy
-Marriage
-Idealism
Waiting:
In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neal Hurston repeatedly selects words centered around time and in particular, waiting for things. Through Janie's struggle to push herself into action, Hurston suggests that we shouldn't wait for things to come to us, because it's a waste of valuable time, but instead we should constantly pursue our dreams.
Doubt:
In the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hurston often notes how the main character, Janie, doubts herself and thus, takes a long time to be happy. She implies that self-doubt undermines our ability to achieve our goals.
Idealism:
Throughout Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hurston shows her characters pursuing idealistic love or success and they all struggle and have a hard time finding happiness. Hurston suggests that something does not necessarily have to be perfectly ideal for someone to be happy, that we can find happiness in flawed society because we are flawed people.
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