My thoughts on " The Lesson"

Miss Moore takes the children on a trip to F.A.O Shwartz to teach them a lesson. Miss Moore is a "femenist" in a"pre-femenist" world. She is an educated woman, which is not populat at the time. The narrator describes her as a woman with " nappy hair and proper speech with no make up". She also tells us that all the parents talk about her behind her back. This tells us that the woman of that time were expected to be dolled up and uneducated, Miss Moore is breaking the mold. Miss Moore feels that since she is an educated woman it is her responsibility to educate the young children of the neighborhood. She takes them to F. A. O Schwartz to show the kids the inequality in the country. Some of the kids get the message and some of them don't, I think the narrator completely understood what Miss Moore was trying to show them. While she may not want to thank Miss Moore now, as she gets older and mature she will be grateful for Miss Moore's work.

My thoughts on "A&P"

I found this story to be rather enjoyable. It is a story about a younger generation rebelling against the social norms. Sammy describes the customers as " sheep". I think he is pointing to their routine and normal lives that are held in check by societal "norms". The girls attire represents a break for the norm. It is obviously frowned upon by the older generation, as they are embarrassed in front of the entire store. Sammy quitting at the end of the story seems to represent him breaking away from the normal and also foreshadows the radical new way of thinking that characterizes his generation.

My thoughts on "Everyday Use"

I feel that the major theme in this story is heritage. Dee tries to validate her African heritage by changing her name and her appearance. Maggie and her Mrs. Johnson seem confused by this image she tries to portray. Dee's attempt to put out this image seems to be materialistic. She tries finding things in the house to put in her own home to display her African heritage. Maggie and Mrs. Johnson contrasting view is evident when she sees the same items, but she sees them as a way of remembering her loved ones.

My thoughts on "A Worn Path"

The first thing I noticed after reading " A Worn Path" is Pheonix's strong determination. She is the only person her grandson can rely, she tells the nurse that“We is the only two left in the world,”. She goes on this journey into town in order to get her grandson medicine. The nurse says that the doctor told her to keep giving her the medicine as long as she comes for it. This tells me that the doctor feels bad for but also admires the old woman. The title may be symbolic of Pheonix's life, a constant struggle and battle to get by.

My thoughs on " A Good Man is Hard to Find"

This story has some irony to it, the grandmother did not want to go to Florida because there was a Misfit killer on the loose, meanwhile she was killed by the Misfit killer while taking the family on a detour to somewhere she wanted to go. The grandmother character of this story. Throughout the story the grandmother seems to be a selfish women who is interested in only money and material things. She is also a god-fearing women, she says that she would give all of her money to Jesus in exchange for salvation. Just before she is killed we see a change in her attitude. Rather then pleading for her own life she is grieving the loss of her son Bailey.

My thoughts on "The Hunger Artist"

"The Hunger Artist" is a short story about an artist who's art is fasting. His manager does not let him fast for longer the 40 days, as a result he feels "unsatisfied" because he believes he can fast for longer. He was popular at one point but eventually his popularity fades so he works for a circus where he realizes that people are not interested in him, only the animals. One part of the story I found interesting was when the butcher's would come and watch him overnight. There job was to ensure the public that the hunger artist would not eat. When there shift was over they would eat there breakfast in front of him almost poking fun at him. The artist says this is one of the great joys of his art. He feels a superiority to the butcher's as if they are weak willed and that they do no understand his art. The artist seems to need this feeling of superiority.

My thoughts on "Young Goodman Brown"

When Goodman Brown leaves his wife to go on a walk in the woods, it is somewhat foreshadowing. He is leaving his wife,Faith, and when he returns he is no longer youthful and happy, but rather bitter. He goes to grave like this as Hawthorne writes,"besides neighbors not a few, they carved no hopeful verse upon his tombstone, for his dying hour was gloom." Hawthorne uses symbolism in the names of the characters. Goodman Brown, his first name can represent his life before his experience in the woods he was a happy and Goodman, but after he realized that he was surrounded by sinners and became a bitter man. Brown is a dark and just gloomy color. His wife ironically has the name Faith. In the beginning of the story he leaves his wife and this is symbolic of him leaving his faith later on.

My thoughts on "The Purloined Letter"

"The Purloined Letter" by Edgar Allen Poe was a short detective story. The most interesting part of this story is the relationship between Dupin and the Paris police. After a month of searching every nook and cranny of the Minister's apartment the Prefect was not able to find the missing letter. Dupin visits the apartment and is able to find the letter with ease for it is hidden in plain sight. He explains to the narrator how he finds it. To me it seems like the Prefect represents the institutionalized and "to the book" way of doing things; while Dupin's approach seems more of a use of reason and logic. Dupin comes across as a smart intellectual detective who proves that it is not always best be overly scrutinous but rather better to sit back and apply logic to the situation.

My thoughts on "The Use of Force"

After reading this story, I feel that the Doctor is a disturbed man. He comes across as a nice man and a normal doctor when he first meets the girl and describes what he is going to do. He says,"Aw, come on, I coaxed, just open your mouth wide and let me take a look. Look, I said opening both hands wide, I haven't anything in my hands. Just open up and let me see." As the girl continues to forcefully keep her mouth closed you begin to see how the doctor may be a little sick himself. After the first attempt to forcefully open her mouth fails before begininging another attempt he says,"I could have torn the child apart in my own fury and enjoyed it. It was a pleasure to attack her. My face was burning with it." The doctor seems to have some sort of problem, for sure I would not want this type of a doctor dealing with someone I loved. I understand that girl was very stubborn and difficult and that the disease may be life threatening, but the doctor's "blind fury" could have resulted in something much worse than intended.

My thoughts on "Hills Like White Elephants"

When I first read the title I was expecting more of an uplifting tale, but after reading the story I was obviously way off the mark. The story is about a man and a woman who are considering an abortion. I think the "white elephant" in title of this story represents the unique situation of an unplanned pregnancy. The couple must think about how their lives will be affected and they must also think about the life of the unborn child. This presents a very difficult decision for Jig because it ultimately is her body and her decision.
The story takes place at a train station. To me the train station is a symbol of the change taking place in the lives of two individuals This story is full of symbolism that eludes to the inner conflict that the women is feeling. Hemingway describes the setting as"Across, on the other side, were the fields of grain and trees along the banks of the Ebro. Far away, beyond the river, were mountains. The shadow of a cloud moved across the field of grain and she saw the river through the trees." I feel this relates to what this women is feeling, the fields of grain and the river represent the new life developing inside of her , while the cloud passing over them represent the burden of bearing the child. The man in this story is doing everything he can to convince her to have the operation while the woman is obviously torn about the situation. Hemingway does not tell us whether she undergoes the operation. I feel that in doing this he provokes further thought about the issue.

My thoughts on "The Yellow Wallpaper"

One of the first things I noticed about the narrator is that she had a very creative mind. She is obviously suffering from some sort of psychological disorder that is much more serious than her husband, who is also her doctor, expects. The narrator feels that it would help her if she could assume normal activities such as writing and being with her child, but her husband tells her she must not or her condition will worsen. So instead she "rests" in her room where she begins to mix fantasy and reality. She develops an obsession with the wallpaper in the room. As her frustration grows her imagination runs ramped. Without being able to use her creative and imaginative abilities her mind finds another way out.She develops a hatred for the wallpaper and she begins to see prison bars within the wallpaper. The narrator sees a woman who wants to be set free from the restraints of the wallpaper. She is really seeing herself and I believe the prison bars represent the restrictions put on her by her husband and his treatment. When she identifies herself with the woman inside the wallpaper she tears down the wallpaper and symbolically sets herself free. Her husband enters the room and realizes how sick his wife was and faints. The narrator continues to lap the room and climbs over his body every time she passes him; symbolically rising above the restraints of her husband.

My thoughts on "The Story of an Hour"

After reading this I was a little bit surprised. At first we expect Mrs. Mallard to be overwhelmed with grief , but when she whispers the words, "free, free, free" we understand Mrs. Mallard's true feelings towards her husband. This story gives us insight into how different marriage was when this story was written as compared to now. To think that the only way to get away from her oppressive husband was for him to die. Today, if you are unhappy with your marriage it does not take much to get out of it. The joy Mrs. Mallard has in the death of her husband makes me feel sorry for her. For her to feel like she has been set free tells us how miserable her marriage was. It makes you wonder what it was that cause such feelings of contempt. The ending to this story was both shocking and ironic. They thought the news of her husbands death would kill, while the sight of him still breathing is what did her in. Neither Josephine nor Richards will ever know the way Mrs. Mallard truly felt.