Journal

1). The definition of the word trifles is to deal with something as if it were of little significance or value. The ironic part is that the whole story is completely structured in the sense of complete disregard. One of the most obvious demonstrations of these “trifles” is the death of Mr. Wright. What I found interesting was the explanation of John Wright’s body to the Sheriff and Attorney by Mr. Hale. The fact that Mrs. Wright acted with no emotion to that her husband’s dead body upstairs would show how trifles played true in this moment. She also displayed the same emotion when explaining the mysterious death of the canary she seemed so fond of. The story on several occasions illustrated that Mrs. Wright wasn’t evolved in a happy and loving relationship with her husband. I can’t help to believe that in some way the rational for her emotionless attitude is because she’s been desensitized with years of emotional abuse. However, Mrs. Wright is not alone with failure to realize the significant of such incidents. I felt that the Sheriff and Court Attorney both at times made light of the testimony and Mrs. Wright. At one point the Sheriff asked the Attorney if they wanted to secure what Mrs. Wright and Mrs. Peters was bring in, the response was that “Oh I guess they’re not very dangerous things the ladies have picked up”. I just thought it was extremely careless to not worry about what Mrs. Wright had with her when the death of her husband was left in matters of complete mystery.

2). The question to whether or not Nora could be this strong and believable person like portrayed at the end of the story, I say yes. Nora at the beginning of the story seemed to be a very happy girl. She and Torvalds affection was demonstrated by the fact he was willing to accept her children and friends as a pleasure to have in his company. Nora also seemed to enjoy the “doll house” like existence with being coddled, pampered and patronized. However, as the play continued on this image of the little girl soon vanished with demonstrations of maturity. Like the situation of Torvalds heath expenses where paid for by a loan that Nora took in her name. Not to mention the fact she worked secretly to pay off the loan she taken out for Torvald. This alone has to show some form of maturity, determination and ambition. One situation where Nora had confessed to Torvald with “I have been performing tricks for you, Torvald,” she says during a confrontation with him. She realizes that with her dancing and singing tricks have been a show put on throughout her marriage. She has pretended to be someone she is not in order to fulfill the role that Torvald, her father, and society at large have expected of her. However, as this story unfolds and Nora’s awareness to the truth about her life grows, the need for her rebellion escalates and results with her walking out on Torvald and her children just to find her independence. Now granted she did act a bit selfish to her own needs, but to make a commitment and to actually follow through does defiantly takes a strong willed person.

3). The play Oedipus is clearly a demonstration of Aristotle’s definition to a tragic play. The play begins with a wondering prophecy claiming that a great ruler will find that his wife is truly his mother and the slain king to be his father. As the story continues to unfold you find Oedipus start to piece together all the things that the prophecy had said showing its correlation with his past. The murder of the man at the crossroads later revealed to Oedipus’s father. The king’s marriage to the queen is later discovered to be a marriage of incest involving his mother. The same mother who left him for death with his feet bounded to die by a tree out side of the royal palace. Hence the name Oedipus “swollen feet” originated from. Then after all these events conveying the truth of his existence he then chooses to gouge out his eyes to escape his vision of the embarrassment and shame he’s brought to his family and reputation. All examples of tragic and unusual events like mentioned in Aristotle’s theory.

4). The question formed asked to chose three of the five poems we read for this class that best describes the theme “Carpe Diem”. The expression “Carpe Diem” which is Latin for seize the day is not completely what these poems are truly trying to convey to the reader. The theme “Carpe Diem” is understood to be poems of lust, love, beauty and desire in these readings. The phrase “seize the day” is referring more to the act of plucking the fruit of another and it’s sexual enjoyment endured.

The first poem written by Robert Herrick “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” is unique because I took two different interpolations of this reading. The one paragraph “gather ye rosebuds while ye may, Old time is still a flying; And this same flower that smiles today Tomorrow will be dying.” I understood this to be almost saying that in life time is to short and to enjoy every moment you get. This could very well be the original meaning of Carpe Diem “Seize the Day” with the mention of time and tomorrow will be dying. The mention of “That age is best which in the first, when youth and blood are warmer; but being spent, the worse, and worst Times still succeed the former.” This seemed the author was referring to a girl first time or the loss of her virginity in this statement. Also those in life not every sexual experience growing up will be that of greatness, but can never succeed her first time. The interesting part was I saw two different interpretations with the theme in this poem.

The second choice was that of Edmund Walkers “Song” a poem that seemed to be about a one night stand. A passage that made me to believe that this could be what the author was suggesting to was “Then die! That she the common fate of all things rare May read in thee; how small a part of time they share that are so wondrous sweet and Fair!” However, the individual also pays attention to her features by comparing the beauty to a rose “Go, lovely rose! Tell her that wastes her time and me that now she knows, when I resemble her to thee, how sweet and fair she seems to be.” This poem seems to be of an admirer or possibly to a love one who’s enchanted by the wondrous beauty. All the different metaphors used are very colorful with helping paint a image