A Rose for Emily

I found the ending to A Rose for Emily to be both surprising and grotesque. I was not surprised that she would commit murder. Emily certainly had her issues. The author spent so much time setting up her eventual demise and on speculation from the townspeople that she may commit suicide that I felt that it would have been anticlimactic if that had been the ending. Instead the author went with a much more grotesque idea than simply suicide. The idea hat she had not only kept the dead body of him in her home after presumably killing him, but also had spent nights sleeping with the body clinging to her is quite horrific. It is like it comes straight from a horror film. The author does provide some clues to the ending. There is the strange smell in the house and the sudden disappearance of Homer. Both are explained with the ending of the story, but at them time left the reader to wonder.

The story is told through the eyes of a person from the town so we never really here from Emily about what is going through her mind. We only hear the thoughts and speculation of others. It would be interesting to hear Emily’s thoughts about her life and to see the story through her eyes in order to provide the reader a contrasting viewpoint and gain some insight into what she was going through.

Grief

Grief comes in many shapes and sizes. It can come and go quickly, or stick with someone for what seems like forever. It could be death or disappointment. It could be a relationship or heartbreak. It can be emotional or physical. While grief is sad, it is also necessary. It is one of the necessary evils in our society. If one never grief’s can they truly be happy? If everything was perfect, then what would we have to strive for? We must see the bottom, before we can reach the top. While often times it’s hard to overcome, the process can also be beneficial. It can bring people closer together or help you realize things you never thought you had. It can help one grow stronger. Often times out struggles bring out the best in us. Grief can also provide us a since of reality and give us a chance to reflect on what or whom we may have lost. These feelings, while hard to overcome, also give us a chance to honor and cherish things we may not otherwise recognize. We all have different ways of dealing with grief. Some like to talk, while some like to reflect privately. Others like to get away, before they come closer. Still others like to honor what has been lost and celebrate what is still yet to come. There is no right or wrong way to grieve. Everyone has their own way to deal with this necessary evil.

How to Be Sucessful

1. Be prepared to work: sucess doesn't come easy.
2. Do somethng you want to do. If you don't enjoy it, then you won't reach your full potential.
3. Make good contacts: the more people you know, the better your chances for sucess.
4. Be yourself. Don't try to be something you're not.
5. Don't be afraid to fail. No one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes. You wll have your ups and downs, but it will all work out in the end.

How

I found this story to be a unique and creative look at a relationship and the feelings of those involved, specifically that of the female telling the story. I thought the way it was written was different from stories I have read in the past. The story is told in a way that describes the actions as a how to. The author takes you through the relationship in a way that tells you what happened by describing the how and not the who, what, and why. For example the author uses words like “begin by” and “think about leaving.” The author uses these hows to describe how the relationship evolves and eventually ends. I thought the author used these words effectively to tell the story. I also felt that by telling the story this way it made the story more interesting and intriguing than if the author had told the story by describing the events like they normally would be. Even though it was written differently, I still felt it was relatively easy to follow and comprehend. After reading this story I would definitely be interested in checking out more stories written by the author Lorrie Moore. I enjoyed the way the story was written and how the author presented it to the reader in a unique, yet simple manner.

Sonny's Blues

Often times family members can seem to be nothing like one another. Despite being from the same family, people can be very different from one another. They may have different interests, personalities, and often times take very different paths in life. Despite this, they are still family and can find something to bring them together. That is the case with Sonny and his brother in this story.
Sonny and his brother cannot appear to be more different from the outset. Sonny is a jazz musician and a drug addict who wants to escape from his past and pursue his dream of being a musician. His brother is a school teacher who seems to be much more secure in his standing in society and much more stable.
At one point in the story, Sonny is arrested for drug possession and his brother gets word of the arrest. Upon hearing about Sonny’s arrest, he begins to reflect upon their past. He had not been in contact with Sonny for many years, but he decided to write him. Their relationship appears trained at best. They often argue about what Sonny should do with his life. They both have different views on what patch he should take. Sonny’s brother does not understand why he wants to be a musician. He instead wants him to finish school, saying if he doesn’t he will regret it later.
After a while, Sonny’s brother finally has a chance to hear Sonny play his music. Upon hearing it, he begins to understand Sonny a bit. The music seems to draw them closer than they had been before. On page 103 he says, “As the singing filled the air the watching, listening faces underwent a change, the eyes focusing on something within; the music seemed to soothe a poison out of them; and time seemed, nearly, to fall away from the sullen, belligerent, battered faces, as though they were fleeing back to their first condition, while dreaming of their last.” With this it seems as though Sonny’s brother realizes the power of the music. In the end, the music is what brings them together. Seeing Sonny perform allows him to understand him better and ultimately brings them closer than they have ever been.

Introduction

This is my literature blog for English 1100. Here is some information about me

name: Stephen
year: Junior
major: Communication studies
minor: Spanish
hometown: Grand Rapids
interests: sports, traveling, volunteering, games, having fun!, sleeping, reading.