My Book Reviews

Kurt Vonnegut & Maxine Swann: Writing Styles

Both “Harrison Bergeron” and “Secret” deal with the concepts of individuality and conformity in a humorous style. Kurt Vonnegut creatively depicts a future in which all individual talent and personality is not allowed by using a writing style that is witty and clever. By inventing “handicappers”, which prevent intelligent people from using their minds, and beautiful people from showing their features, he created a whole new form of conformity within society. In “Secret”, Maxine Swann amusingly wrote from experience about growing up with the kids in her town. She portrays the awkward and self-conscious stages of being a teenager in an entertaining manner. The struggle of growing up into an individual woman versus conforming to all the other girls becomes an unexpected comedy. There are moments in both stories when the characters either chose to be an individual or to conform within society.

Kurt Vonnegut portrays the society in 2081 as completely equal and drained of all individual ability and traits. “…Everybody was finally equal. They weren’t only equal before God and the law. They were equal every which way. Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else…” (7). Individuality was not valued and was something that should be avoided and extremely dangerous. He imaginatively shows the readers what society would be like with so many conformist restrictions, and some of his ideas are so ridiculous that it becomes humorous. In this story, there are examples of the characters either choosing to stand out and be an individual, or those who are afraid or choose to follow the rules for some other reason.

George was extremely intelligent; at least everyone assumed this because he had the most powerful brain handicapper they had seen. Tragically, George had been brainwashed all his life to think that individuality was a terrible thing, and conformity is a good thing because it leads to total equality. Although some people had found ways to cheat and take some of the lead balls out of the heavy bag they carried around, George refused to break the law. He truly believed that the government was correct and they gave the people handicappers for a reason; individuality created competition within society, which would create chaos: “If I tried to get away with it,” said George, “then other people’d get away with it—and pretty soon we’d be right back to the dark ages again, with everybody competing against everybody else. You wouldn’t like that would you?” (9) George actually compares our present time, with lots of individualities and freedoms, to the dark ages, when competition ruled the world. It’s comical how Kurt Vonnegut portrays him as deadly serious and completely detached and aloof from the world and the happenings around him because of his handicapper.

However, the character Harrison Bergeron fights for individuality and freedom of expression. He is young and not brainwashed to believe that the government is always correct. Kurt Vonnegut’s description of him is absolutely hilarious, because he states the details so seriously. “Harrison looked like a walking junkyard. In the race of life, Harrison carried three hundred pounds. And to offset his good looks, the H-G men required that he wear at all times a red rubber ball for a nose, keep his eyebrows shaved off…” (11). Despite these horrible handicaps, he fought for the right to be an individual, and for the rights of others as well. In an extremely poetic section of the story Harrison takes off all his handicaps and tears off the handicaps of another beautiful ballerina. They danced and leaped and it was an explosion of joy and freedom. “The studio ceiling was thirty feet high, but each leap brought the dancers nearer to it. It became their obvious intention to kiss the ceiling. They kissed it..”(13) Harrison and the ballerina were finally free and they didn’t have to wear their horrible handicappers which only chained them to the weakest link. They were beautiful and handsome, and they broke all of the laws and the rules of society, and nobody even knew it happened, they were shot down two minutes later. The people watching the TV didn’t even understand what happened, nor did they even remember they saw anything unusual. This part, where for one whole second they are free and independent, and then the next second they are shot down with a rifle can be interpreted as very satirical and humorous. The reader is reading this amazingly poetic section of the story where they think Harrison is liberated and unique, and then BOOM, he gets shot down. It’s so surprising, and happens so swiftly, that the reader can barely believe it just happened. The other humorous part of this is that they were shot down with a rifle. “It was then that Diana Moon Glampers, the Handicapper General, came into the studio with a double-barreled ten gauge shotgun. She fired twice, and the Emperor and the Empress were dead before they hit the ground.” (Vonnegut 13) This story was set to be in the year 2081, the government had already created 213 Amendments, and new handicapping methods to ensure “equality”; so why was the government still using shotguns? It seems humorous for this amazing story to be set in the future, and still using such a classically old weapon. 

In “Secret”, Maxine Swann writes about Lila, Shirley, Trish, Marcy, Bonnie Rider, the Kalowski brothers and some other adolescents growing up in a rural area. The story reveals hormonal teenagers and the hurdles they must overcome. Swann uses satirical situations, in which most teenagers have been through. Just scanning through the story, one might not catch the hidden humor. However, when read closely, and with a light mind remembering how it was to be a teenager, the reader may find themselves smiling. When this story is read once,  it does not appear as a comedy immediately, for it is more of a satire, a story which is mocking innocence. However, Maxine does do well with adding some humor, like Kurt Vonnegut, that the readers can relate to. In this story, there are characters, just like in “Harrison Bergeron”,  who either make  the choice to be an individual, or to conform to society.

 One example of a satirical situation was when a character, Bonnie Rider decided to kill herself, for some unknown reasons. A couple days later, two main characters, Denise and Marcy decided they wanted to kill themselves too. “They were on the telephone together, both with their fathers’ hunting guns in their hands. In the notes they left they said they did it cause they “wanted to be with Bonnie”..”(57-58) Marcy actually killed herself, and Denise “changed her mind at the last minute..”(58) Marcy caved into conforming to others behaviors. She did not think about the whole life she had in front of her, she only thought that she wanted to do exactly what her friend had done. Obviously Denise realized that her life was more important that “fitting” in with her group of friends. This situation seems so satirical and humorous because it’s so absurd that another young girl would actually consider ending her life because she couldn’t part with her dear friend. At that young age, girls are so typically overdramatic, worrying and making small things such a big deal. Ending ones life is of course a big deal, but it becomes silly that these young girls are being so oversensitive about little high school problems that they no longer want to live. Swann created this serious idea of conforming by death into a comical satire by depicting the common overdramatic teenage girls.

The main character in “Secret” has moments when she does sometimes cave into the pressure of conforming to be like all the other girls. But the most important moment of the whole story is when she decided not to conform, and when she finally stood out in society as an individual. She is the only girl that can actually keep a secret about what happened with a boy to herself and grow into a strong and independent woman. She didn’t need to go and rush off and gossip to all of her friends about her private moment. “He wasn’t so afraid. And I was different, too. I knew it. I had a secret.”(59) She chose to be an individual, and not conform to the typical norms of a teenage girl. 

In conclusion, both “Secret” and “Harrison Bergeron” deal with the important topics of individuality and conformity within society. Each character in these two stories has moments when they conform to social norms or they stand out and be an individual. The writers, Kurt Vonnegut and Maxine Swann both write in styles that are consistently comical about very serious topics, and are therefore satires. The fact that these stories are satires, makes them so much more interesting and amusing.

                      “Algorithms for Love” and “Babylove Reborns”

The development of life-like and technologically advanced dolls has allowed members of our society without children to enjoy the miracle of life; through Ken Liu’s story, “Algorithms for Love,” we are able to better understand our society, the concept of human nature, and emotions. In today’s society, there are many examples of couples that have either lost children or never had children, and feel like they are missing something in their lives, yet do not or cannot have more real children of their own. The invention of the “Babylove Reborn” dolls, which appear startlingly similar to a newborn, has allowed for people to cope with the loss of their child, grieve, fulfill, comfort, and provide a hobby. Each person and couple within our society seem to cope with the loss of a child, or never having a child, differently, and therefore either very strongly supports the advance in life-like dolls or very strongly rejects them. Through examination of the story and the concept of “Babylove Reborn” dolls, we can understand the human nature behind supporting or rejecting this coping behavior.

 “Babylove Reborn” dolls generally are generally made with basic vinyl dolls, and then further customized using artistic skill to appear just like a newborn. The factory paint and hair is all removed and then the doll is repainted with Genesis heat set-paints in many layers to get the look of real skin and even veins. The painting technique is so detailed it can create wrinkles and facial expressions to be unique to each baby, and has been known to fool many that the baby is real. Each artist varies with their technique, but generally they add costume hair, which has been known to take 30+ hours, glass beads or sand for weight, magnetic umbilical cords, breathing and heart beat mechanisms or simulators, heat packs, spines, and squishy tummies. “Babylove Reborn” dolls may appear to be real children, however, that’s where the similarities end, unfortunately, they cannot mimic real children like in the story “Algorithms for Love”. “Babylove Reborn” dolls are not technologically advanced in the terms of robotically walking or talking like the dolls in “Algorithms for Love”. 

By examining Elena’s struggle with the loss of her daughter in “The Algorithms for Love,” we can better understand our own societies’ positive emotions towards the life-like dolls. Elena is a computer programmer and Brad is a CEO of a major toy company ‘Not Your Average Toy; together they design advanced dolls that appear quite realistic. Some of these have touch and temperature sensors, speech synthesizers, microphones and are made out of synthgel to feel just like skin. In the story they came up with cute, typical and friendly names for each version such as “Clever Laura” and “Witty Kimberly”. Unfortunately, their 3 month old daughter, Aimee passes away, and Elena becomes absolutely distraught and unable to cope with the death. Elena realized one thing could comfort her though, creating and producing a life-like doll version of Aimee. Elena needed comfort, a method to grieve, and to let go, however, holding a real child might be too intense and emotional. “How many other women were like me? I wanted something to fill my arms, something to learn to speak, to walk, to grow a little, long enough for me to say goodbye, long enough to quit those cries. But not a real child. I couldn’t deal with another real child. Let technology heal all wounds” (Liu 422). Like Elena, in today’s society there are many women and couples that find some sort of closure, comfort, and or fulfillment in these life-like dolls. Typically these women have lost children, or never had any children for multiple reasons, however, importantly, these dolls fill a void in their personal lives. Susan Maccoll, a supporter of life-like dolls, stated on the Babylove guestbook, “We could not have children of our own after 30 years together we now have a girl and a boy, my husband is 63 and I am 53, most people don't mind that we cuddle dolls, some people are shocked but I do not care, it is doing no harm. Keep makeing lovely dolls and makeing lots of peoples lives a happy place” (Maccoll). Both Elena and Susan realize that they are using dolls to cope with not having children. They are getting older and are doing what makes them happy. Their behavior and coping does not seem unhealthy and importantly the opinions of others don’t matter. Elena realized that producing the Aimee doll was a very risky business decision, and that others may not understand or support it. At first Brad was totally against the idea, he stated, “This may ruin us, and the company” (Liu 422). However, he could not bear to see Elena so unhappy, and so he agreed to her idea. Neither Brad nor Elena cared about the opinions of others as long as they were doing what made themselves happy and did what was right for their family. Similarly, Susan and her husband are satisfied in their lives with “cuddling dolls”, and the negative opinions of others are unimportant and therefore cease to exist. Thus, we realize that this coping mechanism using life like dolls shows that our society is actually very resilient, and there are positive emotions associated with this mechanism such as comfort and the feeling of a unified or complete family. 

In “Algorithms for Love,” gender seemed to play a role in the opinion of purpose and importance of the life like dolls, which is also seen in our society today. The female roles in the story typically saw the dolls in a more symbolic way, maybe resembling a child that passed away, or a child they never got to have. Males, however, saw them as more of a toy, a way to earn money, or a way to become famous. In “The Algorithms for Love”, as Elena is coping with the death of her daughter, her husband Brad is happily speaking of their high market sales of their newest edition, “Witty Kimberly”. He notes that interestingly, people were buying the dolls for themselves and not their children’s, which sparks her attention, thinking maybe other women are purchasing them for the same reasons she is making them. Unfortunately, at that moment, Brad states, “Many of them are engineers and comp sci students. And there are already tons of Net sites devoted to hacking efforts on Kimbery. My favorite one had step-by-step instructions on how to teach Kimberly to make up and tell lawyer jokes” (Liu 419). To the men in this story Witty Kimberly is just an advanced doll, composed of algorithms to be cracked, merely a tool or toy to pass by time that can be trained to tell jokes. To women who are coping, however, who may arguably have had a stronger bond with the child because it was in her uterus for 9 months; these dolls have the capacity to symbolize so much more. It is clear that these dolls represent so much to Elena, and her husband should know that. To Brad, these dolls don’t seem to have the same symbolic meaning, nor do they seem to comfort him or be a coping method. In the quote above, Brad speaks of the Kimberly doll as a simple machine, which it is, but in such a typical unsympathetic male way. This is commonly seen in our society as well, unfortunately. Some people do not understand the concept of the “Baby love Reborn,” and actually find it scary or creepy. The people that usually do not understand why anyone would purchase the expensive dolls are typically men. One man named Chuck stated on the guestbook, “this is completely disgusting. not the dolls, the idea that someone can pretend that its real. in a world where thousands of infants needs real home; pompous, arrogant people are ‘playing, pretending’ to be parents. shame on you for buying, and shame on you from creating this illusion of parenthood” (Chuck). Chuck unfortunately does not understand that some people have no choice but to pretend that these dolls are real, because for some reason are unable to have real ones. I am sure that these women considered all the other infants in the world that need homes, and for some reason had to settle for a doll. In this quote, we are able to further understand the nature of men in our society, which is the immediate habit of assumptions and judgments upon others. Thus from examining “The Algorithms for Love,” we understand that one feature that influences the way our society behaves as a whole is gender roles. Females and males develop different personal opinions and coping methods based on the life-like dolls. Females tend to attach more symbolism and emotion to the dolls, and seem to be more open about using them as a coping method for not having a child. This could be understood possibly just by nature and the biology of a woman. If a couple is unable to conceive a child, it is the woman that feels responsible, or that she is missing out on one of life greatest experiences: to birth a child. If a woman experiences the death of a child, it could be argued that she was more attached to the child biologically than the father, because she carried it in her womb for 9 months. Understanding these behaviors and emotions caused by this real life topic through the story “Algorithms for Love,” allows us to understand society and human nature.

  Through the concept of coping with life like dolls, we use the opinion of Dr. Gail Salt, a psychologist, to further understand our society and human nature. In general she is not surprised that these dolls are so popular to women that are “empty nesters”, or in general childless. This concept is generally considered by most psychologists as denial. It is thought of as a very prominent evolutionary and emotional defense mechanism. It is important to note however, that these women do not think that these dolls are real. “It affords them moments when they are comforted and can pretend they have a real baby, to themselves and to the world. This is different from insisting the doll baby is real. It provides moments of relief and reprieve, when they can escape the stark reality of their loss” (Salt).  Dr. Gail Salt seems to agree that the life like dolls provide comfort for women who need a temporary escape for reality. The women are not confused that the dolls are fake and therefore are not coping in an unhealthy manner. There is a slight possibility of growing too attached however, she warns that the dolls are not for every woman. She states: “This could indicate their grief is not actually getting resolved. Having this kind of doll risks being almost too literal and concrete for them” (Salt). After the loss of a child, it is important to cope and accept the emotions of that loss. One must not just purchase the doll and expect to escape all the feelings and replace the child with a fake one. The doll may be a comforting and healing tool, but it is by no means a magic eraser.

In conclusion, the creation of “Babylove Reborn” dolls in our society has allowed for women and couples to cope with their emotions and create the family they always wanted. Unfortunately, not all people agree that these life-like dolls seem to be a positive or healthy outlet for anyone. It seems obvious that there would be difference in opinions, what’s interesting is what causes the formation of the opinions: gender. In examining the story of Elena and her struggle to cope with the death of her daughter in “The Algorithms for Love,” we are able to further understand our society and that human nature is above all about the ability to love and to desire to parent.

                                             "Flowers for Algernon"

In Daniel Keyes “Flowers for Algernon,” questions of morality and ethics concerning science are interconnected with the narrative structure and style. Charlie Gordon, whom is 37 years old, and has an IQ of 68, is dealing with the multiple arrays of changes in his life because of his brain surgery. With each “progris riport,” spelling, grammar, vocabulary, context, and punctuation increase and improve dramatically. Unfortunately, as Charlie’s intelligence and writing style evolves, moral dilemmas and ethical issues seem to arise as well. 

Before the brain surgery, Charlie made the same common spelling errors as a young child, such as “shud” instead of should and “rite” instead of write. He also did not understand social interactions such as sarcasm or when people were mocking him. Despite this, he was very driven and motivated, “Miss Kinnian says maybe they can make me smart. I want to be smart” (Flowers for Algernon, 1111). Although Charlie may have had a low IQ he seemed to be happy with his friends at work. It is obvious the people at work make fun of him, and whenever a person makes a mistake they call it “pulling a Charlie Gordon” (1115). However, Charlie doesn’t understand, and therefore believes they are his friends; he is blissfully unaware. Unfortunately, after the surgery, when his intelligence develops, ethical issues become prominent. The workers have become uncomfortable with Charlie’s intelligence and have all signed a petition to force him to quit his job. This is where the connection comes in with the narrative style change and moral issues; Charlie uses his narrative style to convey his emotional status concerning the moral and ethical dilemmas that are occurring. In sum, the narrative styles and structures appear to be prompted and shifted by the moral dilemmas that occur. After he quit he stated, “Once again now I have the feeling of shame burning inside me. This intelligence has driven a wedge between me and all the people I once knew and loved. Before, they laughed at me and despised me for my ignorance and dullness; now, they hate me for my knowledge and understanding. What in God’s name do they want from me?” (1123). This quote is a good example of how Charlie used his intelligence to change his narrative style to express his emotions because of moral and ethical issues he was experiencing at that time. There is a clear link between his narrative style change and the moral issue of his work friends having a problem with his increased intelligence. Charlie used his writing style to express his emotions of doubt, anger, hostility, and confusion of the moral issues that were occurring at the time when he had to quit his job. To the reader, the whole structure and style of the quote above is very different from previous progress reports. Charlie is torn between being intelligent and lonely with no friends, or being unintelligent with phony friends. It is no coincidence that Charlie’s narrative style changes as moral and ethical dilemmas occur.  

When Charlie’s intelligence is at it’s peak, he appears to have the IQ of a genius. His progress reports speak of how he is more knowledgeable than Dr. Nemur and Dr. Strauss and that their backgrounds are broad. At one point, socialization seems to be difficult for Charlie because of his intelligence. He has reached such a high IQ that he literally is unable to have normal conversations with others. “Dr. Nemur appears to be uncomfortable around me. Sometimes when I try to talk to him, he just looks at me strangely and turns away. I was angry at first when Dr. Strauss told me I was giving Dr. Nemur an inferiority complex” (1124). On another occasion he saw Miss Kenyan and felt very uncomfortable talking to her so he just thought to himself, “No matter what I try to discuss with her, I am unable to communicate. I must review Vrostadt’s equations on Levels of Semantic Progression. I find that I don’t communicate with people much anymore. Thank God for books and much and things I can think about” (1124). Those two quotes are perfect examples of the change in narrative style, which is linked to moral and ethical issues. Previously stated, the moral and ethical dilemmas Charlie is facing appear to prompt a shift in his narrative writing style. On a psychological level, it seems that this has become Charlie’s method of coping with his emotions, and explaining his own feelings to himself. It is important to note that these “progress reports” are in the form of something like a journal. Obvious narrative style changes are word choices such as “inferiority complex” and studying texts such as “Levels of Semantic Progression”. Like before, the change in narrative style communicates his emotions because he is unable to verbally communicate them because of the moral dilemmas that his intelligence has created. Charlie seems to be confused about his emotions and how he feels. On one hand, he has all the intelligence he has ever wished for; he can read the most complex books, understand intricate equations and solve anything. However, he has a dilemma; he has no friends and nobody to talk to. In fact, he is almost disgusted in himself, with the incident of the dishwasher boy that he used to be just like.  It may seem that the moral and ethical issues that arise and the narrative structural change may just be coincidence; however, when analyzed, they appear linked and to be an emotional coping mechanism. 

 In the first progress reports, when his intelligence was increasing, Charlie used to describe all of his emotions very expressively, using words such as “love, burning, shame and dull” (1123). However, at the end of his progress reports, his narrative style was very improper and childish. He was very juvenile when describing his emotions and feelings. “I remember a littel bit how nice I had a feeling with the blue book that has the torn cover when I red it. That’s why Im gonna keep trying to get smart so I can have that feeling agen…I don’t know why Im dumb agen or what I did wrong maybe its because I dint try hard enuff” (1132). This quote is a good example of the shift in Charlie’s narrative style when his intelligence started to decline. Charlie blamed himself for not being able to remain intelligent; he thought he didn’t try hard enough. Obviously, this moral issue of blame is connected to his emotion and his style of writing. The moral and ethical issues that Charlie experienced, such as the increase and decrease of intelligence, prompted his narrative style. 

In conclusion, Charlie’s intelligence through out his progress reports drastically increases and then decreases. With that change in intelligence, moral and ethical dilemmas occurred, which prompted and were almost always connected to a narrative structural or stylistic change. These changes were prompted by Charlie in order to cope with emotions caused by the dilemmas, but ultimately it was all caused by technology of humans. Moral dilemmas arise that make him feel like there’s always an either/or choice. Friends or intelligence? Conversation or be a genius? Ethical questions also arise, such as: should scientists even have the power to do these experiments? And is it worth it to sacrifice one’s blissfully ignorant happiness for momentary intelligence? To the scientists and to Charlie, it was always worth it. “I recall your once saying to me that an experimental failure or the disproving of a theory was as important to the advancement of learning as a success would be. I know now that this is true” (1127).

                             Realistic Responsibility & Rejection of Rules: 

“A Doll’s House” & “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

The characters of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and A Doll’s House experience similar transitions from irrational to rational, due to the recognition of their delusions and acceptance of reality. In addition, the power struggle between men and women is addressed, specifically in regards to the relation of morality and law. In A Doll’s House, Nora is depicted as unrealistic and impractical, until a fight with her husband brings her back to the real world. Though she feels justified with her decision to forge a check behind her husbands back, Trovald stands by the law and the maintenance of male power.  Similarly, in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hermia fights for her beliefs and struggles against male dominance, which is enforced by social laws. Furthermore, Demetrius progresses from an irrational fantasy of loving Hermia, to a sensible realization of his love for Helena. According to Henrik Ibsen, “The conflict between love and law, between heart and head, between feminine and masculine, is the moral center of A Doll House” (Templeton 35). The conflicts Ibsen speak of are not isolated, but exist within A Midsummer Night’s Dream as well.

Both the characters in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and A Doll’s House go through a transition of irrationality to rationality. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the young and irrational lovers are at first ignorant of what true love means. Love is said to be madness, it is also thought to have two forms. One is not as true as the other, experienced only as passionate, lustful, and shallow. It is the irrational love-only felt through one’s immediate perceptions. The other love, or heavenly love, is deeper. Though Demetrius was at first blindly convinced of his love for Hermia, he realizes it was of the irrational kind; he finally discovers Helena is his soul mate. After the love spell wears off (a completely irrational concept to begin with) his tainted perception of love was replaced with a more rational and meaningful perception of love.

“The imaginative eye of love dotes on its own creation, and Shakespeare's Helena can see only Demetrius and Hermia only Lysander. Demetrius and Lysander make their choices, although Athens finds both girls equally fair. Helena states the extreme case, "Things base and vile, holding no quantity,/ Love can transpose to form and dignity" (Greenfield 241). The experiences within the magical forrest represented the irrational or disillusioned self, allowing for the characters to recognize their faults and furthermore propel them to transition to a more reasonable and rational self. 

Comparable to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Nora transforms from a silly and irrational female to a reasonable, rational adult. At first, her disillusioned concept of a functional marriage and family was unrealistic and held her back from true happiness. Through her frightening ordeal of hiding her deep dark secret she is able to realize she was unhappy and her relationships lacked essential things. In the end, she admits, accepts, and understands what is necessary for her happiness. Nora did not take on the submissive role in their marriage, instead, she allowed Trovald to think she had. She had mistakenly believed that their pretend life would fulfill her, until she realized her fantasies were unreasonable. According to Yuehau on page 83, “her fantasy breaks when Torvald refuses to shoulder the responsibility for her by informing her that ‘no man would sacrifice his honour for the one he loves.’” Nora had convinced herself for years that love was enough, and that it could defeat any battle that arose. But when Trovald states this, he is placing his honour above her. Secondly, he diminishes the sacrfices she has made for him. It becomes clear to her love is not reciprocal or always fair. 

Both characters within A Midsummer Night’s Dream and A Doll’s House experience power struggles between females and males, particularly when distinguishing morals from the law.

In a Midsummer Night’s Dream, the Athenian law stated Hermia must abide to her fathers (Egeus) wish that she marry Demetrius. The opinion of the male outweighed that of the female, and if not followed consequences were harsh. Women tended to fight for what was moral, what they truly believed to be correct despite the opinions of others. Contrastingly, men supported the continuation of patriarchy, which was validated by laws. Often times, the desires of men and women conflicted, causing a power struggle. On page 1253, Egeus states:

Be it so she will not here before your Grace

Consent to marry with Demetrius,

I beg the ancient privilege of Athens:

As she is mine, I may dispose of her,

Which shall be either to this gentleman

Or to her death, according to our law... (1, 1, 39-44)

On the fourth line Egeus is possessive, he emphasizes the fact that his daughter is merely an object to which he has disposal of. He is clearly enraged that Hermia refuses to marry Demetrius,  even if it is well known she does not love him. Hermia truly loved Demetrius and could not imagine marrying a man she did not love, even in order to obey her fathers wishes. She was willing to sacrifice her future and even life for what she believed to be right. There is no true reason why Egeus should prefer Demetrius over Lysander, so it is questionable as to why he remained so firmly and harshly decided. One could assume that once his wish was denied by Hermia, he was further determined to have his way-no matter what the consequences. 

In A Doll’s House, Nora struggles to maintain her power, as it is threatened by male dominance and the laws. When confronted by Mr. Krogstad regarding her secret loan, she questioned how she was wrong, “Is a daughter not to be allowed to spare her dying father anxiety and care? Is a wife not to be allowed to save her husband’s life? I don’t know much about law; but I am certain that there must be laws permitting such things as that. Have you no knowledge of such laws—you who are a lawyer? You must be a very poor lawyer, Mr. Krogstad” (Ibsen ).

It is not questionable that Nora is naive when believing she would be exempt to punishment because she had good intentions. Nonetheless, “Torvald would have died if Nora had not forged. Phobic about borrowing, the gravely ill husband refuses to takeout a loan and so must be saved in spite of himself. That Nora's lifesaving deed was a crime is the very foundation of Ibsen's conflict between law and love” (Templeton 33).

Despite the many similarities in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Doll’s house, their endings are opposite. A Midsummer Night’s dream ends with celebration and marriage, concluding with a sense of unity and a “happy ending”. Demetrius marries Helena and Lysander marries Hermia. Instead of a ‘love square’, two couples wind up happily married. The Doll’s House ends with Nora leaving her family, thus  concluding with disunity. Nora realizes she is unhappy and that their marriage feels incomplete in many ways. She thus leaves her family. “Upon Torvald’s angry accusations, Nora comes to a sudden realization. This sudden awakening into a deeper and more meaningful comprehension of herself brings Nora to realize that she has lived her life in a doll’s house, and she herself has been a prey of man’s masculine power” (Yuehua 83). In A Doll’s House, Nora had to admit she lost the initial power struggle. She must pack her things and leave, in order to find her identity and happiness. By doing this, she ironically does regain some power. In a Midsummer Night’s Dream, power appears to be more evenly distributed, however many could argue otherwise. Importantly, Hermia is able to marry Lysander (only after the approval of her father), and Demetrius marries Helena. 

In conclusion, there were several similar themes between A Midsummer Night’s Dream and A Doll’s House. The characters struggled between identifying reality and imaginary, yet were somehow able to transition to rational behavior. Nora, realizing her marriage was truly over finally stopped pretending she was happy and accepted reality. Her irrational justifications for staying with Trovald seemed to fall apart in the final act. Demetrius foolishly loved Hermia, but after a magical experience, he was able to see Helena was the one whom he loved. Interestingly, in both plays love appears blind and misinterpreted. The perceptions of each other were veiled and blurred, but through their ordeals the veil is lifted. Reality no longer seems obscured. Lastly, the females within the two plays must fight for their power against the males, who much often have law and tradition on their side. Specifically, Hermia and Nora are forced to believe they must follow the man’s wishes and remain obedient. In both cases, there is no easy solution; Follow their hearts or the laws created by man. The women choose to follow their own beliefs, regardless if they be condemned from society or punished legally. Despite the similarities within A Midsummer Night’s Dream and A Doll’s House, they end quite differently. The conclusion of the two plays is the ending of a marriage and the beginning of two marriages. 

         Edna St. Vincent Millay, “[What lips my lips have kissed],” NIL 813

“What lips my lips have kissed” is a Petrarchan sonnet, containing one octave (abbaabba) and one sestet (cdedce) for a total of 14 lines. The octave and sestet create a division in the sonnet, first reflecting on past lovers and then transitioning to her current stage in life. The structure of the Petrarchan sonnet constructs an organized yet fluid transition from her past to present, therefore is well-suited for the reflective subject matter. The purpose of the sonnet is not to argue or prove a point, rather reminisce about former happy times. By using specific symbols and rhyme schemes, the sonnet moves from reflection of youth to contemplation of her present lonely life.

The first eight lines contain symbols which paint an image of a wistful woman, remembering her past lost lovers. It seems as if she speaks of a great loss when she compares her lovers to ghosts who “tap and sigh/Upon the glass and listen for reply” (4-5). Though her lovers no longer remain in her life, the memories of them seem to haunt her. Despite their lingering memory, she is still divided by glass and they are unobtainable. By providing the reader with only a few vivid symbols, we are able to sympathize with her agony yet still desire to read on. As the sonnet continues into the sestet, we are provided with more symbols, thus creating a much more detailed depiction.

Symbols used in the sestet represent her recognition of faded memories and hunger for them once more. The use of concrete symbols such as seasons of the year and nature allow for the reader to grasp her emotions more fully. In line nine she states, “Thus in the winter stands the lonely tree,” in which the tree symbolizes the lonely woman and winter symbolizes the current stage of her life. In the winter, plants and animals are dead or hibernating, and thus reflects an image of death, and lack of life or growth. By personifying the tree, which is described as, “lonely,” we imagine how a tree is bare and loses all it’s leaves, looking fragile and naked. Also, as a tree misses the birds that fly and play in it’s branches, she longs for the men who at one time she loved and was loved by. Her sense of loss is felt when she states, “Nor knows what birds have vanished one by one.” (10) She compares the birds who have migrated to warmer places to the men who have possibly left for other women. Her “boughs” (11), or tree limbs, are now quiet and empty. The last two lines further depict her nostalgia for youth when she states, “I only know that summer sang in me/A little while, that in me sings no more.” The woman finally concludes that her “summer” has faded and she is left with a silent and desolate life. The deterioration of her lovers and memories are further expressed by the rhyme scheme and syntax.

The rhyme scheme of the octave appears simple and concise, such as “lain”, “rain”, “sigh”, and “reply”, thus producing a linked effect. The close connection in rhyme allow for the lines to flow like a train of thought.The words sound soft, sad, and reflective, such that the illusion of a whispering ghost appears. In addition, the octave consists of all ten syllable lines, creating a consistent pace. Though the octave and sestet take on different rhymes and rhythm, they still unite to create a whole picture.

Contrary to the octave, the rhyme scheme and syntax of the sestet sound less cohesive. 

By spacing the words “before” and “more”, the connection seems further away and creates the feeling of a fading voice. Though the lines still rhyme, they feel slightly detached from each other and create a sense of crumbling. The rhyme and syntax in the sestet are less clear and sound distant, like a quiet echo. Also of interest, the rhythm is effected greatly by the structure of  the sonnet. A clear break occurs between the eighth and ninth line, in which the number of syllables per line decreases from ten to nine. The change of pace does not last long though, as in the tenth line it shifts back to ten syllables. The total significance is unclear, yet is noteworthy in regards to structure. The change of rhythm creates a jolt, thus alerting the reader of a new concept. The vocabulary in the sestet also sounds more abrupt than that of the octave, not only in regards to the rhyme, but also the tone.

In conclusion, the specific structure of the Petrarchan sonnet is appropriate and useful for depicting the introspection of a character. The division into two sections helps organize the thoughts of the character by differentiating the past and present. Despite the distinguishing qualities, the octave and sestet still compliment each other. The shift from one quatrain to the next is noticeable, but not disruptive. Furthermore, the reader is able to become absorbed into her emotions through the detailed use of symbols. Each symbol appears carefully chosen to represent her past and current psychological state. Although the sonnet does not make an argument, it does depict an opinion and emotional state. Both the sense of hopelessness and loss are communicated  well through the Petrarchan sonnet form.

                    Not Broken: Miss Betsy Thoughtless & The Female Quixote

Critics are quick to point out the flaws of female characters, concluding they are either too thoughtless or too theatrical. The judgmental names of Miss Betsy Thoughtless and The Female Quixote further allow the satirization of women. It is intended to conclude that the “broken” female becomes “repaired” through marriage and the acceptance of reality. The reality is, however, that the unfortunate events both Arabella and Betsy experienced allow for them to mature, not to be repaired. The imperfections of Betsy and Arabella are depicted as shortcomings that create limitations in their lives. Interestingly, both women were faulted for misunderstanding  how the heart worked, but reacted in opposite ways. Betsy was flirtatious and cruel, stringing along the emotions of several men at the same time. Arabella was severely virtuous and veiled herself and her heart from men. Arabella and Betsy learned from the expected mistakes of youth, furthermore their individualistic, bold, and unconstrained spirits created a sense of self-empowerment and growth.

Miss Betsy was guilty of deceiving men, she “was indeed a tyrant, but a very gentle one; she always mingled some sweet with the sharpness of her expressions:-if in one breath she menaced despair, in the next she encouraged hope”(Haywood 296). She played games with the hearts of many men, unable to realize the torment she caused. Betsy understood that she had never felt honest love, especially in which she and a lover were equal. Her lack of experience in love, which influenced her actions towards men, is not a flaw but a defense mechanism. Furthermore, she was unaware of the pain she caused, and was not intentionally being cruel, “for as to the heart, her own being yet untouched, she gave herself but little trouble how that of her lovers stood affected” (Haywood 296). Yet Betsy does mature through the novel, demonstrating her ability to be more thoughtful of others. Betsy develops into a lovely and thoughtful woman, and the progress can be seen as an evolution in which, cannot be explained by marriage. Assuming Betsy grew out of her flaws and conformed to the ideals of society due to marriage, one could say that her first marriage to Mr. Munden would have entirely changed her. It is true that through the mistake of marrying Mr. Munden that she learned, and thus matured in many ways. It took many pages and quite a few dramatic ordeals for Betsy to mature, she herself recognized the conflicting change of emotions. When Mr. Trueworth tried to help by giving advise, she was extremely mystified and perplexed about her mixed feelings stating she was “in some moments angry with Mr.Trueworth for offering his advice: in others, more angry with herself, for not having taken it” (Haywood 276). The realization that his advise was valid and worth considering displays a shift in character. In the past, she would have disregarded the advise as unreasonable and unconvincing. 

Betsy still had many painful lessons to learn, yet her determined pursuit of true love and happiness depicted a free and liberated female identity. By finally accepting Trueworth’s proposal, she does not lose any empowerment or admit that marriage is the solution for all women. Instead, her complex character appears to have greatly matured and is thus able to make adult decisions such as marriage. As many credible critics argue,“Betsy’s marriage to Trueworth does not in itself change her, though it does nominally recognize the change she has already undergone”(Kraft 93). Thus, the marriage to Trueworth improved her as a human being, not as a female. Additionally, the characteristics of Betsy are not categorized as flaws, but merely the development of an adolescent to an adult. Through the process of growing up and experiencing inconvenient events, she demonstrated that female independence is possible. 

Importantly, Betsy Thoughtless is a female character who embodies reformation or change in the most positive form. Instead of emphasizing how marriage impacts her identity, the focus of how she (disregarding her sexual identity as a woman) evolves and allows other characters to evolve. The eccentric qualities of Betsy do evolve with maturity, thereby influencing the change in other characters. More precisely, the lessons Betsy experiences not only influences her improvement, but others as well, including Mr. Trueworth. As she is taught some difficult aspects of life, she herself teaches the others around her. According to Deborah J. Nestor, the focus should be shifted from mocking the female heroine to focusing on the “female education or the reformed heroine plot...the roots lay, of course, in woman’s role as educator” (Nestor 1). Though the unrealistic flaws of Betsy are often focused on, her rare honorable traits are often never mentioned. Her acceptance of other female characters, despite their flaws, is a noteworthy factor. Even when other characters condemn the morally depraved or sinful actions of each other, Betsy avoids judgements and creates her own opinions. In sum, Betsy cannot attribute her changes to marriage, only the different stages of life. Her decision to embrace her perceived flaws not only shaped her virtuous character later on, but helped the development of other characters. Her drive to be independent and accepting those in unfavorable situations should be empowering to females. The choice of marriage should not be considered as the conventional “story-book ending”, as her free-spirited heart lost nothing, but instead gained everything. Finally, Betsy appeared to be thoughtless in the beginning, yet she proved her faults benefitted her in the outcome and ultimately became a role model for female self-improvement. 

In contrast to Betsy, the “flaw” of Arabella was no doubt her excessive imagination, which was developed from reading romance novels. This perceived fault was completely unacceptable to society and thus was perceived necessary to change immediately. The expectation that women must be the perfect balance of characteristics was no doubt unrealistic and condescending, nonetheless required. In fact, “Emotional excess, indeed excess of any kind, is to be avoided, the ideal being, as Lady Trusty explains, “a proper medium” in all things” (Kraft 94). It is quite clear in the beginning of the novel that Arabella was in every way excessive, either fuming at a mans offensive action or delighted with his noble knightly ways. Most of the time however, she was mortified by any forward advances by any man, concluding they had evil ‘designs’. Several times Mr.Glanville outraged Arabella, though his actions were honorable, she only understood the gallantry from romance novels. When he proclaimed his love for her, she responded, “What a horrid Violation this, of all the Laws of Gallantry and Respect, which decree a Lover to suffer whole Years in Silence before he declare his flame to the divine Object that causes it” (Lennox 32). It is clear here, and through out the novel, that she expected him to wait ‘ten years’ if necessary and undergo great sufferings to prove his undying love. Though this notion sounds over dramatic and unrealistic, it is an illusion many adolescents are victim to. Moving from childhood to adulthood can be a very difficult transition, yet we do not blame their faults on being unmarried today, we accept that it is part of growing up.

The ridiculous acts and rants Arabella displays is found to be humorous and is often made fun of. Before his death, her own father did not understand her thoughts and even called her a ‘strange child’. It is noteworthy that he called her a child, yet expected her to act in the most reformed and balanced manner. Many would agree no child is perfect, nor any adult for that matter. It is troublesome that critics and characters alike are so harsh to the imperfections of Arabella. 

Arabella believed the heroines she read represent all of the most virtuous traits she admired. For every situation she encountered, she followed the actions of her favorite heroines, believing that she was acting honorably. To Arabella, romance novels “give us the most shining Examples of Generosity, Courage, Virtue, and Love, which regulate our Actions, form our manners, and inspire us with a noble Desire of emulating those great, heroic, and virtuous Actions” (Lennox 48). It can be recognized that her fantasies and ideas of reality are mistaken, and that of course influence her decisions negatively. Despite that, it must be understood that her concept of life was constructed from the novels which were provided from her father, whom had neglectfully kept her from society. According to most “heroine plots”, Arabella is assumed to be at fault and thus becomes reformed with marriage. The blame is easily and commonly shifted to Arabella, and not her father who was responsible of raising her.

Regardless of placing blame on the perceived flaws of Arabella, it must be recognized that they shaped her experiences and consequently her character outcome. Her experiences, whether or not bad, allowed for her to learn essential life facts and become an adult. As Arabella called them, her “adventures” shaped her development into an adult, and her growth can’t be attributed to her marriage. 

The growth of Arabella is empowering, she does not conform to the wishes of others and proves her independence as a virtuous trait. Though easy for critics to focus on the annoying or unrealistic traits of Arabella, we must question why the positive and virtuous traits are forgotten. Her uncommon morality and respectability towards other females is surprisingly neglected, despite so few female characters containing that virtue. Opposite to Miss Glanville, “Arabella, on the contrary, was highly pleased with Miss Glanville; and, finding her Person very agreeable, did not fail to commend her Beauty: A sort of Complaisance mightily in Use among the Heroines, who knew not what Envy or Emulation meant” (Lennox 80). 

Interestingly, her reformation at the end of the novel is considered to be the result of marriage to Mr. Glanville. This is not the case. After a grueling, long, and argumentative discussion with the Divine doctor, Arabella seems to have an epiphany. She acknowledges that her romance novels are just fiction, yet still loves them dearly. She accepts that her interpretations of the novels may have been incorrect, yet does not discard their importance or consider them absurd. Arabella stated to the doctor, “ You have no Intention to deceive me, and since, if what you have asserted to be true, the Cause is un-defensible, I shall trouble you no longer to argue on this topic, but desire now to hear why, supposing them Fictions, and intended to be received as Fictions, you censure them as absurd?” (Lennox 378) The ability for Arabella to accept another’s opinion regarding the novels is evidence of her maturation. In the past, she had been known to argue continuously and intently with anyone who dared to insult her passion for romances. 

Finally, after speaking to the doctor, she seemed to have taken another step closer to adulthood. Her recognition of her childishness, and desire to improve and mature thus allowed for her to be ready for marriage to Mr. Glanville. The compromises Arabella made, in her ideas and actions, were the enabling factor of her change, not the actual effect of marriage. 

In conclusion, both Miss Betsy Thoughtless and Arabella are depicted as helpless females who are thus reformed to obedient wives. Their personalities are made fun of and used as examples of how not to act. Critics seem unsatisfied with flawed characters, whom develop and mature on their own terms, instead of the male crutch. The inability to recognize romance novels can be realistic as well, due to the characters being flawed similarly to the human being. No person is perfect, this is a fact- realistically every human makes mistakes at some point. It is therefore, realistic for characters to also be flawed, not due to their gender but because it is REAL. Betsy and Arabella mature and develop into adults through the painful and joyful experiences, both discarding and containing specific personality traits along the way. The journey is not only realistic, but romantic, ironic, funny, and sad. Their marriages did not attribute to who they became as humans, but influenced their choices. Both Arabella and Betsy were portrayed as independent and stubborn women, never allowing the men to break their spirits. Their stories are empowering by stating it is possible to have romance and reality.

                                           Masculinity in Mrs. Dalloway

In Mrs. Dalloway, the masculinity of Septimus Smith and Peter Walsh is threatened by sexual and professional insecurities. Masculine roles were not only defined by inherent personality and physical traits but also sexual orientation. According to Freud, “homosexuality represents a desire for effeminization, a desire to make one’s body the object of another’s controlling and penetrating authority...the failure to have become a man” (Paradis, K. 11). Septimus suffered from PTSD, which was induced by the guilt of surviving the war and officer Evans, a fellow soldier and possible romantic partner. The hallucinations of Septimus were complex and fragmented; yet looking deeper we see the religious and moral stresses of society may have forced him into self-persecution. Peter, similarly felt insecure and sensitive about romantic rejection and doubtful of his profession due to the expectations of society on men. No full solution was suggested to the threatened masculinity in Mrs. Dalloway, thus it may be proposed that masculinity cannot be acquired or learned at home, nor can it be sustained within domesticity.

After the death of Evans, the sanity of Septimus quickly declined, even after he returned to London with a wife. He became delusional and experienced hallucinations of Evans. Ultimately, the doctors were unable to treat him and he committed suicide. 

Though, Septimus ‘developed manliness’ being a soldier, along with courage and respect; gaining the ‘affection’ (86) of Evans, was a private and unacceptable matter. Septimus had been paranoid, terrorized and guilt-filled about his unresolved feelings for Evans; obsessing over being a sinner and punishment. During this period society considered “a whole range of practices and affections” to be “homosexual”, “Everything from the adolescent activities of schoolboys to even purely ‘Platonic’ intense friendships between men became suspect” (Kane, M. 14). Male roles were under much scrutiny, as the war had ended and the future was very uncertain. Men were anxious about finances, social class divisions and the expectations which society constructed.

Septimus was no longer able to enjoy Dante’s Inferno or Antony and Cleopatra after the war, which he read passionately before. His very name Septimus, can be traced back to Roman Emperor Lucius Septimius Severus, who was known for military service, rumored homosexuality, and religious persecution. Interestingly, his delusions were similar to an inferno, where “he would cry that he was falling down, down into the flames!” (141) and “he felt nothing; only each time she sobbed in this profound, this silent, this hopeless way, he decended another step into the pit” (90). As he decends into insanity, we discover his hallucinations mimic various circles of Dante’s inferno. The second circle is composed of those overcome with lust, Cleopatra for example, is known to be in this circle and her tragic love story ends ironically with suicide. 

The Seventh circle is composed of the violent, with three rings; the people who are violent against themselves or suicidal, belong to the middle. Septimus, which in latin translates to ‘seven’, ultimately commits suicide, by leaping out the window. It is stated by Dante that they are then transformed into thorny bushes and trees, which Septimus repeatedly states not to cut down. Unfortunately, in the Inferno, they are chased by dogs in a never ending cycle, which Septimus also speaks of in a delusion, in which dogs will become humans one day. The exact interpretation of these connections may be insignificant, yet after hearing of his death Clarissa Dalloway herself stated Sir William Bradshaw was “a great doctor yet to her obscurely evil, without sex or lust” and “capable of forcing your soul...with his power, might he not then have said (indeed she felt it now), Life is made intolerable; they make life intolerable, men like that?” After his death, the doctors refer to him as a coward, which was also suggested by his wife Rezia, who stated that only a coward threatens suicide. It is clear though, that his insanity, driven by the social pressures, such as masculinty, religion and duty, that drove him to his decision that death was more simple. “The modern “hero” who debates whether or not to commit suicide is passing judgement on the quality of life in the twentieth century. It is society he is condemning as well as the universe at large. If he cannot believe in the Second Coming, if there is no God, if time stretches out meaninglessly to the crack of eternity, then being alive is a useless privilege” (Glicksberg, C. 187)

Peter Walsh was unconventionally emotional and according to Clarissa Dalloway, “his lack of the ghost of the notion what any one else was feeling annoyed her...”(46) The implication was that he was oblivious to the rational emotions of others, because of “his weakness” and his sentimentality. Immediately the reader questions the masculinity and aggressiveness of Peter when Clarissa Dalloway makes note of his pocket knife and his habit to play with the blade. Yet within minutes of conversation, his knife seems symbolic to his insecurities, which he fondles and holds close representing a “security blanket”. 

We discover that Peter has the sentiments of Shakespeare, and unfortunately cupid’s arrow seems to keep missing the target. We mostly see his sensitive side when he feels rejected by Clarissa Dalloway and reflects back to past memories. When she declines his marriage proposal it becomes clear that he was “overcome with his own grief, which rose like a moon looked at from a terrace, ghastly beautiful with light from the sunken day” (42). Specifically, when he is reminded of her moving on and being married, he questions his past and current flaws, “and she would think me a failure, which I am in their sense, he thought; in the Dalloways’ sense. Oh yes, he had no doubt about that; he was a failure, compared with all this--”(43). Richard, her current husband, seems to have traits that socially viewed as masculine and generally more accepted and respected. It is only natural for Peter to feel insecure about masculine traits he may be lacking, professional, or “excessive” feminine qualities, such as sensitivity. 

Though Peter Walsh is considered a “dear old friend” (108) by many of the inner circle in society, they speak of him as somehow never measuring up to their standards. Going into the conversations of Lady Bruton and Hugh Whitbread, “He had come back, battered, unsuccessful, to their secure shores. But to help him, they reflected, was impossible” (108). They state they wish to help him professionally, so that he may become more financially stable (at least to their standards). Nonetheless, due to his “character”, they simply would not be able to find anything permanent. In totality, they are condescending of his character, which they describe as always “in trouble with some woman…they had guessed that that was at the bottom of it” (108). Looking into this conversation we can see specifically how upper class society imposes expectations on men to engage in “manly” behaviors. Interestingly, both men and women are part of these pressures and frameworks. Masculinity then can be thought of as not only defined by male roles, but also female roles. Peter Walsh felt the pressure from society in general, both women and men, to fulfill a masculine role. 

In conclusion, masculinity is defined by societal frameworks, morals and interestingly depends on the existance of feminity. Male roles in modern literature, such as Mrs. Dalloway, were greatly influenced by World War I due to a total work force and class shift. Finally and in the minds of men, frightenly fast, women were joining the work force; men were unsure of their place and the future. Masculinity could no longer strictly be defined by being a male professional or a provider, as females now changed this. Sexuality also influenced this definition, as a man could be a soldier and earn high respect, yet be condemned by society as effeminate due to sexual orientation. Both Septimus Warren Smith and Peter Walsh are examples of how the constraints of society overwhelmed and threatened their masculinity. Septimus was a soldier, who brought home honor and was dutiful to his wife; he embraced most definable masculine traits. His decline to insanity and misunderstood illness however, led doctors and his wife to slight his name and masculinity. Peter Walsh knew love and life, he understood what worth was and how to enjoy the important things; a real man loves fully.