Quarter 3 post 3

Following my previous reading, the author, Par Barker, ahs chosen to focus on the life of Elinor Brookes. She is a minor character but just recently become a bigger part of Paul’s life after the departure of Teresa. The Romeo, Neville has also become a focus in the coming chapters. Setting the stage at Elinor’s house we begin to see new developments in the characters. Paul has become more outspoken and full of fantastical ideas; much different from the shy, precocious Paul we were introduced to. As WWI begins Paul feels the need to join with the forces. We are also introduced to Neville’s strong affections for Elinor as he becomes increasingly jealous of Paul. Neville shows his jealousy: “he was too afraid of being packed off to bed, leaving Elinor and Tarrant together” (122).  Elinor, however, did not fell the same way: “ Elinor had avoided being alone with him ever since he’d sent that letter three weeks ago suggesting marriage” (113). Refusing Neville and Paul, Elinor is becoming a stronger and independent character to look at. Although she may appear grown-up and able to carry her self, Elinor is also very childish. Moving further into the novel, Barker shifts reading styles once more into letters. The exchange is between Pail and Elinor, talking about the struggle of enlisting for war. While receiving news he can’t join the army the MO told Paul: “ The best thing I could do to serve my country was joint eh German army and cough a lot” (142). This book is great because it brings up a large assortment of themes. The theme most expressed through this book is mostly gender as well as race based. WE are continuously exposed to the obstacles of a women, German and ill characters. Elinor for example is a woman and therefore cannot divorce her husband without a “reasonable reason.” Paul can not apply for the army because he is ill, and a German cannot stay in a hotel because he is German. Barker has done a great job of capturing the ear in which these characters are living!

Quarter 3 Life Class 2

As I continue to read, Life Class the author’s style of writing becomes more obvious. It is very similar to In the Time of the Butterflies in that the author chooses to pick certain characters for chapters. So far the novel has been focusing on the character of Paul, an artist at Slade art school. Paul Tarrant has demonstrated to the readers how relationships can be deceiving and often full of pain. At this point in the novel, Paul has befriended a model named Teresa, as their relationship thickens Paul finds out about her abusive husband. Listening to her talk about how much pain he causes her has gotten Paul side tracked. He has become more focused on Teresa’s relationships rather than his schooling. In the following chapters we have the chance to meet Teresa’s “ex” Jack. He proves himself to be as abuse as Teresa explained him to be, shown when he abuses both Paul and Teresa. Paul receives cracked ribs and Teresa a bloodied up face.  Meeting at her house, Paul gets the first-hand look at what jack has done to her:

  Her face was in the shadows. He caught her arm and pulled her across the lamp. She had a bruise on her cheekbone and a cut on her lower lip. “Jack?"

      “Who else?” She laughed (94).

The sad thing about this confrontation is that Jack is the only one who would do something like that to her. An even worse thing is that she is laughing about it. In Teresa’s situation with Jack also brings up another important issue; fighting back. Due to the fact this took place during the early twentieth century, women did not have a large say in their marriage. Divorces were not often herd of; it would also be hard for Teresa to convict her husband of anything, as she has said in previous chapters. Instead of waiting for another death threat Teresa decides to run away from her problems leaving, even the people she loves, behind. Paul stands and watches her leave: “ the cab turned to corner. He went and stood in the empty living room, looking around him at the bare spaces” (97). This description creates a perfect image of Paul and how he must feel. The words bare and empty specifically make him appear more alone and isolated than he really is. The drama of this book is definitely the most interesting aspect; I look forward to see how Paul and Teresa end up, whether it be together or apart. 

Quarter 3 Life Class 1

The novel, Life Class by Pat Barker is the book I have chosen to read and comment- e novel is set in the spring of 1914, with a group of students at the Slade School of Art. Among the class is Paul Tarrant, an easily distracted by a fellow classmate, Elinor Brooke. Paul is first introduced to us while storming out of his College life class. Frustrated with the fact that his drawings will never be good enough. Before storming out of his class, Paul makes one last remark: “ If, I knew how to draw I wouldn’t need to be here at all, would I ” (6). This smart- aleck response is one of the first bursts herd from Paul.  Obviously feeling he can do no more Paul dashes out of the room, leaving a confused professor and students behind. Further into the novel Paul runs into Elinor Brooke: “ with her copper hair and straight shoulders she looked like a young soldier striding along” (16).  Paul also makes similar remarks when he met the lovely Teresa, a model at Slade: “ she was dark, with short, shinny hair, high cheekbones, and red, painted, pouting lips”(18). After seeing Paul with different women it became apparent that he was some-what if a womanizer.  Whenever Paul is in the presence of women he seems to focus on their looks instead of trying to get-to-know them. I think it will be interesting to find out where this attitude of his takes him, later in the novel.

Pat Barker has done a great job of developing the character of Paul. She uses setting and other characters to develop his character. Paul was first introduced to us through setting. In his art class, one is able to see a normal day in the life of Paul. The reader observes his surroundings and the ways in which he interacts around others. I hope that the reader to come will prove to be similar. 

Sean Wilsey's life still in pieces returns home from Cascade, the treatment center. Rejecting the world Sean's sits in his room and looks out to the San Francisco Bay recalling: " Mom was depressed and humiliated and suicidal. Mom experienced brief spasms of superhuman energy to save the planet, to shop,to be pampered to escape, to combine all of these desires. Dad was hardworking, ambitious, a striver, a social success at last. I had escaped from St. Mark's, Woodhall, Cascade. I was home" (314). Remembering his home, although not great, it was home. If someone were not to read this memoir but instead only read this quote, a person could almost say they have read the book. Sean describes his mother and father to a T! In a way he also describes himself by the way he speaks of his parents. There is one major change however in Sean's feelings. Through this quote we are beginning to see signs of Sean's compassion for his father. In the beginning of the memoir Sean spoke poorly of his father; but now he has shifted his opinions. Maybe this shift was one shift to soon. Later in the memoir Sean and his mother, Father and Dede, Sean's "step-mother," had been attending and opera when sean made an attempt to greet his father: " When he was two feet away I smiled and said, Hey Dad! he brushed by without a flicker of hesitation giving me half a second of eye contact. I ran after him and grabbed his shoulder and said, Hey dad it's me! He nodded absently then looked over my shoulder"(324). It was to soon to be favoring his father. It seems as though his father could care less that he was back from the treatment center. Maybe Coming home wasn't such a good idea after all. 

Outside reading post

 In Oh The Glory of It All, Sean Wilsey has grown up with a life split in half. One with his mother and one with his father. This twisted life has sent Sean on a rough path through life; he has made poor decisions and doesn’t seem to care. His half brother, Mike, reminds him; “ None of us understand why you were sent away to school. You’d always been a good kid, despite your eccentricities. So I asked Dede, and Dede said you’d pulled a knife on dad and that’s why they had to spend you off. She said you’d threatened him” (Wilsey 287). Sean has screwed up his life and has made his own ethical decision. Sean has chosen instant gratification of a quick escape only finding that there is no escape from his family’s separation. Sean doesn’t necessarily say “none of this is worth it” but he does describe things he does as if he regrets them: “ Cascade was a High School made up of the rejected students of many other High Schools, opposite of the cream, the most marginal characters to lurk in the corners of a normal High School” (Wilsey 291).  Sean has been sent to a “ special” High School for troubled teens. WE can see through his description that he obviously doesn’t want to be there. We can also assume that when he talks about the marginal characters he is talking also about himself. He is almost mocking himself and what he has become. This memoir has been getting more intense each chapter. I can’t wait to find out what happens next. Stay tuned. 

OTW Post Question

In the movie On the Waterfront character exude their various beliefs of what they believe to be a “ stool pigeon” or D and D. On the Waterfront there are multiple characters that believe that if you speak to anyone about “the job” down at the docks you are considered a rat; these people include Jerry, Doogan, and the Mobsters.  Both Jerry and Doogan are witnesses to what happens when a person rats on their so-called “friends.” To these men if you squeal you are not only a “rat” but also a traitor to your friends and partners. A traitor cannot be trusted and unfortunately for Doogan, being a traitor resulted in his demise.

Knowing what position these men were in and the choices they faced I can make a decision on the difference between a traitor and a snitch. In comparison to the mobsters I believe that a snitch is nothing but someone who has the confidence to speak the truth.  In this particular case it was important for the truth to be let out even if it meant sacrificing yourself. A traitor, in this case, would be the mobsters. A traitor is someone who betrays their country or fellow workers for their own selfish desires. If I had to choose between the traitors of the movie and the “snitches” the traitor would be the mobsters and the snitches would be everyone else. 

AMS Blog Question

In Arthur Millers’ play, All My Sons, Characters make choices to act depending on the needs of their family over societies laws. Joe, Kate Chris, Ann. In the play Joe Keller is one such character; in his attempts to save his family Keller foolishly sends off 120 cracked engine heads. In his defense he states, “ It was to late. The paper, it was all over the front page, twenty-one went down, it was too late. They came with handcuffs into the shop, what could I do? Chris. . . Chris, I did it for you, it was a chance and I took it for you. I’m sixty-one years old, when would I have another chance to make something for you? Sixty-one years old, you don’t get another chance, do ya?” ( Miller 70).  Joe is telling us that the reason he sent the cracked parts was for his family so they could be successful.  Joe  did something in order to benefit his family even if it meant going against societies’ laws. Another decision made was when Chris, Joes’ son responds to the news. He believes that his father should have never sent out the cracked engines. He scolds his father, “ For me! Where do you live, where do you live, where have you come from? For me!- I was dying everyday and you were killing my boys and you did it for me? What the hell do you think I was thinking of, the Goddam business? Is that as far as your mind can see?    What is that, the world-the business? What the hell do you mean, you sis it for me? Don’t you have a country? Don’t you live in the world? What the hell are you? What must I do to you? I ought to tear my tongue out of your mouth” ( Miller 70).  Chris has chosen society over Family, he thinks his father never should have sent the cracked engines. So much for  “ The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree!”

In my opinion I found the play very funny and gripping the different characters and their opinions resulted in a interesting reading. Throughout the play there was the question of family or society. Does family come first or the laws of society? In my opinion family is very important but society wins by a hair. If we didn’t have society and people didn’t follow the rules there would be chaos. No one would listen to anyone and people would be going around doing whatever they wanted. This is an example where society would be placed above family.