Poetry: September, 1918

       In times of darkness, the little moments of happiness are truly treasured. In Amy Lowell's poem, "September, 1918," she describes the simple pleasures of living that occur during the Great War. Most notably, she writes about one afternoon where two little boys gathering berries under a tree at the park. She later states that after the war, "I shall take out this afternoon and turn in my finger, and remark the sweet taste of it upon my palate. . ." (713). Her decision to recollect this moment shows how powerful the simplicity of life can be. By expressing this idea, Lowell expresses how the simple pleasures one experience can bring the most happiness.

       The situation Lowell describes I can differently relate to. In my life and for my family, a dark period of time was when my cousin died at the age of 18. Everyone was devastated. But in a our period of grief, the whole family managed to come together for my father's birthday. It was unreal. For a night, everyone was happy, smiling, and celebrating life. At a time of death and its emotional turmoil, we managed to find happiness. And to this day that is a moment I look back and think about how good it felt to have. 

       The circumstances and situation Lowell writes about relate to power and privilege. Both power and privilege are illustrated by the narrator's ability to find certain moments to hold onto during the war. War, itself, represents the darkness she leaves. And she has the power and privilege to find a brief period of time that makes the darkness she lives in fade away. She would have a lack of power and privilege if she couldn't identify any simple joy of life during such an atrocious time.

       Overall, Lowell's poem reflects how simple moments can bring happiness in the most unpleasant of times. When war is associated with so much horror, death, and evilness, it can be hard to find moments of joy. However, she makes that point that the ordinarily simple pleasures of life can give you the privilege of happiness in dark times. And that power can be achieved by keeping your eyes open to all forms of happiness and peace, and having the knowledge you could find and hold onto that moment. 

Drama: A Street Car Named Desire

        All siblings are known for having their own quarrels. In Tenessee Williams' play A Streetcar Named Desire, audiences are exposed to the tensions that exist between Blanche and her younger sister, Stella. Blanche's role as the eldest child in the family left her with many hardships and responsibilities, especially when Stella leaves home. Upon arriving at Stella, and her husband, Stanley's, apartment she says, ". . . You left! I stayed and struggled! [. . .] I stayed at Belle Reve and tried to hold it together . . . all the burdened descended on my shoulders" (1122). When she begins to feel judged by Stella, she elaborates, "How in the hell do you think all that sickness  and dying was was paid for? Death is expensive [. . .] I let the place go? Where were you! In bed with your- Polack" (1123). By illustrating Blanche's frustrations with Stella, Williams reveals their roles as oldest and youngest have shaped their relationship.

       As the oldest sibling in my family, I can't say I currently relate to this situation. However, I do believe it is a common circumstance between families. When parents get sick, the oldest child (or children depending on the size of the family) are usually obligated to help their parents. While the youngest child(ren) are left off the hook. This ideology is often seen in the entertainment industry- in television shows and movies particularly. For example, in the film Sister Cities, the eldest sisters were in charge of taking care of their impaired mother, and the youngest sisters were free to do as they wished. 

       The relationship between Blanche and Stella, in terms of oldest and youngest, relates to power and privilege. Power and privilege are illustrated by age. Blanche, as the oldest, lacks power and privilege because she has been held to higher standards and expectations for her family. Thus, her obligation to stay with her family and keep the home. On the other hand, Stella, as the youngest, holds both power and privilege because she wasn't raised knowing she needed to stay home with her family. She was free to leave and marry Stanley. Thus, she had the power and privilege to live her life freely unlike Blanche.

       When fully looking at the relationship between the Dubois Sisters, I believe it represents the power and privilege divided among siblings through age. While many parents try to treat their children equally, age prevents that from becoming a true reality. Older siblings, like Blanche, are actually weighed down by their age through the hardshps and responsiblities of family matters. And younger siblings, like Stella, are allowed their freedom through which they have acquired power and privilege. 

Literary Context: Southern Literature

       Throughout my research on Southern Literature, I found the most interesting information to be on its evolution throughout history. While Southern Literature, itself, is a generalized grouping of literary works, the distinction of the eras provides a more developed background on novels of this category. For my presentation, I was able to learn and identify each of the eras (early Southern Literature, Antebellum (The Plantation Era), Post-Antebellum (The Post War Era), Renaissance, and the Post-Modern Era), and along with that find novels are associated with each era. For example, during the Antebellum period Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin was published, while Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published in the Post-Antebellum period. The value, in knowing which period the novels were published in, comes from gaining knowledge about the historical context during the time each novel was published. And having that information I found the most valuable throughout my research.
        The information I discovered on Southern Literature directly correlates with the Flannery O'Connor "Good Country People." For a novel to be considered to be Southern Literature, it must contain be written by a Southern author or set in the region, and needs to have characteristics such as religion, social hierarchy, racial issues, and among others. O'Connor's short story follows all of the criteria. It is by a Southern author, set in the South, and has themes of religion and social hierarchy. These qualities deepen the reading by adding to the characters perspective and that of the audience. For example, the view of religion and social hierarchy from character Joy/ Hulga shows readers her perspective as an educated Southern woman, in contrast to her mother a traditional Southern woman. Altogether the combination of characteristics that make the story a part of Southern Literature add to the readers of understanding.
       In O'Connor's "Good Country People," religion establishes the story as Southern Literature by commenting on hypocrisy of the Christians. Upon learning that the Bible Salesman isn't a devote Christian man, Joy/Hulga says, "You're a Christian!. . .You're a fine Christian! You are just like them all- you say one thing and do another. You're a perfect Christian. . ." (1353). While she, herself, "is an atheist" (1345), her traditional Southern upbringing from her mother prompts her to view Christians as true and honest people. Yet highly educated-self recognizes that Christians aren't all holier than thou as much as they try to be. The story, likely set in the 1950's, further reflects the changes in society and culture during the Post-Modern Era. (In which case Christians were both recognized for their goodness and their hypocrisy.) O'Connor's short story uses the qualities of Southern Literature to showcase the view of religion from the perspective of an atheist and highly education Southern woman.
     
Works Cited for Presentation and Blog Post

Baym, Nina, gen. ed. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. 8th ed. Vol. 2.

New York: Norton, 2012. Print.

Rubin, Louis D. "Southern Literature and Southern Society." Short Story Criticism, edited by Margaret Haerens, vol. 23, Gale, 1996. Short Story Criticism Online, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=LCO&sw=w&u=cicctr&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CQLSBUF332420219&it=r. Accessed 21 Mar. 2017. Originally published in Southern Literary Study: Problems and Possibilities, edited by Louis D. Rubin, Jr. and C. Hugh Holman, University of North Carolina Press, 1975, pp. 3-20.

Gray, Richard. "Aftermath: Southern Literature Since World War II." Contemporary Literary Criticism, edited by Daniel G. Marowski and Roger Matuz, vol. 38, Gale, 1986. Contemporary Literary Criticism Online, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=LCO&sw=w&u=cicctr&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CFBAVNW653675999&it=r. Accessed 21 Mar. 2017. Originally published in The Literature of Memory: Modern Writers of the American South, by Richard Gray, The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1977, pp. 257-305.

"Southern United States Literature." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 20 Mar. 2017. Web. 21 Mar. 2017. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_United_States_literature>.

MacKethan Lucinda. "Genres of Southern Literature." Sevaa. N.p., 01 Jan. 1970. Web. 21 Mar. 2017. <https://southernspaces.org/2004/genres-southern-literature>.

YourDictionary. "What Are Some Interesting Facts About Mark Twain?" YourDictionary. N.p., 05 May 2016. Web. 21 Mar. 2017. <http://biography.yourdictionary.com/articles/facts-about-mark-twain.html>.

"Flannery O'Connor." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 20 Mar. 2017. Web. 21 Mar. 2017. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flannery_O'Connor>.

Uncle Tom's Cabin: Literary Analysis

            Undoubtedly, slavery is one of the most immoral practices known to man. In Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin, slavery is one of the main themes. However, because slavery had many associations throughout the story, I decided to focus on the evil of slavery. While Stowe doesn’t direct state that slavery creates an outcome of evilness, she does provide many situations where it can be subtly acknowledged.

            Throughout the novel, many relationships between slaves and their owners are portrayed. Some of them better than others, as is the case between Eliza Harris and Mrs. Shelby, St. Clare and Tom, Miss Ophelia and Topsy, etc. On the other hand, there are even more cases where relationships are much worse, as is the case with Marie St. Clare and all the slaves on the property, Mr. Shelby and Tom, Legree and Tom, etc. Through the latter listed character relationships, the evil slavery creates can be seen through in stages.

            The evil of slavery is introduced early on in the novel through Mr. Shelby, Mr. Haley, Eliza, and Harry. Upon seeing young Harry, Mr. Haley, the slave trader, tells Mr. Shelby, “Fling in that chap and I’ll settle the business- I will” (4). This interact displays the evilness of slavery by so easily talking about buying and selling a child. In this scene, the boy isn’t even seen as a boy, but a thing- an object. On top of all this, there is no regard given towards his family- their feelings, thoughts, or reactions. None whatsoever. Altogether, Mr. Haley and Mr. Shelby’s discussion comes across as because it casually takes about removing a child from his home and family without any thought given towards Harry’s well-being.

            The evil of slavery continues to progress to more dramatic levels as the story goes on. It reaches news levels when Marie St. Clare is introduced. The first few words Marie says are “it’s we mistresses that are the slaves, down here” (153) and “[the slaves are] selfish-dreadfully selfish; it’s the fault of the whole race” (153). Her words come across as ignorant and blinded from reality. Marie, herself, is the exact opposite of a slave. She lives to be doted upon every minute of her life. For her to compare herself to a slave shows how slavery has evolved people (slave owners) morals and ethics so horribly. As the story continues, Stowe manages to present the evil of slavery in more shocking ways.

            Death can be seen as the most heinous connection to slavery. Towards the end novel, Tom is brought by Mr. Legree, a vicious slave owner, who has no hesitancy in violently disciplining his slaves. Tom, in particular, becomes the target of this anger when “. . . the spirit of evil came back, with seven-fold vehemence; and Legree, foaming with rage, smote his victim to the ground” (374). This moment leads to Tom’s inevitable death. However, the evil of slavery can be seen through the death of Tom and other slave because they’re good people. Tom didn’t deserve to die; he died protecting his friends and values. An innocent slave’s demise, like Tom’s, represents the utmost evil of slavery.

            Throughout Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Stowe uses the theme of slavery to illustrate how it creates evilness. When the relationships between the slave owners and the slaves themselves are looked at both at the surface and underneath, the evil that lingers from the practice of slavery can be found. With each interaction, from small to large, the evil of slavery can be seen increasingly. Overall, its significance rests in the fact that slavery manages to manipulate and sway people away from true morals and ethics. 

Uncle Tom's Cabin: Critical Commentary

            In James Baldwin’s article “Everybody’s Protest Novel,” one of his main points is how the oppressed and the oppressor come to live in the same reality. I believe Baldwin’s interpretation is accurately portrayed in the novel. Baldwin claims, “The oppressed and the oppressor are bound together within the same society; they accept the same criteria, they share the same beliefs, they both alike depend on the same reality” (537). This goes to illustrate the slaves and their owners both come recognize that slaves aren’t people but property. They recognize, accept, believe, and depend on the mutual understanding between on another to justify their actions and lifestyles, the slave in particular.   For example, Baldwin’s idea can be seen throughout “the heritage of the Negro in America: Wash me, cried the slave to his Maker, and I shall be whiter, whiter than snow” (537-538). Furthermore, it goes to show how the slaves have come to accept that they are inferior to whites. And as a result they desire to be more like them because “black is the color of evil; only the robes of the saved are white” (538).

            Baldwin’s interpretation of the text adds to the understanding of the novel by establishing another way in which slavery has been evil. The fact that slaves and slave owners both voluntarily come to live together in a world where they accept segregation brings to light another way in which objectification and dehumanization occurs. When both the oppressed and the oppressors see the world the same way that truly conveys how corrupt slavery is. Slavery, and the evilness it creates, becomes more apparent when black slaves are made inferior and white owners superior and neither party sees an issue. Again, this goes back to how the slaves have been dehumanized when their lives are considered to be lesser than those of others. 

Uncle Tom's Cabin: Reader Response

            From across a number of books review sites, such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Goods Read, Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin is viewed as average to excellent. Each of the websites’ ratings systems place the novel with 3 and ½ to 4 and ½ stars. The majority of reviewer, from all three of the websites reported having a favorably experience with the novel, and would recommend it to others. The reviewers who gave lower ratings did so due to unsatisfactory physical qualities of the novel, instead of their disapproval of the book itself. According to J Cravens, a Goodreads reviewer, who gave the novel 5 stars respectively, “The story, its delivery and its characters turned out to be nothing like they have been portrayed over the years. . . [But] a powerful call for justice and equality. . .” (Goodreads). Cravens’ rating and review represents the high reader trends because it displays the high expectations that readers inflict on the novel to view it as a masterpiece of literature. Utente, a 4 star rater and reviewer from Amazon, states, “[The novel is] definitely worthy of classic status. . . Mrs. Stowe deftly develops the character with complex view of slavery. . .” (Amazon). Her statement further goes on to say she took off a start due to technological reasons. The rating corresponds with the trend in which certain properties of the book provided a lower rating. A 5 star rater and reviewer yearningtoread, from Barnes and Noble, said, “. . . Please, I beg you to read this book. I laughed, I cried my eyes out, I went numb with fear and hatred, I was captivated” (Barnes and Noble). The review corresponds with the fact that those who rate higher and have a postive experience with the novel a likely to recommend it to other readers.

            Based on the comments I have read, I do agree with them. The story is a complex and bluntly honest telling of slavery and the urge for justice and equality at the time, like Cravens stated. The story is truly worthy of being a classic novel because of the complexities Stowe managed to weave into characters and their viewpoints, like Utente stated. And overall the book should be urged by others to read. It carries you through an emotional rollercoaster, keeping you strapped in and captivated the whole time, just like yearningtoread said. I agree with these comments because I’ve had them myself. They took the words right out of my mouth. 

Uncle Tom's Cabin: Textual Background and Context

            In the Backgrounds and Contexts section of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a number of advertisements illustrate the evil of slavery through objectification. I found “Advertisement for runaway slave, Kentucky, 1853” (416) to best portray this message. The advertisement offers a reward of one hundred dollars for the return of a “runaway . . . Blackwoman, named Emily. . .” (416). She is further described by her identifying characteristics and by several price. Altogether, this information listed shows Emily as degraded to merely nothing more than an object in the eyes of Tho’s H. Williams, the subscriber who had the advertisement published, and to those reading it. While the text does not directly reveal this sentiment, it can be found between the lines. The arrangement of the words lacks any emotion, allowing the statement to be perceived as purely business. Rather than voicing concern over a runaway, the poster identifies the runaway as a lost possession.

            I felt that the content of the advertisement and underlying meaning that is imposed through Emily’s description is horrible. In its entirety, the publishers and Mr. Williams dehumanize Emily to an object- to someone’s property. I can only imagine how similarly situated individuals, like Emily, felt to be only recognized by their attributes and the price on their head. The concept, I believe, is very foreign in today’s society. Like in the past rewards posters for missing/ runaway people are recognizable everywhere and anywhere yet today. However, the emotional connection between the seeker and the person of interest can be felt through the paper. In the case of Emily, her well-being isn’t important, her happiness isn’t important- only her role as belonging to Mr. Williams matters. And that in my opinion truly demonstrated one of the biggest ways in which slavery is found to be evil.

            The text displayed on “Advertisement for runaway slave, Kentucky, 1853” adds to our understanding of Uncle Tom’s Cabin by subtly revealing why the dehumanization of slaves occurs. Even more so, it contributes to defining the theme “the evil of slavery” through the objectification of slaves. In the novel, George Harris is found to be in the same position as Emily. His advertisement, similarly formatted, first states: “Ran away. . . mulatto boy, George” (95), then lists his own identifying markers. The last line of George’s ad says his owner “. . . will give four hundred dollars for him alive, and the same sum for satisfactory proof that he has been killed” (95). Just like in Emily’s own advertisement, in George’s we see the distant between himself and his owner. Overall, we see that slavery has affected the sight of slave owners and supporters alike by depriving them of basic human rights such as individuality, compassion, and civility amongst all people.