The Kite Runner

     Farid becomes Amir's new best friend in a sense in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.  One phrase that pops up throughout the book is the phrase that Hassan said to Amir the day of the kite competition.  Hassan told Amir "for you a thousand times over" when he ran the final kite.  In the end, when Amir asks Farid for a favor, Farid responds with " 'For you a thousand times over'," (305).  This brings back the memories of Hassan and his loyalty towards him.  Farid shows that same loyalty towards Amir.  He would do anything for Amir just like Hassan would do anything for him as well.  I feel as if Hassan's presence is shown through many people. It is definitely shown through Sohrab, but also through Farid as well.  Farid stays loyal towards Amir when he waits for him outside the house, and he says he will do whatever Amir asks.

The Kite Runner

     Assef got what he deserved in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.  In the beginning, Hassan and Amir told Assef that he would soon be called "one-eyed Assef" if he did not stop bullying them.  Assef laughed it off.  However, Sohrab comes back to give Assef what he deserved.  Assef only has one eye now because "the brass ball was still stuck in his empty eye socket," (291).  The situation in the beginning foreshadows the event in the end.  Assef now has one eye, just like Hassan said he would have.  And he got it with the slingshot.  This was the exact instrument that Hassan was going to use as well.  Assef got what was coming for him.  People shouldn't mess with the blood of Baba.

The Kite Runner

     In The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Hassan has a harelip that ends up getting fixed by Baba.  After Assef and Amir fight, Amir ends up splitting his lip in half.  Amir realizes that his lip has been cut "Clean down the middle. Like a harelip," (297).  This part brings Hassan and Amir together as one.  I think it shows them finally being able to connect in some way.  Amir has finally resembled Hassan.  Hassan has made his mark and presence known to Amir through the cutting of his lip.  There is finally a way for Amir to realize what it would be like to be Hassan.  This moment shows the impact of Hassan on Amir.  It gets to the point where Amir is physically touched by Hassan.

The Kite Runner

     In The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Sohrab ends up saving Amir's life just like Hassan did.  Also, they both end up saving Amir with one thing, a slingshot.  Amir is saved twice, once by his best friend, and the second time by his best friend's son.  After Sohrab slings the brass ball into Assef's eye, " 'Bia,' Sohrab said, pulling my hand. 'Let's go!'," (291).  I think it's funny how Amir keeps getting saved because Amir knows that he does not deserve it. It proves how great both Hassan and Sohrab are and their loyalty and respect towards Amir.  Like father like son, both Hassan and Sohrab show what they would do to save a friend's life.  It is like Hassan takes over Sohrab's body to save Amir once again.  They have the courage that Amir has wanted to have all of his life.  They embody all that Amir has dreamed of being.

The Kite Runner

     Fatherhood is a scary thing for Amir in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.  Amir is ready to have a family, but it is frightening.  He wonders what sort of father he would be, and "I wanted to be just like Baba and I wanted to be nothing like him" (184).  Amir grew up praising his father and everything about him.  He was excited and nervous to now get the chance to be the father he wanted to be.  However, when it turns out that Amir and Soraya can't bear a child, it hurts them both.  It starts making a hole in their relationship.  They start to feel an emptiness between them.  Amir is saddened at the fact that he won't get to carry on his father's name and be all that his father was.  Fatherhood is important to Amir because of the relationship between Baba and him.

The Kite Runner

     Amir falls in love with Soraya in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.  Soraya has had a past that has been talked about among many people.  Amir does not care about her past though because "I had one of my own.  I knew all about regret" (180).  This relatable aspect of Soraya allows Amir to not feel as guilty or as bad because he knows that Soraya has made mistakes as well.  He wishes he had the courage to speak about it but just knowing she has had a bad past makes Amir feel more comfortable.  The past never leaves Amir.  It holds him back in his relationship with Soraya but also allows him to feel better about it as well.  I think that the past will continue to affect different aspects of Amir's life and keep harming him or restraining him in some way. Amir always trying to push away the past will only hurt him more in the future.  It will keep coming into different relationships and be that much harder every time.

The Kite Runner

     Baba and Amir have moved to America in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.  This change of setting was a start of a new life for Amir.  A chance to forget and start over.  America was different, and he was willing to adapt.  His willingness was because America was "someplace with no ghosts, no memories, and no sins" (136).  Amir was ready to bury all of his past and plan for a better future.  What he has not realized is how much his past has affected him now and will continue to affect him as he lives in America.  Baba still brings up Hassan every once and a while and Amir still has flashbacks of the times they spent together.  No matter what Amir will not be able to erase his past.  He will bring it into his relationships and his life.

The Kite Runner

     Hassan's loyalty to Amir in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini is that of complete faithfulness, love, and respect.  Amir is somewhat disgusted with Hassan's loyalty and he just wants him to be mean and angry at him.  Amir realizes that if he set up Hassan for stealing that Baba would require them to leave and Amir would be free.  Hassan shows his loyalty even more when he tells Baba that he did steal the watch and money from Amir. When Amir became aware of Hassan's sacrifice for him he "loved him in that moment, loved him more than I'd ever loved anyone. . ." (105).  Hassan's faithfulness towards Amir shows the kind of person that Amir has always wanted to be.  Amir is jealous of Hassan and all the aspects of him because he is exactly what kind of son his father wanted.  This is why Amir makes sure that Hassan keeps his loyalty to him.  Amir has become everything his father would not want him to be.  He became this way because of his own selfishness and jealousy.

Potpourri Unit 4

     Acquainted with the Night by Robert Frost is about the speakers state of depression.  The speaker is extremely lonely and this is proved by the solitary use of "I".  The speaker is completely isolated.  The watchmen in the poem, although present, does not play an emotional role in the poem.  The continue use of the pronoun "I" shows this.  Even when the speaker hears "an interrupted cry" (7) he says that the cry is not meant for him because he has no one waiting for him.  The speakers depression has reached a point where he cannot connect with society anymore.  He walks at nights because that is when it is the loneliest.  The reader does not know if the speaker will ever come out of depression because he only goes out at night.  For this reason, the speaker is literally, acquainted with the night.

Potpourri Unit 3

     In Batter my heart, three-personed God by John Donne, the speaker wants God to break through to his heart so he can release him from Satan.  He loves God even though he lusts for Satan.  He is asking God for help to use his power to keep him away from the devil.  The last few lines is a paradox that shows how much the speaker wants to be free of Satan.  He says "Take me to you, imprison me, for I, Except you enthrall me, never shall be free. . ." (11-12).  The speaker is saying that he wants God to save him from Satan only if God can imprison him.  He will only be free if he is enslaved under God's power.  The speaker contradicts himself but is true in all that he says.  It is in God's hands to save him.  He told God that he loves him but it is God that has to take him in His hands.

Potpourri Unit 2

     I taste a liquor never brewed by Emily Dickinson is an extended metaphor.  Intoxication is being compared to nature and spring.  There are drinking images of nature.  For example, "Inebriate of Air" (4) and "Debauchee of Dew" (5) show how intoxication is being connected with nature.  The speaker is not really drunk but is displaying the certain feeling they get from being around nature.  The summer days and air make the speaker feel as if he/she is drunk.  The butterflies and bees in the poem are the insects that get the same feeling.  The end of the poem shows the Seraphs and Saints being alright with the drunkenness of the speaker.  They are so curious that "to windows run" (13).  The poem accepts and encourages the intoxication that nature brings upon people.  That is how great nature is.

Potpourri Unit 1

     In The Convergence of the Twain by Thomas Hardy the use of imagery allows the speaker to convey the meaning.  Focusing in on a specific part, the author uses words such as "The Immanent Will" (18) and "the Spinner of the Years" (31) to move the poem along.  The reader can conclude that both of these images refer to some type of destiny or a god.  It is "The Immanent Will that stirs and urges everything" (18) and the "Spinner of the Years Said 'Now!'" (31).  These images show that there was sort of destiny of the ship and that it was meant to or going to happen no matter what.  It was fate and the lack of attention to what was actually going to happen caused the outcome.  Using some sort of destiny proves the authors point in showing the sinking of human pride and the results of too much pride.  The speaker shows that jewels and riches are more important than anything else.  Humans are not even referenced in the poem.  The pride of our minds are gone and the imagery in the poem proves that.

My Mistress' Eyes

     In My Mistress' Eyes by William Shakespeare the speaker's lover is being compared to many images that his lover is not.  He says that  her "eyes are nothing like the sun" (1) and that "coral is far more red than her lips' red" (2). All of these things that he wants in her, she lacks.  This just shows how imperfect the man is for wanting such a perfect woman.  His love for her is based on how well she compares to all of these amazing and beautiful images of nature.  Even though the speaker's lover is not all of these things, the speaker still thinks that his love is rare and unlike anything else.  He is making false comparisons because none of this will ever be true.  His tone shifts when he makes these comparisons and then says that his love is strong. She is nothing that he wanted yet he says that his love is "rare".  These comparisons are often exaggerated in love poetry and the author is showing the reality of it all.  Shakespeare knows that these comparisons are not realistic at all and proves that through the poem.

Barbie Doll

    The girl in Barbie Doll by Marge Piercy is being compared to a Barbie doll. The girl is not similar to a Barbie until she is lying in a casket.  She has learned that having the perfect body makes a person perfect.  When she is told that she has "a great big nose and fat legs" (6)  she begins to think that she is not pretty.  Society is what killed her and her want for people to see her as perfect started it.  It was not until she was dead that she looked like a Barbie doll done up in makeup and all.  It was "the magic of puberty" (5) that caused this, but really it was not magic at all.  Also, the "magic" did not help the girl in any way and caused more problems. Most girls want to fit a certain image that society creates.  In the end, however, trying to fit that image only makes the girl less happy and content with herself than she ever was to begin with.

Hunters in the Snow

     In Hunters in the Snow by Tobias Wolff Tub is characterized as someone who fears others and longs for acceptance and love.  Tub is obviously hurt by the words of his friends.  They cause him to have to make up a lie for the reason he is overweight.  Tub tells him that he does not know what to do and he says that " 'it's my glands' " (188).  He has to form this lie so he is not judged more by his two friends.  He constantly wants acceptance from others but puts himself in more trouble by lying.  He is emotionally hurt by the words of Frank and Kenny and this causes the fear that he has built inside himself.  All of it is understandable, but Tub will always be brought down because he continues to lie and lives in fear.  His emotional abuse becomes too much for him and that is why he acts out in violence. All of his anger and sadness got the best of him and caused him to shoot Kenny.

A Jury of Her Peers

     In A Jury of Her Peers by Susan Glaspell the suspense is not the homicide but the motive instead.  The only suspect is Minnie Foster.  Her odd behavior like pleating her apron and her unfinished business adds questions to why this happened.  The physical evidence of the rope and the dead bird proves to the reader that Minnie Foster is guilty.  The county attorney said that  it was " 'Their own rope. . .' " (422). This proves that Minnie did kill her husband.  The in depth descriptions of this evidence makes the reader question "why?" instead of "who?".  The reader begins to feel sympathy for Minnie Foster because her actions and her motives make men the cause for this behavior.  The victim is not Minnie anymore, it is the male gender.  Their rude and disrespecting behavior towards women is what ultimately caused Minnie to kill her husband.

Othello

     In the end of Othello by William Shakespeare there are three main characters left.  Their resolutions are sad but fair.  Othello ends up "killing myself, to die upon a kiss" (V.ii.358).  He asks that he be written about honestly when these situations are recorded.  As for Iago, he is a prisoner.  Cassio gets to determine his fate. Cassio is now the governor of Cyprus.  He probably got the happiest ending out of everyone.  If I were him, I would make Iago suffer.  I feel like everyone died in one day, one after another.  All of this was because of Iago and his need for revenge.  He ended up causing the death of his own wife and a friend.  Honest Iago is definitely not so honest as everyone thought.

Othello

     There is a lot of conflict in Act V of Othello by William Shakespeare.  Iago tells Roderigo to kill Cassio and that he would help.  What happens though is that Iago kills both Cassio and Roderigo.  Iago was smart to plan this during the night so he could do just that.  He calls Roderigo a "murderous slave! Oh, villain!" (V.i.62).  This gives him a back up plan to explain things.  His plan fails him when Emilia shows everyone the true villain that Iago is.  I would say that he is on of the greatest villains out there.  He used manipulation and tricks to convince others horrible things.  He was pretty smart in planning his revenge.  He used his title of honesty to his advantage never stating exact facts when explaining situations.  Iago caused tons of conflict among himself and others.  In the end, all of it back fired on him.

Othello

     Desdemona's death is foreshadowed in Act IV of Othello by William Shakespeare.  She talks to Emilia about the song her mom would always sing and how she died singing in.  Desdemona then said "That song will not go from my mind. . .Mine eyes do itch. Doth that bode weeping?" (IV.iii.29:56-57).  This shows that at some point she will die because that song is so close to her thoughts.  She also talks of feeling like she is going to cry.  All of this foreshadows her coming death in Act V.  Also, Emilia ends up singing the end of the song when she dies as well.  That song gives the readers a thought about their eventual deaths.  I knew right when Desdemona started talking about her mom dying singing that song that it would come up again later on. Desdemona dies an honest and faithful woman.  I was surprised to see that she did not tell Emilia that Othello is the one that killed her.  It truly shows how much she loved him.

Othello

     In Act IV of Othello by William Shakespeare the theme of hatred becomes more obvious.  Othello is past the point of even thinking that Desdemona could be telling the truth.  He even becomes so angry that he ends up hitting her calling her the "Devil!" (IV.i.224).  Iago has been able to get so into Othello's head that Othello hates Desdemona more than ever.  He does not even think she is telling the truth when she says she is. Even when Emilia tries to tell Othello that Desdemona is honest, he does not believe it. He hates her so much that he does not even think of her as the same person.  It is like he has fallen out of love with her, and she is a stranger to him.  All of this results in a huge mistake of him killing Desdemona.  He was manipulated into hating his wife and ultimately killing both of them.

Othello

     The theme of jealousy really begins becoming apparent in Act III of Othello by William Shakespeare.  Iago is very smart and begins to make Othello feel a spark of jealousy at the moment he sees Cassio leave Desdemona.  Iago says that Cassio was the one to leave but he was not sure because he did not think "that he would steal away so guilty-like. . . " (III.iii.40).  He needed this moment to stir Othello's feelings about whether his wife was being faithful or not.  Othello gets even more jealous when Iago lies to him telling him that Cassio had a dream about Desdemona.  His jealously becomes so huge that even when he does not have factual proof, he still believes Iago.  Jealously and doubt begin to fill Othello's mind even though he has no reason to think like that because Desdemona has done nothing to him.  Jealously will end up being the cause of all of the other events that are to come.  Othello already said that he wants Cassio dead.  He is so angry that he believes Iago's lies.  All Iago had to do was make Othello a little jealous.

Othello

     In Act II of Othello by William Shakespeare  Roderigo ends up in a major conflict with himself.  He finds himself poor and very hurt.  He has followed Iago's advice, but he is blind to Iago's tricks.  Roderigo says that his "money is almost spent, I have been tonight exceedingly well cudgeled" (II.iii.329-330).  However, Iago keeps telling him to have patience.  I think that Iago cannot afford to lose Roderigo because he can aid him in fulfilling his evil plan against Othello.  Roderigo will never decide what to do on his own because he is so easily swayed by the thought of love and Iago's ability to persuade him.  I hope that Roderigo will be one of the first to see past Iago's mask and unveil his other side to the others.  Only then will Roderigo's conflict be able to finally be resolved.  He is being led astray by Iago's words and does not realize the truth of the situation.

Othello

     In Othello by William Shakespeare Iago speaks in prose in some situations and then switches to poetry in other instances.  My theory as to way he changes is to show his multiple personalities.  Iago is two-faced and that is more distinct through the different ways that he speaks. After speaking with Roderigo, Iago switches to poetry and says that Othello "holds me well, The better shall my purpose work on him" (I.iii.370-371).  Iago is planning to hurt Othello and he makes this clear when he has time to speak by himself.  I think as the play moves forward it will become more clear as to why Iago switches.  As of now I am sticking to my theory that it is to show Iago's evil side as well as his honest side.  Hopefully it will turn on him, and he will be caught.  It was very smart of Shakespeare to use the style of writing as a way to further display the qualities of a character like Iago.  It adds to how crazy and evil Iago really is.

Othello

     In Othello by William Shakespeare there are many examples of racism that appear in Act I.  Othello is referred to as an "old black ram" (I.i.87).  He is also compared to an old horse.  The reference to animals symbolizes the way men see women and how lust is always what comes first.  People see Othello as an animal when it comes to relationships in the sense that he only wants one thing.  Iago uses terms like these to show his dislike towards Othello in order to stay civil with others.  Although people are racist towards Othello, Othello is calm when confronted about charming Desdemona.  Othello is not affected by racism and is genuine in his love for Desdemona. He proves everyone wrong in their assumptions of him.  Being racist only helps Iago and the others to feel better about themselves.

Love Me Not

     In The Apparition by John Donne the speaker is looking to have revenge on his past lover.  Donne's use of diction and images allows the speaker to get his point across on how angry he is and what he plans to do.  He says that she will be "bathed in a cold quicksilver sweat. . ." (889).  This shows how severe an serious the speaker's warning is.  He only wants to come once, but that appearance will be all that is needed.  It will cause fear among the woman and hopefully cause her to feel sorry.  Donne's use of precise words and phrases like the cold sweat allows the speaker's point to come across more effectively.  It allows the reader to feel the speaker's anger and hatred for what has happened.  He wants to torment his lover and really show her what pain she has caused him.  He is preparing for the day that he will show his ghostly self to her.

Love Me Not

     In The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin the open window is a symbol for freedom and independence. Louise stares out the window and sees "patches of blue sky showing here and there through the clouds. . ." (326).  This shows her experiencing joy and the coming of spring.  It will be a new life for her as an independent woman.  The open window provides a look into her future and how bright it will be.  She is elated at the thought of being free.  However, when she looks away from the window, her freedom is lost.  When she was looking through the open window Louise could see life free from her husband.  She would have independence, but she turns and that view leaves her,  and soon after her freedom does too.  Her husband is alive and that bright future is now gone.

Love Me Not

     In Popular Mechanics by Raymond Carver there is a conflict between the woman and the man on who will get the baby.  They fight over him until "the issue was decided" (335).  I believe that the baby died because both were pulling on him.  They were fighting over who would care for the life of this child but in the end caused the death of the child.  Their decision was made for them when the baby died.  The couple took their anger for each other out on their child.  I think that it was a matter of who would "win" in this situation.  Both wanted to leave being better than the other, and they thought whoever would have the baby would be that winner.  This conflict is resolved in a sad way but resulted from the couples actions and anger.  Now neither of them get the child and neither of them solved anything.

Love Me Not

     In You're Ugly, Too by Lorrie Moore, Moore uses an abundance of anecdotes and flashbacks to allow the reader to truly understand who Zoe is.  She is portrayed as a cynical and lonely person who tries to use jokes to get her through life.  She uses sarcasm to help her get a kick out of situations.  It is her only way of being able to communicate with others and cope with the life that she is living.  Her biggest joke is when she gave Earl a shove and pushed his arms off the ledge and his beer fell to the ground.  When he freaks out, Zoe says that she was " 'just kidding,' she said. 'I was just kidding' " (370).  She finally took it too far, and this shows how sad her life really is.  Zoe has to result to jokes and sarcastic humor to hide the fact that she is this depressed and dismissive woman.  She will never be able to have serious relationships with the kind of life style that she is living.  Zoe has to realize the reality of her situation in order to better her future.

Delight in Disorder

     In Delight in Disorder by Robert Herrick the speaker is talking about the beauty of flaws.  The speaker says that "I see a wild civility; Do more bewitch me than when art Is too precise in every part" (979).  The disorder, the chaos, is way more interesting than order or perfection.  The speaker is saying that there is value in imperfection because that is when a woman is being true to herself. When a woman is herself, her imperfect self, she is most beautiful.  Herrick uses the disorder of clothing to show the flaws of a woman and how those are beautiful.  These flaws make a person perfect and more interesting.  The speaker is delighted by disorder and does not like precise.  He would much rather a wild mess because that is more believable and right than perfection.  I really enjoyed this poem because I believe that imperfection is beauty.  Everyone is different and their flaws make them who they are.

Lonely Hearts

     In Lonely Hearts by Wendy Cope a theme of loneliness and the desperate need for love is apparent.  The speaker says that he "seeks female for touring fun. Do you live in London? Is it you?" (973).  The speaker is straightforward and knows what he wants.  He is done playing games and wants to find a woman.  He even says that he would want a Jewish woman.  The man is so lonely that at this point he would take anyone.  He will continue to post these ads until he finds a woman.  The speaker is lonely, and he wants someone to be with now no matter what.  Loneliness is apparent throughout the poem with each new ad.  Each one is different and specific as well.  The speaker thinks that there has to be someone who relates to at least one of these.

Eveline

  In Eveline by James Joyce, Eveline faces a dilemma.  She can either choose to stay at home as a working daughter, or run off with her lover, Frank.  She begins to meet with Frank secretly because her father disapproves of her seeing him.  This causes Eveline to review her situation and she tends to hold on to her past and to the possibility of new experiences.  She is unable to make a decision.  Eveline is use to her life of repetition and helping the family.  When Frank "rushed beyond the barrier and called her to follow", Eveline was stuck and decided to stay (222).  Her one chance at a new life slipped through her fingertips.  Eveline is now stuck in a world of repetition.  She will continue to do what she has done all her life.  Her inability to make a decision caused her to have no decision at all, but to be a dutiful daughter.

How I Met My Husband

     How I Met My Husband by Alice Munro is told in the first-person narrative by a fifteen year old girl, Edie.  Having the story told by Edie as a teenager is better than having it told when she is an adult.  If Edie were an adult telling the story, she would probably have added some of her own insight.  However, having it told from Edie as a teenager limits what the reader knows.  The reader sees a young naive girl fall for an older man who treats her like scum and ends up breaking her heart.  Edie says "I didn't figure out till years later the extent of what I had been saved from" (145).  Obviously Edie is looking back on her teenage years but she tells the story as if she was fifteen again.  This strengthens the story that is told because the reader can see the process of the young girl go through heartbreak and love.  It is amazing to find out the outcome of the experience.  Edie had to experience this heartbreak in order to find her true soulmate.