Analysis of Narratives in The American Tradition in Literature - Assignment Example

?Question Part One The neighbour believes that building a fence between the farms is essential for maintaining healthy friendship between the neighbours, as can be seen by the line, “Good fence makes good neighbours.”(Perkins and Perkins, 2007, p883). This perception is guided by his (the neighbour’s) father’s belief and indicates that he is old fashioned and sticks to traditions. He thinks that a good neighbour is the one who should keep distance and give space. The narrator, on the other hand thinks that building a wall is waste as it anyways keeps coming down. Moreover, according to the narrator, the wall does not serve any useful purpose – as his apple trees and his neighbour’s pine trees do not encroach on each other. Part Two The wall is broken ever year, due to diverse and probably hypothetical reasons according to the narrator. The poem is ambiguous about the actual reasons that may make the wall crumble, and require mending. As the narrator reiterates that it is the neighbour who insists on building the wall it is possible that the neighbour may have deliberately caused the destruction, so that he and the narrator get a chance to work together or interact with each other as neighbours. On the other hand, as the line, “I let my neighbour know beyond the hill” (Perkins and Perkins, 2007, p883) indicates that, in spite of overtly stating that he doesn’t think a wall is needed, the narrator is the one who proactively calls the neighbour to mend it. This may imply that the narrator, while thinking that the physical presence of the wall is unnecessary, may like the company of his neighbour. The narrator may have caused the wall damage in order to get the attention, time and companionship of the neighbour. Reference Frost, R (1914). Mending Wall. In Perkins, G, and Perkins, B, Eds. (2007). The American Tradition in Literature, Volume II, 12th edition. (p. 883) New York: McGraw-Hill Question 2 Hulga has been portrayed as a grown up person who is literally confined and unable to lead a normal life. Her heart condition and her disability had left her stranded in the country even though she is highly educated. This had made her hardened towards herself and the world. As a way to cope with her disadvantages, Hulga uses an arrogant attitude towards the world -“She looked at young men as if she could smell their stupidity” (Perkins and Perkins, 2007, p. 1780). She beliefs that she is intelligent and knows everything there is to know about people. The narrative presented above truly reflects on the character of Hulga, who is depicted as a remorseless and dispassionate person throughout the story. The line from the narrative, “…her mind, clear and detached and ironic anyway, was regarding him from a great distance, with amusement but with pity”, (p. 178) indicates that Hulga still thinks that she is a superior being. She has been shown in the story as a person who is able to dissociate herself, as in the case of her own condition she is able to view it without pity. She exhibits a similar attitude and thinking process when she is kissed: “The kiss, which had more pressure than feeling behind it, produced that extra surge of adrenaline in the girl that enables one to carry a packed trunk out of a burning house, but in her, the power went at once to the brain” (Perkins and Perkins, 2007, 1780). This shows that instead of feeling moved or any emotions, Hulga detaches herself even during the intimate moment, which is a true reflection of her character. Reference O’Conners, F (1955). Good Country People. In Perkins, G, and Perkins, B, Eds. (2007). The American Tradition in Literature, Volume II, 12th edition. (p. 1780) New York: McGraw-Hill Question 3: Several writers across different eras in American literature have used social equality as a theme in their works. An earlier author, Kate Chopin deals with the subject of gender discrimination in her novel, The Awakening. True to the title, the Awakening is a story of a woman, in the late 19th century, who slowly awakens to her self-identity and self-expression, and also realizes that the society does not accept her transformational attitude. Her work is a depiction of the fact that women in the 19th century were trying to express themselves through education, music or political participation. One such writer early twentieth century writer was Susan Glaspell who wrote extensively on issues on social equality for women, in her work Triffles, she conveys discrimination and stereotyping that women face in the society of her times: “Well, women are used to worrying over trifles.” (Perkins and Perkins, 2007, p. no .919). In Triffles, the female characters are bound to play the roles that the society has cast them into – namely, to wait for a Mr. Right to come along and marry them. Gaspell’s work was written much earlier than the feminist movement started, and as such, she treats the subject of inequality in more subtle manner. Gaspell, while not being vehement about the discrimination, focuses on how the gender differences can be used to an advantage if the women are given their due. For example, “For they discover the dead bird and they are able to understand the mystery of death, something that their husbands could not do” (Perkins and Perkins, 2007, p. no .919). While the work of Glaspell is more lively and uses irony extensively, Chopin uses a more serious and empathic style of writing to draw the readers into the story and the themes. Chopin also uses metaphors, like “the caged birds” to depict the plight of her main character Edna in The Awakening. Also, Chopin’s writings were more in keeping with the 19th century enlightenment era in women’s lives. References ‘Chopin, K. (1899). The Awakening. In Perkins, G, and Perkins, B, Eds. (2007). The American Tradition in Literature, Volume II, 12th edition. (p. 512- 523) New York: McGraw-Hill Glaspell, S (1916). Trifles. In Perkins, G, and Perkins, B, Eds. (2007). The American Tradition in Literature, Volume II, 12th edition. (p. 917- 928) New York: McGraw-Hill Read More