• Blog – Do you think Biff and Happy’s plan will work?
I don’t think that Biff and Happy’s plan of opening a new business will work. However, as soon as Biff and Happy mention their plan to Willy he becomes excited. Willy instructs Biff on how much money to ask for, what to wear, how to speak, and what to talk about when visiting Bill Oliver. In this scene Willy once again contradicts himself. First, he directs Biff to be serious and avoid telling jokes, and then advises Biff to assume a confident air and tell old stories. “…and talk as little as possible, and don’t crack any jokes. Walk in with a big laugh. Start off with a couple of your good stories to lighten things up.” (Pg. 64-65) Because of Willy’s input they may have heard some pointers on how to run a business. But I don’t think that their plan will work because Biff couldn’t keep a steady job before, how could he now? Biff also mentioned earlier in the book that he wanted to work outside on a farm because he hated working in an office. Biff also didn’t plan what he was going to talk about with Bill Oliver. When Willy asked him questions all he said was I don’t know. This to me says that Biff talks before he thinks. As a result, Linda expresses her disappointment by saying, “What’d you have to start that for? You see how sweet he was as soon as you talked hopefully?” (Pg. 65)
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Death of A Salesman Blog 2
• Blog – What do you make of Willy and Charley’s relationship?
I think that Willy and Charlie have a good relationship. They get a nice game of cards going and have talks about vitamins, car trouble, and a trip to California. Eventually, Charlie asks Willy if he wants a job and Willy is insulted. However, as the card game goes on Uncle Ben enters. Willy is the only one who can hear and see him. Ben and Willy have a conversation, which during that time, Charlie gets confused. Willy cannot keep his conversation with Ben and Charlie apart, and as a result, looses his composure. Willy accuses Charlie of cheating and so Charlie leaves. “I put the ace-If you don’t know how to play the game I’m not gonna throw my money away on you! It was my ace, for God’s sake!” (Pg. 46) Although it seems like they don’t get along, I think that is reality, Charlie is a true friend to Willy. Willy is just confused because to him Ben is as real as Charlie is.
I think that Willy and Charlie have a good relationship. They get a nice game of cards going and have talks about vitamins, car trouble, and a trip to California. Eventually, Charlie asks Willy if he wants a job and Willy is insulted. However, as the card game goes on Uncle Ben enters. Willy is the only one who can hear and see him. Ben and Willy have a conversation, which during that time, Charlie gets confused. Willy cannot keep his conversation with Ben and Charlie apart, and as a result, looses his composure. Willy accuses Charlie of cheating and so Charlie leaves. “I put the ace-If you don’t know how to play the game I’m not gonna throw my money away on you! It was my ace, for God’s sake!” (Pg. 46) Although it seems like they don’t get along, I think that is reality, Charlie is a true friend to Willy. Willy is just confused because to him Ben is as real as Charlie is.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Death of A Salesman Blog 1
• Blog – What do you make of Biff and Happy? Are they reliable characters? Are they happy?
Biff and Happy to me are not reliable characters. Biff, who is Willies older son cannot hold a steady job. “Shipping clerk, salesman, business of one kind or another. And it’s measly a manner of existence.” (Pg. 22) If someone cannot hold a job, they would not be one I would trust. Happy, cannot be trusted either. Happy has an obsession for power. All he wants to do is be promoted and they only way for that to happen is if the merchandise manager leaves or dies. “All I can do now is wait for the merchandise manager to die. And suppose I get to be merchandise manager?” (Pg. 23) Although Biff and Happy seem like they are having a good time talking to each other, they really are unhappy with their lives. Biff is tired of working for others and wants to own his own ranch and work on it with Happy. Happy likes material things, and everything he has wanted he already has. However, he also is unhappy with his current life. He is worried about obtaining more money and material goods and that he would then be to busy to enjoy what he has.
Biff and Happy to me are not reliable characters. Biff, who is Willies older son cannot hold a steady job. “Shipping clerk, salesman, business of one kind or another. And it’s measly a manner of existence.” (Pg. 22) If someone cannot hold a job, they would not be one I would trust. Happy, cannot be trusted either. Happy has an obsession for power. All he wants to do is be promoted and they only way for that to happen is if the merchandise manager leaves or dies. “All I can do now is wait for the merchandise manager to die. And suppose I get to be merchandise manager?” (Pg. 23) Although Biff and Happy seem like they are having a good time talking to each other, they really are unhappy with their lives. Biff is tired of working for others and wants to own his own ranch and work on it with Happy. Happy likes material things, and everything he has wanted he already has. However, he also is unhappy with his current life. He is worried about obtaining more money and material goods and that he would then be to busy to enjoy what he has.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Their Eyes Were Watching God Blog 8
• Blog – Through out the entire book, Janie is quick to talk; however, she says almost nothing during the trial. Why?
After Tea Cake dies, Janie is put on trial. Before she married Tea Cake Janie had a hard time expressing herself to people because her first two husbands controlled everything she did. While Janie only spends a short amount of time with Tea Cake, in that time she discovers who she is and what she can do. She realized that she could speak out and express herself with Tea Cake. While on trial however she chooses not to speak much, she knows that the memory of Tea Cake will be with her forever, and that she has found the peace that she had desired for her entire life, and that is all that matters to her.
After Tea Cake dies, Janie is put on trial. Before she married Tea Cake Janie had a hard time expressing herself to people because her first two husbands controlled everything she did. While Janie only spends a short amount of time with Tea Cake, in that time she discovers who she is and what she can do. She realized that she could speak out and express herself with Tea Cake. While on trial however she chooses not to speak much, she knows that the memory of Tea Cake will be with her forever, and that she has found the peace that she had desired for her entire life, and that is all that matters to her.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Their Eyes Were Watching God Blog 7
• Blog – Chapter 18 contains the line the title comes from – “their eyes were watching God.” Explain what the line means in the context it appears.
In this chapter a hurricane hits Florida. Janie and the others are trapped in the middle of it. They realize that in the midst of such a powerful and destructive hurricane, they have no power to stop the storm. They must wait for it to end and hope that they will survive it. They are looking up to God because they realize they are helpless from the storm.
In this chapter a hurricane hits Florida. Janie and the others are trapped in the middle of it. They realize that in the midst of such a powerful and destructive hurricane, they have no power to stop the storm. They must wait for it to end and hope that they will survive it. They are looking up to God because they realize they are helpless from the storm.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Their Eyes Were Watching God Blog 6
• Blog – When they arrive in the Everglades, Janie is quick to work beside Tea Cake on the muck. How does this compare to the way she worked with Logan and Jody?
In chapter 14 Janie is quick to work beside Tea Cake on the muck because she feels that Tea Cake really cares about her. Unlike her other husbands, Tea Cake makes a point to tell her that he loves her. He tells her that he misses her while he is out in the fields working that it persuades her to get a job working along side of him. Janie is the center of Tea Cake’s world, and he does not want her to forget it.
In chapter 14 Janie is quick to work beside Tea Cake on the muck because she feels that Tea Cake really cares about her. Unlike her other husbands, Tea Cake makes a point to tell her that he loves her. He tells her that he misses her while he is out in the fields working that it persuades her to get a job working along side of him. Janie is the center of Tea Cake’s world, and he does not want her to forget it.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Their Eyes Were Watching God Blog 5
• Blog – In Chapter 9, Janie talks about how the angels grew jealous of man and chopped up and covered him in mud. How does this parable relate to Janie’s own experience?
In this chapter Janie talks about how the angles grew jealous of man and chopped up and covered him in mud. This relates to Janie’s experiences because at the beginning of the book her husband, Jody said she was beautiful. However as time went on he kept on controlling what she did. She did not have the freedom that she used to have. Then when Jody died Janie started to regain ‘freedom’. She was not upset that her husband had just died.
In this chapter Janie talks about how the angles grew jealous of man and chopped up and covered him in mud. This relates to Janie’s experiences because at the beginning of the book her husband, Jody said she was beautiful. However as time went on he kept on controlling what she did. She did not have the freedom that she used to have. Then when Jody died Janie started to regain ‘freedom’. She was not upset that her husband had just died.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Their Eyes Were Watching God Blog 4
• Blog – Why does Janie care about the mule so much?
When the men torture the mule, the animal fights, but the men then tease him even more. The mule in this chapter could symbolize Janie and her struggle with Joe. Janie has been denied affection from Joe, and the animal has been starved from food. Both Janie and the mule feel helpless. The mule cannot overtake the men and Janie cannot do anything to get Joe’s attention.
When the men torture the mule, the animal fights, but the men then tease him even more. The mule in this chapter could symbolize Janie and her struggle with Joe. Janie has been denied affection from Joe, and the animal has been starved from food. Both Janie and the mule feel helpless. The mule cannot overtake the men and Janie cannot do anything to get Joe’s attention.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Their Eyes Were Watching God Blog 3
• Blog – Jody’s true personality is revealed in Eatonville. Explain why he is allowed to act the way he acts.
In this chapter Joe becomes mayor of Eatonville. He craves the power that he has as mayor and he uses it in his relationship with Janie. He begins to treat Janie like one of his town subjects. He makes her wear a hairnet because he doesn’t want any of the townsmen to touch her hair. “Maybe he skeered some de rest of us mens might touch it round dat store.” (Pg. 59) This is all because he is infatuated with making Eatonville into a working city. He is allowed to act the way that he acts because the townspeople fear the power that he holds over them, so they don’t want to do anything to make him mad at them. “They bowed down to him rather, because he was all of these things, and then again he was all of these things because the town bowed down.” (Pg. 59)
In this chapter Joe becomes mayor of Eatonville. He craves the power that he has as mayor and he uses it in his relationship with Janie. He begins to treat Janie like one of his town subjects. He makes her wear a hairnet because he doesn’t want any of the townsmen to touch her hair. “Maybe he skeered some de rest of us mens might touch it round dat store.” (Pg. 59) This is all because he is infatuated with making Eatonville into a working city. He is allowed to act the way that he acts because the townspeople fear the power that he holds over them, so they don’t want to do anything to make him mad at them. “They bowed down to him rather, because he was all of these things, and then again he was all of these things because the town bowed down.” (Pg. 59)
Monday, February 2, 2009
Their Eyes Were Watching God Blog 2
• Blog – Nature imagery comes up a lot in the first few chapters. Explain what you make of the last paragraph in Ch. 4.
These chapters talk about Janie and her marriage. She married Logan because she wanted her grandmother to be happy. However, once Janie’s grandmother dies, she didn’t feel the need to try and please her grandmother anymore. Because of this Janie decides to leave Logan and find someone who she wants to be with. At the end of chapter 4 Janie talks about the sun setting in the same place in which the nigh emerges. This could be a foreshadow telling the reader that things will not work out between her and Joe. That it will be like her first marriage.
These chapters talk about Janie and her marriage. She married Logan because she wanted her grandmother to be happy. However, once Janie’s grandmother dies, she didn’t feel the need to try and please her grandmother anymore. Because of this Janie decides to leave Logan and find someone who she wants to be with. At the end of chapter 4 Janie talks about the sun setting in the same place in which the nigh emerges. This could be a foreshadow telling the reader that things will not work out between her and Joe. That it will be like her first marriage.
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