Dorian's Reaction to Sybil's Death

   There are several parallels between Shakespeare and the Picture of Dorian Gray, one of the more obvious being the similarities between the deaths of Ophelia and Sybil Vane. Both the love interests of the title character, both characters commit suicide due to rejection by their significant others. Ophelia and Sybil drown themselves in similar  manners but the reactions of Hamlet and Dorian differ greatly. While Hamlet reacts emotionally to Ophelia's death, the opposite happens to Dorian. Instead of grieving or feeling guilty for Sybil's death, Dorian reacts with prominent indifference, an obvious sign that Henry's influence has begun to take affect. Dorian's detachment does not go unnoticed by Basil: " Something has changed you completely[...]You talk as if you have no heart, no pity in you" (261). At this point in the novel, it is definite  that Basil's influence on Dorian, is moot due to Henry's overwhelming philosophy.

Lord Henry Wotton: Hypocrite Extrodinaire

   Lord Henry Wotton is a man of many opinions and philosophies but his life is not as provocative as he leads others to believe. Henry preaches a hedonistic lifestyle, "The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it", but he rarely acts upon his own philosophies. He presents himself as an intellectual with extensive theories on the inner workings of society yet he adheres to the polite behavior he condemns. Since Henry doesn't practice what he preaches, nor anyone else with the exception of Dorian, it is possible that Henry in actuality knows very little about humanity and his famed intellect is merely an act.  
   However, Dorian Grey takes everything Henry says seriously and applies it to his decisions: "That is one of your aphorisms. I am putting it into practice, as I do with everything you say" (191). Dorian's openness to accept Henry's theories is the catalyst to his eventual downfall and proves that  Henry's theories are actually dangerous to society and were never meant to be followed. The reason for Dorian's eagerness towards Henry's tendencies is because initially, Henry carries himself as an intriguing and composed individual. This façade shifts towards shallowness as Henry's hypocrisy becomes more apparent.  

Graduation Plans (Ian Fleming fucked my expectations)

Guidance office, Senior year

the whole place resonates with fear and uncertainty

They say these times define your identity

Which is why,

They insist we sit down and evaluate

Exactly what you want to do when you graduate.

In an office done up plain,

We sit down to pick my brain

“What do you want to do?

Is there anything you’d like to be?”

She asks with the patience of person paid to give guidance to high schoolers.

But, I know exactly how to respond.

“James Bond” I say.

My assurance could be wearing a tuxedo

its so suave.

But I’m reciprocated with a scoff.

Her face is unamused and answer corresponds,

“You can’t major in James Bond.”

Not the answer I wanted to receive

But it doesn’t seem unreasonable.

To live and let die

as a british secret service spy

Armed with gadgets supplied by Q

An Aston Martin to pursue the enemy.

To fight villains bent on ending the world

Accompanied by a girl

as beautiful as she is ruthless.

The truth is,

I too want to sleep with copious amounts of women,

Drink cocktails garnished with twists of lemon

from fancy glasses.

Car chases through mountain passes.

To be the man of legends.

Of course, all that power can go to your head.

There’s a reason most Bond girls end up dead.

When your life is a plateau of success

Everything that might detract becomes excess.

Only lust, because love will impose.

Vesper Lynd, you were so close.

Perhaps shaken not stirred

Is more like a dream deferred

Than suitable life goal

Reality is rarely the knight in armour err… Tuxedo

But rather the anti hero.

The one who isn’t fighting evil and kind

but battling the grey area within their mind.

Never is life so cut and dry.

Like Catcher in the rye,

Finding Holden likeable was tough

but he was just learning to grow up.

Or Scarlet O’Hara,

Born with a silver spoon in her mouth

Then navigating her way through the war stricken south.

This is what life is about.

Don’t give into the archetype and cliché.

Of course if you want to fill your life with bad jokes and sexual innuendo

whatever thats okay

in fact I would encourage that.

But keep an eye out for plot twists
 

be a character who persists.

And when villains stop to explain their plans for world domination before they kill you

There is a good chance you’ll be able to undo whatever constraints you’ve been tied up in.

That’s not life advice, thats just common sense

She gets the joke but refuses to laugh, “Be realistic”
 

I think about education, travel, finding the unknown.

And say, "You know, I’ve always really liked Indiana Jones."

Trees are now metaphors for life style choices

   Both poems, which center around imagery based on trees, use the symbolism of nature to describe the speaker's outlook and intentions.
   The poem, "Loveliest of Trees", discusses the speaker's age and how he has limited time to live now that he has gotten older: "Of my threescore years and ten, twenty will not come again." Instead of dwelling on him age and inevitable death, the speaker takes on a "seize the day" attitude by enjoying the beauty of cherry trees, "I will go to see the cherry hung with snow." The speaker's  optimism is also highlighted because setting of the poem is spring, a time of rejuvenation and beauty.
   Unlike the indulgence of the first speaker, the speaker of "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening", is hesitant to his impulses. After finding himself in, "the woods and frozen lake the darkest evening of the year", the speaker decides to carry on with his duties despite finding pleasure in his surroundings. This aversion is summarized the last lines of the poem: "The woods are lovely dark and deep, but I have promises to keep". Similarly to "The Loveliest of Trees", season also reflects the disposition of the speaker. The dullness and listless aspects of winter parallel to the speaker's decision to turn down a gratifying experience to take care of previous commitments.

Dover Beach

 The tone of the poem, Dover Beach, is complex because it alternates between despondence to the possibility of change by drawing parallels with the description of the sea itself.
    Certain choice phrases throughout the poem provide an overall pessimistic tone. The lines, "The eternal note of sadness" and " flow of human misery" are distinctly referring to a state of anguish that arrives with the tide (14,18). The stanza that introduces "the Sea of Faith", does so in the past tense, suggesting that hope is no longer present, hence the speaker is reminded of his pessimism.
    The gloomier tone is contrasted between the poem's alternating lighthearted beginning and end. The speaker first describes the sea as a thing of beauty calling it, "Glimmering and vast, out in the tranquil bay" (5). This form of description reappears again in the last stanza as the speaker addresses his/her 'love' about, "a land of dreams, so various, so beautiful, so new." This line introduces the possibility of a better situation than the one they are in currently.  The optimism is short lived because the poems last line return to their present situation of "confused alarms of struggle and flight".  Because of the speaker's constantly changing outlook, the reader is led to believe that the speaker is in a difficult situation, trying to stay optimistic for the sake of his love, but ultimately failing.

synecdoche

   The first lines of The Stranger serves as synecdoche for the rest of the novel because they establish Meursault's detachment and overall lack of recognition of social standards that continue throughout the story and play a crucial role. In the opening lines, he describes learning of the death of his mother, "Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don't know. I got a telegram form the home" (1).  The indifferent tone in which he discusses an otherwise significant event, present throughout his narration. Meursault also shows a lack of understanding as to what others find appropriate. The 'joke' about how his mother's death wasn't his fault went unappreciated by his boss and when Meursault is actually guilty of murder, the rest of the characters continue to disapprove. For a novel with an unconventional main character, especially one with an unorthodox consciousness, it is important to establish the methods in which the story will be told. 

Stranger and Foreigner

    The title of the book, The Stranger, is translated from the French word, L'Étranger, which could also mean 'foreigner'. In the context of the story, Meursault is a French man who has been exiled to French Algiers, making him a literal foreigner. In the context of Meursault's state of mind and actions, the stranger makes for an appropriate title because he is portrayed as an outsider, isolated by society. This is a role Meursault accepts. On the eve of his execution, he says, "I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world" (122). He has been put in jail for murder in the first degree and labeled as an enemy of the community, being referred to as "Monsieur Antichrist." His physical separation from the rest of the world is additional evidence that he is also a physical stranger to the world. He understands that his impartial feelings and irrational actions are not compatible with the workings of society, thus making 'the stranger' a logical title for the book.

Monsieur Antichrist

  After his arrest for the murder, it is apparent that Meursault's bizarre emotional detachment is also recognized by the characters in the book. After questioning Meursault and being disgusted by his indifference, the magistrate shows him a crucifix and calls him, "Monsieur antichrist" (71). By referring to him as "Monsieur Antichrist", he ostracizes Meursault from the moral good of Christianity and declares that he doesn't have morals. The magistrate and the court's uneasiness towards Meursault's behavior is further evidence that his morals are not aligned with the rest of society. Not only is his emotional indifference apparent in his narration towards the audience, but also the characters in the book which jeopardizes any sympathy they would have towards him. The lack of empathy from supporting characters of the court does not make for a positive outlook for the plot's conclusion.

Void of Feelings

  The most prominent characteristic of the main character, Meursault, is his detachment and lack of emotions towards the world around him. In the opening lines, he describes learning of the death of his mother, "Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don't know. I got a telegram form the home" (1).  The 'matter of fact' manner in which he discusses an event, especially death, is unsettling. An expected reaction towards death would be one of sadness or anger however, Meursault doesn't seem to exhibit any emotion. His indifference towards major life events continues in his relationship with Marie. When she asks whether or not he loves her and if he would like to get married, Meursault responds indifferently, that perhaps he does, but probably not. The lack of emotion from Meursault puts in question his morals and ability to react appropriately in situations.