The Cask of Amontillado

Is it plausible to find an individual truthful with no concrete evidence or reliability? In addition, should you take someone's word who is not in their full conscious state of mind? In Edgar Allan Poe's poem, "The Cask of Amontillado", the narrator Montresor, proves to answer these questions with an emphatic "no". Montresor shows the reader that he cannot be a trusted narrator due to his unreliability and lack of motives for his actions. It is difficult to find someone truthful without evidence or a motive, yet alone someone in a drunken state of mind. Montresor, under the influence of alcohol, punishes his old friend without any reasonable motive, which shows the reader that he cannot be trusted in any circumstance.

The story begins with Montresor trying to gain revenge on his old friend Fortunato, who he believes insulted him. The first line of the story states, "The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge" (127). From the beginning, Montresor has trouble attaining the reader's confidence because he is seeking retribution without a cause. If Montresor gave a respectable reason for seeking revenge, he would have had a better chance to gain respect. Later in the story, Montresor claims to be a "connoisseur of wine" when trying to receive Fortuno's help on a wine tasting matter. First of all, a wine "connoisseur" who is supposed to pass judgments on wine should know not to mistreat wine, and therefore not be drunk. Why did Montresor need Fortuno's help in the first place if he claimed he was "skilful in the Italian vintages?" (127). Furthermore, Montresor explains that Fortunado "emptied" a bottle of "Medoc" (an expensive French wine) which does not seem like something a wine connoisseur would do. Wine is meant to be sipped and enjoyed, not "emptied". As Montresor and Fortunado make their way down to the "wine", Montresor sets a trap and chains his old friend Fortunado to a wall. By this point, Montresor is drunk and has lost all respect and trust from the reader.

From "The Cask of Amontillado's" very first line, Montresor cast doubt upon his story. With no reason for committing a murder in such a gruesome way, the reader can easily view Montresor as insane. Montresor's murder of Fortunato without a probable cause, and his misuse of wine as a wine connoisseur, show that his story can easily be distrusted. A story about punishment without proof, told by the questionably insane and drunken Montresor is enough reason in its own to not perceive it as truthful.

Nuns Fret Not by William Wordsworth

Frank Pittman, a famous American author and psychiatrist once said, “ You can only achieve happiness if you are too busy living your life to notice whether you are happy or not”. The question presents itself. Do those who actively pursue a busy life attain happiness? William Wordsworth’s poem, “Nuns Fret Not” explores the life of several individuals working hard through their jobs. Wordsworth states, “Nuns fret not at their convent’s narrow room” and “students with their pensive citadels…sit blithe and happy, bees that soar for bloom” (1-5). He goes on to further describe hermits are contented with their cells, and maids and weavers are busy and cheerful. While each individual has an obligation to fill in their careers, people still seem happy. Each person described in the poem is restricted as to what they can achieve with their job, however they are content with this restriction. Without direction or any restriction, nuns, students, and maids might not know how to perform their jobs with passion and top ability. Wordsworth is saying that while structure usually limits individuals, in this case it satisfies the workers and allows them to perform their job at a peak performance.

The Volta occurs in lines 8-9, changing the overall tone of the poem. The first 7 lines describe people actively perusing their jobs in a busy, complaint free environment. However the Volta states, “In truth the prison, unto which we doom ourselves, no prison is” (8-9). Wordsworth believes that although we may be scared and timid about the restrictions of work, we still have careers because it keeps us occupied and happy. Wordsworth goes on further in writing about how he feels restricted by the sonnet he has written. At first it seems as though he is disgusted by the structure of the sonnet, but after comparing it to the worker’s restriction’s it shows that Wordsworth is displaying a positive view of his “restriction”. The sonnet helps Wordsworth organize his ideas and write to his ability. Wordsworth explains that while restriction is supposed to limit abilities, it actually grants individuals freedom and “peace of mind” to do their best daily.

Rocky Balboa

Rocky


The driving force knocking blood to the opponents face,
There is no shame in seeing the dancing stars,
Fight, fight, fight until you find your place.

The courageous man fulfilling his love with grace,
Flying past people leaving dust beyond the cars,
The driving force knocking blood to the opponents face.

Adrenaline running through my veins at a constant pace
His blessed capabilities hinged behind flimsy bars,
Fight, fight, fight until you find your place.

Time becomes the enemy as the goal becomes a race
The character unable to be contained by the tiny jars
The driving force knocking blood to the opponents face.

Starting humble for it is the fearful base
Soaring above the planet like shattering glass to a distant Mars
Fight, fight, fight until you find your place.

And he, who holds the key to success, must knot his final lace
Ringing the victory bell above all of the pars,
The driving force knocking blood to the opponents face.
Fight, fight, fight until you find your place.

I chose to write a Villanelle on the fictional boxing legend Rocky Balboa. While many Villanelle's have a comical tone, my poem is written to show people that it is inexcusable to settle for anything less than your top goals. Although Rocky is just a fictional character, he is a hero to me. The poem is saying that once you fall or suffer a setback, you get back up. Everyone fails, but a man's true character is revealed when he perseveres through difficulties. Each stanza gives Rocky a new challenge, which he meets by "fighting until he finds his place". Rocky's "place" is being champion of the boxing world.

The Tyger

In William Blake’s poem “The Tyger”, a tiger is originally presented as a strong and fierce creature exploring the forests, through the darkness. The poem is read almost as if a child is curiously posing question after question about the mysterious tiger. Blake never answers the child’s question, which has subjected the poem to an influx of interpretations. Many paradoxes result from the child’s unanswered questions. Three important contradictions in “The Tyger” are the creation of the tiger through the industrial process, the comparison between the lamb and tiger, and the similarity between the first and last stanzas.
In lines 3 and 4 of the poem Blake questions, “What immortal hand or eye could frame thy fearful symmetry”. Blake wonders, who could create a tiger so powerful and terrifying with a perfect apportionment and a precise appearance. Was it God in the distant “skies” or Satan in the lower “deeps”? Blake further questions the creation of the Tyger in questioning,” What the hammer? What the chain? In what furnace was thy brain? Blacksmiths used the hammer, chain and anvil to advance our society technologically during the industrial revolution. Blake questions whether God created us like an industrial process. Blake, an opponent of the revolution, believed this part of the tiger was created as evil because it was part of the industrial process. However, Blake rejected “Satan” and believed everything alive was created by God, and thus good showing that the tiger is not all evil.
The lamb is another important symbol in this poem that can be viewed as a direct opposite to the “tyger”. Blake asks, “ Did he who make the Lamb make thee?” It is questioned here, whether God could create and be satisfied with two creatures having such distinct differences. Blake wonders how God could create such a fierce, brutal tiger, and a gentle lamb in the same world. Another important conclusion from this poem is the similarity between the first and last stanzas. Each word is the same except that “could” is changed to “dare frame thy fearful symmetry”. In the beginning, Blake pondered who could create such a tiger, different from any creature in the world. The closing line is much stronger asking who would be bold and brave enough to create this powerful, mysterious, and violent creature. Blake creates the tiger because it contrasts with peace and violence, good and evil. The tiger, along with the lamb allow people to see diversity in a changing world.

In a Station of the Metro

Ezra Pound’s poem, “In a Station of the Metro” can be interpreted in two different ways. Although quite brief, one can interpret Pound’s poem as pro-modernity, arguing for a shift to modernism. In turn, many examples can also be used to show Pound’s poem as anti-modernity; taking a shift away from modernism.
In arguing for a pro-modernity poem, one must consider the title. Metros are crowded places that signify industrialization and urbanization. Although written many years ago, metro’s represented growth and popularity, as cars had yet to become popular. The faces and petals are one comparison that can be made for a modern movement. The “faces” are like “petals” on a tree; they have no identity, yet they are still beautiful. Petals are a bright and beautiful spot of nature, just as Pound considers the “faces” charming and radiant. The “faces” are apparitions and some kind of positive supernatural force. The supernatural can be interpreted as being ghostly, holy, or religious. The word “wet” seemed to signify an “expanding force” or growing population. Plants grow and expand when they are “wet,” just as populations tend to grow with enlarging industry.
As opposed to pro-modernity, Pound’s poem can also be interpreted as anti-modernity. Once again, the face and petal comparison can be made to support anti-modernity. Each “face” has lost their identity by being mixed with a “crowd” like “petals” are assorted on a flower. “The identity of individuals has been overrun in a world dominated by competitiveness, mass production, urbanization and industrialization. The “black bough” is a bleak picture showing pollution, corruption and crime in a modern environment. Through all of the urbanization, people have overlooked the importance of the original and beautiful environment. Pound is saying that the modern movement comes with a tolling cost, such as the destruction of nature due to “black” irritants. The “bough” can be compared to the earth, to the ugly world that humans have created. It seems as though the crowd has been blinded by the conveniences of modernization and industrialization. The crowd seems confused, lifeless and drawn away from a world that used to reflect simplicity, nature, peace, love and goodness.

Picture URL's
1)http://www.sunsetcoveoriginals.com/images/Nature_sBeauty.jpg
2)http://wirednewyork.com/times_square/images/times_square_25.jpg

Casabianca

Kevin Stromfeld

Each stanza in Heman’s “Casabianca” provides the reader with mind-engaging, jaw dropping images. The poem begins with “The boy standing on a burning deck” which proves to be Casabianca’s most prominent reoccurring image. Another image that caught my eye was the “burning flags, like banners in the sky”. When the flags burned, it showed that the war no longer mattered. The boy’s sole focus was adhering to his father’s command. Another image, alluded to in almost every stanza, was the flames moving across the ship. Heman’s states “The flames roll’d on-he would not go without his father’s word”. This is the most powerful image of the poem, not because the flames are about to claim this young boy’s life, but rather because of the boy’s mere presence and faithfulness to his father. A young boy, standing on a burning ship about to die, holds such a love and loyalty to his father that he is willing to risk his life.
The young boy, standing relentlessly on the burning deck, set the stage for the rest of the poem. In the beginning, Heman’s describes him as just a boy, however as the poem progresses he becomes a “creature of heroic blood” and a “proud childlike form”, who has a “young faithful heart”. This young boy, probably no older than 15, is the central figure throughout the poem. The boy seemed to have the control while the flames surrounded him. Although flames are rolling in on the ship, he seems to overpower them with his simple presence and calmness. Even though the flames eventually claim the boy’s life, his loyalty to his father and “gallant” behavior almost make the flames insignificant.
Towards the end of the poem the boy’s voice disappears, however his presence remains stronger than ever. It is almost as though, Casabianca is a man trapped inside of a boy’s body. Although Casabianca is just a boy, he is more of a man than the ones that fled. As the “thunder sounds” and “wreathing fires made way” the boy does not make a sound and remains loyal and somewhat proud. The boy dies with a “young faithful heart” staying true to his father’s words. In the end, the boy’s death was not a result of the flames, but rather because of his heroic and honorable behavior.

Picture Links:
1)http://www.virginmedia.com/images/1robots-gal-tin.jpg
2)http://artofmanliness.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/gladiator-crowe.png
3)http://www2a.cdc.gov/ecards/cards/Parenting/FatherAndSon.jpg

Those 3 words

I titled my blog "Sports laughter 110". These meaningful three words describe a lot about what I value and cherish in life. Anyone that knows me well, can conclude that sports provide me with an inner happiness and escape from a sometimes stressful life. Baseball and basketball are my two favorite sports because they are the ultimate team game. In both sports you can accomplish goals individually, however you can never truly be successful until one plays as a team. Playing as a team and reaching my goals are the reasons why I love sports. A day does not pass by without me laughing or having a smile on my face. I am truly grateful for my health, family, friends, and the education I am receiving at UC Davis. Laughing allows me to not blow any circumstance out of proportion or take anything too seriously.
Finally, my favorite, the number 110. I try and give 110 percent in anything that I do. I work hard and do the best that I can do. Always trying my hardest gives me great satisfaction because I know that if I fail at the end of the day, it was out of my control. I generally do not regret things because I am always giving my best.