Perspectives

The first twenty pages of the Human Stain overwhelmed me. I felt as though the book was jumping around discussing other topics too fast. I understand that they discuss these topics to explain the time period and setting of 1998, but I feel as though it makes the book feel slow. The novel talks about many events that took place during the nineties including Bill Clinton's affair and racism. I was surprised to see Coleman get in trouble for racism towards the two black kids. Obviously, when he said "spooks" he wasn't implying racism, as he didn't even know them, but the Dean still went forward with it. I am interested to see what other strange conflicts arise in this novel.

The Yellow Wall Woman

The rebellion in the short story, "The Yellow Wall Paper," is seen when Jennie begins tearing off the Yellow wallpaper. She decides to commit to this act because she feels as though her husband is too controlling. Before the tearing of the wallpaper, the narrator begins to believe that their is a woman at the other side of the wall. This is what convinces her to rip of the paper. The woman being trapped behind the wall represents her own relationship with her husband. The wall and Jennie's husband both symbolize a loss of freedom.

The Letter

"As for Clarisse, she was charmed upon receiving her husband's letter. She and the babies were doing well. The society was agreeable; many of her old friends and acquaintances were at the bay. And the first free breath since her marriage seemed to restore the pleasant liberty of her maiden days. Devoted as she was to her husband, their intimate conjugal life was something which she was more than willing to forego for a while."

In this passage the reader is introduced to a new character, who goes by Clarisse. She is separated from her husband, for the time being, and receives a letter from him. She approves of her husband's letter, but still claims that she is glad to have a break from him. She begins to claim that she hadn't been this relieved since "maiden days," or since she's been married. She feels although they only enjoy each other when they are having sexual intercourse.

The Power of Mother Nature

Dear Mr. Poe,

I enjoy your writing very much. It is dark, but exquisite and your ideology of being guilty, until you are proven innocent is very interesting. In your short story the Black Cat, the narrator disrespects mother nature by harming an innocent cat that kept on "annoying" him. After killing the cat, the narrator was condemned with karma. This karma led to him killing his own wife and therefore being sentenced to death. Whether you are cheating or disrespecting it, mother nature always wins in the end. This is exemplified in my short story The Birthmark, as Aylmar (the main character) tried to also cheat out nature and failed. His failure ultimately resulted in the death of his wife.

Sincerely,
Nathaniel Hawthorne