Reluctance is about man’s unwillingness to accept life as it flows. The poet having wandered over fields and walls (suggesting civilization) and hills and woods (suggesting wilderness) is on his way back home. He is saying that he has seen and experienced all aspects of life and is now home. His journey through life has come to a close. ‘Climbing hills’ refers to the difficulties faced in life and ‘descended’ perhaps to the compromises one has to make in life. The mood of the poem is reflective. The use of words such as ended, dead, lone, gone, wither, aching, all go to create this mood. His dull mood is reflected in nature too, the trees are barren, the snow is crusted, the dead leaves lie in heaps and the last of the blossoms are withered.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Reluctance
OUT through the fields and the woods And over the walls I have wended; I have climbed the hills of view And looked at the world, and descended; I have come by the highway home, And lo, it is ended. The leaves are all dead on the ground, Save those that the oak is keeping To ravel them one by one And let them go scraping and creeping Out over the crusted snow, When others are sleeping. And the dead leaves lie huddled and still, No longer blown hither and thither; The last lone aster is gone; The flowers of the witch-hazel wither; The heart is still aching to seek, But the feet question ‘Whither?’ Ah, when to the heart of man Was it ever less than a treason To go with the drift of things, To yield with a grace to reason, And bow and accept the end Of a love or a season?
Nothing Gold Can Stay
Nature's first green is gold,Her hardest hue to hold.Her early leaf's a flower;But only so an hour.Then leaf subsides to leaf.So Eden sank to grief,So dawn goes down to day.Nothing gold can stay.
In Nothing Gold Can Stay, Frost talks of the nature of things that makes them precious. It is the desire of human beings to hold on to things that are momentary or short lived, for example when you see a beautiful rainbow. "Nature’s first green" is symbolic of childhood which we cannot hold on to and it quickly vanishes. "Early leaf’s flower" tells us that soon childhood flowers into youth. But youth too does not last. Eden is symbolic of adulthood that leads to old age and the sunset stands for death.
In Nothing Gold Can Stay, Frost talks of the nature of things that makes them precious. It is the desire of human beings to hold on to things that are momentary or short lived, for example when you see a beautiful rainbow. "Nature’s first green" is symbolic of childhood which we cannot hold on to and it quickly vanishes. "Early leaf’s flower" tells us that soon childhood flowers into youth. But youth too does not last. Eden is symbolic of adulthood that leads to old age and the sunset stands for death.
Putting in the Seed
You come to fetch me from my work to-nightWhen supper's on the table, and we'll seeIf I can leave off burying the whiteSoft petals fallen from the apple tree(Soft petals, yes, but not so barren quite,Mingled with these, smooth bean and wrinkled pea);And go along with you ere you lose sightOf what you came for and become like me,Slave to a Springtime passion for the earth.How Love burns through the Putting in the SeedOn through the watching for that early birthWhen, just as the soil tarnishes with weed,The sturdy seedling with arched body comesShouldering its way and shedding the earth crumbs.
The poem begins with a suggestion of obedience as the farmer waits for his wife to come for him when dinner is ready. He wonders if he’ll be able to "leave off" the sowing of peas and beans (along with the fallen petals of apple). He wonders if the wife would also forget what she came for and like him become: Slave to a Springtime passion for the earth. Every farmer can be expected to experience a feeling of love while sowing and seeing the seeds sprout and grow. But the poet's love for Nature is so overwhelming, that nothing less that 'burning' seems to describe this love. The love that he experiences in sowing seeds and seeing them sprout is so intense that he almost groans, "How Love burns through the Putting in the Seed On through the watching for that early birth".
The poem begins with a suggestion of obedience as the farmer waits for his wife to come for him when dinner is ready. He wonders if he’ll be able to "leave off" the sowing of peas and beans (along with the fallen petals of apple). He wonders if the wife would also forget what she came for and like him become: Slave to a Springtime passion for the earth. Every farmer can be expected to experience a feeling of love while sowing and seeing the seeds sprout and grow. But the poet's love for Nature is so overwhelming, that nothing less that 'burning' seems to describe this love. The love that he experiences in sowing seeds and seeing them sprout is so intense that he almost groans, "How Love burns through the Putting in the Seed On through the watching for that early birth".
Into my Own
One of my wishes is that those dark trees,So old and firm they scarcely show the breeze,Were not, as 'twere, the merest mask of gloom,But stretched away unto the edge of doom.
I should not be withheld but that some dayinto their vastness I should steal away,Fearless of ever finding open land,or highway where the slow wheel pours the sand.
I do not see why I should e'er turn back,Or those should not set forth upon my trackTo overtake me, who should miss me hereAnd long to know if still I held them dear.
They would not find me changed from him they knew--Only more sure of all I thought was true.
The first image in Into My Own is of dark, firm trees that appear as a "mask of gloom". The poem has a gloomy and dark mood. It is this world that he wishes to ‘steal’ away from and never ‘turn back’, have no regrets, because it is a dull and monotonous life. And he has no fear of the life at the edge of doom. But he ends the poem with a positive note, his confidence in his own beliefs, his love. Even in the world before he would neither lose his love for those he holds dear or change his beliefs. While writing this, both "love" and "beliefs" may have meant the same for Robert Frost. He seems to be challenging those who love him to test his love for them. They might follow him or overtake that is, die after or before him, but in the next world too they can be sure of his love.
I should not be withheld but that some dayinto their vastness I should steal away,Fearless of ever finding open land,or highway where the slow wheel pours the sand.
I do not see why I should e'er turn back,Or those should not set forth upon my trackTo overtake me, who should miss me hereAnd long to know if still I held them dear.
They would not find me changed from him they knew--Only more sure of all I thought was true.
The first image in Into My Own is of dark, firm trees that appear as a "mask of gloom". The poem has a gloomy and dark mood. It is this world that he wishes to ‘steal’ away from and never ‘turn back’, have no regrets, because it is a dull and monotonous life. And he has no fear of the life at the edge of doom. But he ends the poem with a positive note, his confidence in his own beliefs, his love. Even in the world before he would neither lose his love for those he holds dear or change his beliefs. While writing this, both "love" and "beliefs" may have meant the same for Robert Frost. He seems to be challenging those who love him to test his love for them. They might follow him or overtake that is, die after or before him, but in the next world too they can be sure of his love.
Mowing
There was never a sound beside the wood but one,And that was my long scythe whispering to the ground.What was it it whispered? I knew not well myself;Perhaps it was something about the heat of the sun,Something, perhaps, about the lack of sound—And that was why it whispered and did not speak.It was no dream of the gift of idle hours,Or easy gold at the hand of fay or elf:Anything more than the truth would have seemed too weakTo the earnest love that laid the swale in rows,Not without feeble-pointed spikes of flowers(Pale orchises), and scared a bright green snake.The fact is the sweetest dream that labor knows.My long scythe whispered and left the hay to make.
In Mowing Frost wanders into the realms of imagination, but returns to "fact". Frost displays his preference for practical sense and labor rather than dreams. "There was never a sound beside the wood one", this line creates a stillness setting. It also draws the reader further to find out what that one sound was. "My long scythe whispering to the ground", takes a leap from real world into imagination at once. The scythe is a symbol of work. The poet gives its mechanical task the impression of tireless work that springs out only from earnest love for work. It reminds and reinforces the poet’s faith in the practical purposes of life that only can provide the sweetest things.
In Mowing Frost wanders into the realms of imagination, but returns to "fact". Frost displays his preference for practical sense and labor rather than dreams. "There was never a sound beside the wood one", this line creates a stillness setting. It also draws the reader further to find out what that one sound was. "My long scythe whispering to the ground", takes a leap from real world into imagination at once. The scythe is a symbol of work. The poet gives its mechanical task the impression of tireless work that springs out only from earnest love for work. It reminds and reinforces the poet’s faith in the practical purposes of life that only can provide the sweetest things.
Biograpghy
Robert Lee Frost was born in San Francisco on March 26, 1874 to Isabelle Moodie, a Scottish schoolteacher, and William Prescott Frost, Jr., a journalist, local politician and ancestor of Devonshire Frost who had sailed to New Hampshire in 1634. Frost's family lived in California until his father had died when he was just eleven. He moved with his mother and sister to Lawrence, Massachusetts to live with his grandfather.
In 1892, Frost graduated from high school and attended Dartmouth College and was a member of the Theta Delta Chi fraternity. While attending college, Frost's first poem, "My Butterfly: An Elegy", was published in the New York Independent, which earned him $15, and had five poems published privately in 1894.
In 1895, Frost married a former schoolmate, Elinor White; they had six children. Frost then became a teacher and continued publishing his poems in magazines to support his family. From 1897 to 1899, Frost attended Harvard, but never received a degree. The couple moved to Derry, New Hampshire, where Frost worked as a cobbler, farmer and teacher at Pinkerton Academy. As the couple grew tired of farm life, they needed a change. Robert wanted to move to Vancouver and Elinor England, so England it was. In 1912 the couple sold their farm and moved to the Gloucestershire village of Dymock, where Robert became a full-time poet. The next year, A Boy's Will was published. The book received international fame and contains many of Frost's best-known poems.
Frost returned to America in 1915 and bought a farm in Franconia, New Hampshire to farther his career in writing, teaching and lecturing. From 1916 to 1938, Frost worked as an English professor at Amherst College. He encouraged his students to bring the sound of man to their writings.
In 1920, Frost purchased a farm in South Shaftsbur, Vermont. Robert's wife died in 1938, followed by four of his children. He suffered from depression and continual self-doubt. After the death of his wife, he employed Kay Morrison, who he became strongly attracted to. One of his finest love poems, A Witness Tree, was composed for her. Robert Lee Frost died on January 29, 1963 and is buried in the Old Bennington Cemetery in Bennington, Vermon
Friday, March 14, 2008
1984 Part 3 - Chapter 5
Everyone is afraid of something and is willing to do more to avoid what that thing might be, in Winston's case his fear is rats. This is the Party's last attempt to "cure" him takes place in room 101. Winston is faced with cages of starving rats waiting to feast. Winston finally broke down and shouted “Do it to Julia! Not me!”.
Under extreme circumstances people resort to extreme solutions. Many revolutions occur from this pattern, if theres a problem people will sacrifice to fix it. In Winston's situation his only choice is given up his last hope and betraying Julia to save himself.
In the end Winston and Julia's attempt to rebel was demolished by the secret police and the Party's desire to absolute power and eliminating the human race is one step closer.
Under extreme circumstances people resort to extreme solutions. Many revolutions occur from this pattern, if theres a problem people will sacrifice to fix it. In Winston's situation his only choice is given up his last hope and betraying Julia to save himself.
In the end Winston and Julia's attempt to rebel was demolished by the secret police and the Party's desire to absolute power and eliminating the human race is one step closer.
1984 Part 3 - Chapter 4
Two plus two equals five, Winston tried to educate himself the way the Party wants but it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks. He convinced himself to believe the Party slogans but he could not love the Party, Winston's heart belonged to Julia and it was his last piece of hope.
1984 Part 3 - Chapter 3
Slogans such as war is peace, freedom is slavery, and ignorance is strength are the same methods the Nazi's used to brainwash the population. Once your in power and can control the press, you control information. If your being told something by the government and they supply information(even false) to back it up the ideas are being forced on you. The only problem the Party has with Winston is they can't destroy his love for Julia but they wont give up until Winston gives in and obeys the Party.
Winston demonstrates how powerful love is by refusing to give into the Party and torture. No matter how much they hurt him they cannot change the way he feels towards his loved one.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
1984 Part 3 - Chapter 2
Winston' heart raced as he began to feel ill, his stomach turned and his face burned a hot red. He sat there hopelessly as the man he once believed to be a friend torture him. O’Brien tells Winston that he is there to be cured of his mental illness. O'Brien wont stopping torturing until they have "broke him". There is no escape, when the Party is done with him he wont be a full human anymore. The justice system in 1984 has a terrible rehibilitation system for its prisoners.
In real life when you've been put into a rehilbilitation program the goal of that program is one day you will be able to come out of it and fit into society. In the world of 1984, rehilbition methods are forms of torture to munipulate you into buying into the Partys beliefs. The outcome of this method isn't a person ready to be put back into society. The person is instead broken down until they become what they are tortured into being. This shows the Party's lack of concern for its peoples, its more worried about repressing the citizens to benifit those on top of administration.
The methods used on prisioners in 1984 are similar to many dictatorships. The methods are cruel and inhumane, neither ways a governement should govern. Winston is left in a brainwashed state, he asks questions about Julia and the brotherhood but is mocked by O'Brien whose answers give Winston no hope.
After being traumatized from the torture, Winston will never be the same. He is no longer Winston, he is who the Party tells him and he only knows what he is told. The Party has to question its methods because they leave prisoners in a worse state than before and its doing nothing to benifit society.
In real life when you've been put into a rehilbilitation program the goal of that program is one day you will be able to come out of it and fit into society. In the world of 1984, rehilbition methods are forms of torture to munipulate you into buying into the Partys beliefs. The outcome of this method isn't a person ready to be put back into society. The person is instead broken down until they become what they are tortured into being. This shows the Party's lack of concern for its peoples, its more worried about repressing the citizens to benifit those on top of administration.
The methods used on prisioners in 1984 are similar to many dictatorships. The methods are cruel and inhumane, neither ways a governement should govern. Winston is left in a brainwashed state, he asks questions about Julia and the brotherhood but is mocked by O'Brien whose answers give Winston no hope.
After being traumatized from the torture, Winston will never be the same. He is no longer Winston, he is who the Party tells him and he only knows what he is told. The Party has to question its methods because they leave prisoners in a worse state than before and its doing nothing to benifit society.
1984 Part 3 - Chapter 1
You can never be too sure who is on your side and who isn't, Winston learns this the hard way. After already finding out Mr.Charrington was secretly working for the thought police, he sees O'Brien in prison who also turns out to be a secret member.
George Orwell uses foreshadowing when Winston says he knows he will be eventually caught by the thought police, its just a matter of time before they find him. His love and affection for Julia has made him careless. At first, Winston would rebel by writing down his thoughts in a journal. As he fell more in love with Julia he spent less attention to detail to avoid suspicion from the thought police.
Winston's passion is ironically his poison. His rebellions which caused him to feeling great feelings hes never felt before now leave him in a cell waiting to be tortured as he starves to death. The person(O'Brien) who Winston believed to be a member of the brotherhood and had similar desires to be anti-party was actually on the opposite side fighting to catch political criminals.
George Orwell uses foreshadowing when Winston says he knows he will be eventually caught by the thought police, its just a matter of time before they find him. His love and affection for Julia has made him careless. At first, Winston would rebel by writing down his thoughts in a journal. As he fell more in love with Julia he spent less attention to detail to avoid suspicion from the thought police.
Winston's passion is ironically his poison. His rebellions which caused him to feeling great feelings hes never felt before now leave him in a cell waiting to be tortured as he starves to death. The person(O'Brien) who Winston believed to be a member of the brotherhood and had similar desires to be anti-party was actually on the opposite side fighting to catch political criminals.
Monday, March 10, 2008
1984 Part 2 - Chapter 8-10
Winston and Julia arrived at O'Brien's house together, they were surprised to talk without the presence of the telescreens. O'Brien and the newly recruited members of the Brotherhood discussed their conspiracy and Winston was directed the instructions to get a copy of Emmanuel Goldstein's book. The book explains why Oceania is at war and how all superpowers (Eurasia, Eastasia and Oceania) possess atomic weapons but have never used in warfare. This is similar to the Cold War where the United States and the Soviet Union both had nuclear warheads but neither used against the other in battle.
Similar to the superpowers in 1984, the United States and the Soviet Union knew the how powerful their weapons. The difference between the story and the Cold War is the superpowers in 1984 didn't want the war to end because The Party used the war to control the population and maintain ultimate power.
George Orwell probably used the Cold War reference because it is commonly known and recent history that people can relate to. This makes his story easier to understand the concepts of the story. Also the close reference to the war gives the reader an image they can easily picture to help clarify whats going on in the world of 1984.
Similar to the superpowers in 1984, the United States and the Soviet Union knew the how powerful their weapons. The difference between the story and the Cold War is the superpowers in 1984 didn't want the war to end because The Party used the war to control the population and maintain ultimate power.
George Orwell probably used the Cold War reference because it is commonly known and recent history that people can relate to. This makes his story easier to understand the concepts of the story. Also the close reference to the war gives the reader an image they can easily picture to help clarify whats going on in the world of 1984.
Friday, March 7, 2008
1984 Part 2 - Chapter 3
As Winston and Julia's relationship grew stronger so did their involvement as Party members. Winston did voluntary work to get rid of any suspicion while Julia's record was flawless and was employed in the pornography department which was the strictest and most confidential.
Julia sees her struggle with the party as a battle of wits, the Party wanted to stop you from having a good time, if you were smart enough, you outwitted them and had a good time anyway. Winston and Julia begin to discuss how the Party tries to make everyone the same as one another, only few avoid being cloned like the rest. However they still believe sooner or later the thought police will catch up to their involvement with each other.
Julia's attempt to get the most out of life is a great example of courage to stand up in what you believe in. Aware that eventually she will be caught her unwillingness to be converted like the rest is enough motivation to achieve a personal life.
Julia sees her struggle with the party as a battle of wits, the Party wanted to stop you from having a good time, if you were smart enough, you outwitted them and had a good time anyway. Winston and Julia begin to discuss how the Party tries to make everyone the same as one another, only few avoid being cloned like the rest. However they still believe sooner or later the thought police will catch up to their involvement with each other.
Julia's attempt to get the most out of life is a great example of courage to stand up in what you believe in. Aware that eventually she will be caught her unwillingness to be converted like the rest is enough motivation to achieve a personal life.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
1984 Part 2 - Chapter 2
It was a great relief to Winston when the girl arrived in the country at the arranged meeting place. When Winston finally saw her he felt inadequate, she was beautiful and much younger than he was. Everything was happening how Winston had hoped. The girls name was Julia, when she told Winston she enjoyed the act of sex he became very excited.
After, Winston saw Julia as no longer pure love and there act had been a declaration of rebellion. Sex is a form of protest to the Party. The rebellion is similar to the uprise on Manor Farm when the animals took over. Both events are similar to when the Bolsheviks seized power in Russia during the October Revolution phase of the Russian Revolution of 1917.
After, Winston saw Julia as no longer pure love and there act had been a declaration of rebellion. Sex is a form of protest to the Party. The rebellion is similar to the uprise on Manor Farm when the animals took over. Both events are similar to when the Bolsheviks seized power in Russia during the October Revolution phase of the Russian Revolution of 1917.
1984 Part 2 - Chapter 1
While walking in the corridors Winston crossed path with the girl from the ministry of truth. In attempt to avoid the girl Winston walked without looking at her, he tripped and fell and hit her already ready injured arm. Unsure whether to help her Winston's sympathy lead him to assist her. While thanking him, the girl dropped a note in Winston's pocket.
Winston knew the letter had a message of some importance on it so he was careful to read in fear of the thought police. When he finally opened the message it read "I Love You". This was all Winston could dream for however, it would be very difficult to speak to her without drawing attention to the thought police.
The idea of no privacy at all isn't imaginable. Despite all the consequences of being caught, Winston's demonstrates true love by taking huge risks for the simplest thing such as touching hands.
Winston knew the letter had a message of some importance on it so he was careful to read in fear of the thought police. When he finally opened the message it read "I Love You". This was all Winston could dream for however, it would be very difficult to speak to her without drawing attention to the thought police.
The idea of no privacy at all isn't imaginable. Despite all the consequences of being caught, Winston's demonstrates true love by taking huge risks for the simplest thing such as touching hands.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
1984 - Part 1
Winston Smith lives in London contained in the superstate Oceania, formally known as Great Britain. Oceania is a totalitarian state of omnipresent, two-way television surveillance. Oceania's citizens have no right either to a personal life or to personal thoughts. All leisure and pleasure are controlled by "Big Brother". The Party is run by four ministry buildings: the Ministry of Truth, which manages news, entertainment, education and fine arts as related to the Party, the Ministry of Peace, which manages war, the Ministry of Love, which manages law and order, and the Ministry of Plenty, which manages economic affairs. Citizens are blinded with propaganda such as "War Is Hate" which is displayed in concrete structure on the ministry buildings. The thought police are in control of finding those who are disloyal.
Life in the world of 1984 is a creepy feeling to imagine. George Orwell's opinion of being monotered by cameras all the time is slowly becoming a part of the world we live in. After reading part 1 of the story, I've began to observe survellence cameras and monitors in more places than I would've imagined. The idea of no independence or independent thought is outrageous because it abolishes originality and being unique. In 1984 people live in fear of the thought police, people are slowly turning into clones run by a computer.
In conclusion, life in 1984 can be summarized with the quote "BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU" which is a frightning thought which could soon be reality.
Life in the world of 1984 is a creepy feeling to imagine. George Orwell's opinion of being monotered by cameras all the time is slowly becoming a part of the world we live in. After reading part 1 of the story, I've began to observe survellence cameras and monitors in more places than I would've imagined. The idea of no independence or independent thought is outrageous because it abolishes originality and being unique. In 1984 people live in fear of the thought police, people are slowly turning into clones run by a computer.
In conclusion, life in 1984 can be summarized with the quote "BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU" which is a frightning thought which could soon be reality.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Purple Cobras
The Purple Cobras will be putting on a clinic tomorrow, Wednesday 04, 2008 for anyone interested in a god-like display of dodge ball during lunch intermerals. You are all witnesses...
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