"The Overcoat" is about a poor, timid, copier named Akakiy Akakievitch Bashmatchkin, who is completely ostracized and taken advantage of because of his "weak" nature in that he never stands up for himself. He is basically everyone at his office's puppet because he puts up with everyone treating him poorly and their abusive tendencies that leave little room for Akakiy to gain the urge to face society and get out of his little shell. He feel so intimidated and ostracized that he often does not even notice people walking on the street after he walks home from work and is basically completely alienated from society, except for when he is at work.
This story reveals the materialism and cruelty that can emerge in society after a group of people decides to treat someone so poorly, that they become defenseless and stagnant. However, it also serves as a story of hope and dreams after Akakiy decides on a whim to go ahead and follow through with making an undercoat and is transformed after he wears it and shows it off to everyone. The undercoat serves as a symbol of the hope and newness that it offered to this man who suddenly went from a "no one" to a "somebody," all because he was able to wear something "appeared" to be worth gold in the eyes of his office, in turn making him "worthy" to them.
*Characterization:
The cloak: torn, old. Officials mocked it.
Petrovitch: One-eyed Tailor, heavy drinker, Akakiy's friend
The Party: Akakiy wears his new cloak; feels uncomfortable because of his sudden transformation socially; gets robbed after he left
Northern Cold: Tried to report the stolen coat to District Police Chief; is forced to wear old cloak; gets sick and dies
The Ghost on Kalinkin Bridge: Genuine person; was the only one who cared about Akakiy, (prominent personage)
*Discussion Questions:
1. Describe the changing setting of the story while Akakiy makes his way to the party. How do the two separate locations parallel to teh social status of the society?
-Whereas Akakiy's home is dark and depressing, the city he walks through on the way to the party is bright and happy. These different physical environments directly parallel to the different social statuses of society. While he lives away from all of the action, in his low-income, and secluded dark neighborhood, the city is lively, bright, and where all of the "cool" members of society live. When he goes to the party, the shift from his somber and lonely life is contrasted when he enters the same atmosphere as the party, that is very prosperous and rich.
2. What do you believe is the climax of the story and why?
-The climax of the story is when Akakiy gets his cloak stolen after leaving the party, because it symbolizing the conflict that he experienced while trying to be something he is not or prove he is good enough, which suddenly goes away when someone steals the one thing that suddenly allows him to climb up the social ladder. The fact that it is stolen represents the selfishness and meanness that society had, but at the same time almost shows the irony and fate that his life seemingly had in that it poses the question of whether or not the cloak was really that great for him in the end. This is because the cloak was such a superficial entity that he placed so much meaning on, that it almost makes you wonder whether or not it was healthy for him in spite of the instant fame and popularity it brought him. Still, they were all fake, so this moment was climactic in that it clearly highlighted the materialism and ignorance that existed behind this cut-throat society.
3. What is the symbolism behind the cloak and why did Akakiy place so much value upon it?
-It symbolizes social status and happiness. He placed so much value upon it because it was his ticket to acceptance and normalcy, two things that he would not be able to have without living up to the fashion and social prestige of his co-workers and other members of society. It gave him popularity and allowed him to feel accepted for the first time in his life, which is really all that he wanted. He wanted to be treated like a human being, and this allowed him to be, so he fell for the mystical nature of it all.
4. What are some possible themes for this story?
-Equality vs. injustices
-Joy vs. unhappiness
-Materialism
-Power vs. powelesness
-Class struggles
-Good vs. Evil
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Che Guevara's Motorcycle Diaries
Che Guevara and Alberto Granado were Argentinian medical experts who traveled all around indigenous villages in South America, in order to help people who did not have connections to medicine and were very ill. As they travel, they are moved by the destitution that they witness, which leads Che to become a communist. This motorcycle trip is a life changing experience because they are able to get on these poor civilians level and experience the way they live, which not only strengthens them, but forever changes Che's political and social beliefs. After experiencing some of the oppression and injustices that many of the dark skinned, lower class individuals they visited were facing, they could not help but get more enthralled in their journey and to want to truly save these peoples lives.
Che develops throughout the story by first starting off as this sheltered, naive, and good-willed individual, who becomes educated in a way that school and living in his hometown in Argentina could not by educate teach him what he learns on this trip. Through seeing the horror and disillusionment that individuals change, and learning how to fend for himself, he is able to mature and essentially becomes more humbled as a result of the down-trodden lives that he is able to share with. It seems that as the film progresses, Che gradually progresses into a fearless, strong, convicted, and grateful man, all thanks to having had this opportunity to look outside himself and help others in a way that was considered dangerous and unthinkable at the time. Since there were so many racial problems, social injustices, and political disparities when they traveled the countryside to help primarily the oppressed, then it makes sense that the fact that they were able to experience the political turmoil of the time face to face through seeing it lived out in everyday life would lead them to become communists as a result.
*Some side notes/important events:
-When Che goes to visit a young girl that is dying, he helps her out by giving her the $15 that his girlfriend had given him. This to me is a marking point because he shows how committed he is to the cause based on this kind and selfless act. Che's sincerity and straight-forward nature can be seen when he says to the poor, dying girl: "You gotta fight for every breath and you have to tell death to go to hell." This part of the film is important because it has a deeper meaning to it, in that he is referring to life in general on how hard it is sometimes, but how that pain can be used to get stronger and fight to get through things.
-Che's development psychologically, morally, and physically can be seen through various examples that mark his growth and pinpoint his true nature that is merely revealed through some of the things he endures. Some of the examples are when he goes to the leper colony, during the football game, the encounter at the fireplace with the communist couple, when he swims across the ocean to the other side to reveal "oneness," and when he gives money to the sick girl in the tiny hut.
Che develops throughout the story by first starting off as this sheltered, naive, and good-willed individual, who becomes educated in a way that school and living in his hometown in Argentina could not by educate teach him what he learns on this trip. Through seeing the horror and disillusionment that individuals change, and learning how to fend for himself, he is able to mature and essentially becomes more humbled as a result of the down-trodden lives that he is able to share with. It seems that as the film progresses, Che gradually progresses into a fearless, strong, convicted, and grateful man, all thanks to having had this opportunity to look outside himself and help others in a way that was considered dangerous and unthinkable at the time. Since there were so many racial problems, social injustices, and political disparities when they traveled the countryside to help primarily the oppressed, then it makes sense that the fact that they were able to experience the political turmoil of the time face to face through seeing it lived out in everyday life would lead them to become communists as a result.
*Some side notes/important events:
-When Che goes to visit a young girl that is dying, he helps her out by giving her the $15 that his girlfriend had given him. This to me is a marking point because he shows how committed he is to the cause based on this kind and selfless act. Che's sincerity and straight-forward nature can be seen when he says to the poor, dying girl: "You gotta fight for every breath and you have to tell death to go to hell." This part of the film is important because it has a deeper meaning to it, in that he is referring to life in general on how hard it is sometimes, but how that pain can be used to get stronger and fight to get through things.
-Che's development psychologically, morally, and physically can be seen through various examples that mark his growth and pinpoint his true nature that is merely revealed through some of the things he endures. Some of the examples are when he goes to the leper colony, during the football game, the encounter at the fireplace with the communist couple, when he swims across the ocean to the other side to reveal "oneness," and when he gives money to the sick girl in the tiny hut.
A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Character Summary:
-Old Man/Angel: A mysterious man who is kept in a chicken coop, is taunted and ridiculed, and is not appreciated for all of the good he provides. Instead, he is treated badly, which reveals how judgmental people can be when there is good right in from of their faces.
-Pelayo: Seems caring at the beginning but ends up being like all the others in that he uses him for his own selfish means by using him as a circus for his own greed.
-Elisenda: The wife that uses him as a source of entertainment for her own money. She gets annoyed of him after he no longer benefits her.
-Father Gonzaga: He is skeptical along with everyone else about the old man being a real angel, yet tries to get people to respect him.
-Neighbor Woman: A friend of Pelayo and Elisenda who tries to act like she knows everything and gives them advice on what to do with the old man. She claims he was an angel sent to care for their sick child.
-The Spider Girl: A girl who turned into a spider by the heavens for sneaking out. She becomes the new "it" thing and steals the crowds attention away from the old man.
Discussion questions:
1. Why do you think Marquez referred to the visitor as "a very old man with enormous wings" rather than "an angel"?
-He was referred to in this sense in order to portray how he was not really seen as anything that great to the people, rather he was seen as a weird old man with obnoxious feathers. Instead of referring to him as an angel which is something that is seen as spiritual, special, and a gift, he serves as a skeptical and is only payed attention when it's convenient for them. In other words, all of his great blessings and abilities aren't really focused on, instead people condemn him for being different and don't accept or appreciate him just because he looks different.
2. What do the reactions of the different people of the town say about human nature itself?
-The people's reactions depict how narrow-minding, distrusting, cruel, and selfish they are. The fact that they taunt him then use him for their own benefits without even really believing in him, reveals the human nature to use things as much as possible, until they have nothing left to get out of them and find something new to replace them with. This can be seen when people stopped being attention to the old man after "Spider Girl" came along simply because she was new and exciting.
3. What are some possible themes for this story?
-Acceptance vs. scorn
-Selfishness
-Trust
-Human Nature: narrow-mindedness and pride
-Ignorance
-Faith in things unseen
-Old Man/Angel: A mysterious man who is kept in a chicken coop, is taunted and ridiculed, and is not appreciated for all of the good he provides. Instead, he is treated badly, which reveals how judgmental people can be when there is good right in from of their faces.
-Pelayo: Seems caring at the beginning but ends up being like all the others in that he uses him for his own selfish means by using him as a circus for his own greed.
-Elisenda: The wife that uses him as a source of entertainment for her own money. She gets annoyed of him after he no longer benefits her.
-Father Gonzaga: He is skeptical along with everyone else about the old man being a real angel, yet tries to get people to respect him.
-Neighbor Woman: A friend of Pelayo and Elisenda who tries to act like she knows everything and gives them advice on what to do with the old man. She claims he was an angel sent to care for their sick child.
-The Spider Girl: A girl who turned into a spider by the heavens for sneaking out. She becomes the new "it" thing and steals the crowds attention away from the old man.
Discussion questions:
1. Why do you think Marquez referred to the visitor as "a very old man with enormous wings" rather than "an angel"?
-He was referred to in this sense in order to portray how he was not really seen as anything that great to the people, rather he was seen as a weird old man with obnoxious feathers. Instead of referring to him as an angel which is something that is seen as spiritual, special, and a gift, he serves as a skeptical and is only payed attention when it's convenient for them. In other words, all of his great blessings and abilities aren't really focused on, instead people condemn him for being different and don't accept or appreciate him just because he looks different.
2. What do the reactions of the different people of the town say about human nature itself?
-The people's reactions depict how narrow-minding, distrusting, cruel, and selfish they are. The fact that they taunt him then use him for their own benefits without even really believing in him, reveals the human nature to use things as much as possible, until they have nothing left to get out of them and find something new to replace them with. This can be seen when people stopped being attention to the old man after "Spider Girl" came along simply because she was new and exciting.
3. What are some possible themes for this story?
-Acceptance vs. scorn
-Selfishness
-Trust
-Human Nature: narrow-mindedness and pride
-Ignorance
-Faith in things unseen
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart
As we see in Part I of Things Fall Apart, the Ibo culture was centuries-old and well functioning before the coming of the Europeans. Point out 3 or more aspects of the culture that we can admire.
What do you think of Okonkwo?
PART I:
Before the Europeans came and colonized Africa, the Ibo culture had their own religion, food, and political system. Their religion was more spiritual than religious in that it focused on the chi, or personal god, honoring the god and ancestral spirits, and supersticious and mystical myths. The basis of them believing that there are good and evil spirits is significant because it emphasized the importance that they placed on honoring the ancestoral spirits and partaking in supertiscious practices in order to avoid being consumed by evil.
The food they produced was a huge part of their culture because it symbolized abundance and prosperity that was given to them as a gift from the gods, along with them cultivating the crops. They were so dependent on these crops for their basic survival, that maintaining them portrayed that they were doing well in life and that the rain gods or nature were on their side. In other words, if a man had enough food, (foo-foo, yams, palm-wine, locusts, soup), to feed his family and ancestors with regular sacrifices then he was viewed as more dominant in that he was able to provide the food that his wives would cook for their children.
Their political system did not have a direct system of government, however there were certain implications for during the wrong thing. If the Ibo people were unloyal to religious customs then they would be punished, but it all depended on what the Oracle of the Hills and caves ruled. The Oracle was an important aspect of their political system in that it highlighted the obvious things that were if not illegal, at least highly fround upon.
I think that Okonkwo is foolish because he worries too much about proving that he is a masculine and prosperous man, which makes him loose his sense of self and instead replaces his inner-worth with his cultures worth. This consumes him and makes him act out impulsively out of fear and anger. Okonkwo is so self-conscious, bitter, selfish, and unhappy that he worries more about prospects and breaking away from his past, that he actually manifests his past through the way he treats others. His life is like a viscious cycle that he cannot get away from because he is so judgemental and resistant to the knowledge and advise of others.
What do you think of Okonkwo?
PART I:
Before the Europeans came and colonized Africa, the Ibo culture had their own religion, food, and political system. Their religion was more spiritual than religious in that it focused on the chi, or personal god, honoring the god and ancestral spirits, and supersticious and mystical myths. The basis of them believing that there are good and evil spirits is significant because it emphasized the importance that they placed on honoring the ancestoral spirits and partaking in supertiscious practices in order to avoid being consumed by evil.
The food they produced was a huge part of their culture because it symbolized abundance and prosperity that was given to them as a gift from the gods, along with them cultivating the crops. They were so dependent on these crops for their basic survival, that maintaining them portrayed that they were doing well in life and that the rain gods or nature were on their side. In other words, if a man had enough food, (foo-foo, yams, palm-wine, locusts, soup), to feed his family and ancestors with regular sacrifices then he was viewed as more dominant in that he was able to provide the food that his wives would cook for their children.
Their political system did not have a direct system of government, however there were certain implications for during the wrong thing. If the Ibo people were unloyal to religious customs then they would be punished, but it all depended on what the Oracle of the Hills and caves ruled. The Oracle was an important aspect of their political system in that it highlighted the obvious things that were if not illegal, at least highly fround upon.
I think that Okonkwo is foolish because he worries too much about proving that he is a masculine and prosperous man, which makes him loose his sense of self and instead replaces his inner-worth with his cultures worth. This consumes him and makes him act out impulsively out of fear and anger. Okonkwo is so self-conscious, bitter, selfish, and unhappy that he worries more about prospects and breaking away from his past, that he actually manifests his past through the way he treats others. His life is like a viscious cycle that he cannot get away from because he is so judgemental and resistant to the knowledge and advise of others.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Borowski's Ladies and Gentleman, to the Gas Chambers and Cynthia Ozick's, "The Shawl"
Borowski's Ladies and Gentleman, to the Gas Chambers is about a man who is forced with moral, ethical, and strategic questioning when he is forced to clean out and load busses of innocent Jews, while having to worry about his own survival in the midst of ironically, having to take his own kind to be murdered. This story is filled with irony and is cleary expressed throughout several parts of the story. The first ironic notion is presented through the Red Cross that appears at the camp carrying the gas that is used to kill millions of Jews in the gas chambers. The second is shown through the secrecy and manipulation used by the Soviets to keep the Jews calm by telling them that them to bring all of their priced posessions so that they can steal them all. The third ironic point is expressed through the fact that the main character who is Jewish himself, is almost playing the role of a Soviet in that he has already knows many of the horrible things that are going to happen to them yet cannot do anything about it or he would be risking his own life. The title is obviously ironic as well because there is nothing respectable or alluring about the gas chambers and the Nazi's definitely did not consider the prisoners to really be men and women, rather "numbers on a list."
Ozik's, The Shawl symbolizes the selfess and goodness that humans innately have, and how individuals can come together during a time of absolute terror, to try to save a child's life. The fact that shawl is portrayed as this magical and heoric tool can be supported in that not only did it hide the child, but it comforted and "nourished" the child through its almondy smell, as well as its ability to keep her safe and quiet. The idea of connectedness that is expressed during this time of fighting for survival, is presented through the three women of different ages that are all on a similar level of desparity, because they are all mal-nourished survivival fighting individuals that ultimately help to comfort this child even when they themselves are struggling.
Ozik's, The Shawl symbolizes the selfess and goodness that humans innately have, and how individuals can come together during a time of absolute terror, to try to save a child's life. The fact that shawl is portrayed as this magical and heoric tool can be supported in that not only did it hide the child, but it comforted and "nourished" the child through its almondy smell, as well as its ability to keep her safe and quiet. The idea of connectedness that is expressed during this time of fighting for survival, is presented through the three women of different ages that are all on a similar level of desparity, because they are all mal-nourished survivival fighting individuals that ultimately help to comfort this child even when they themselves are struggling.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Katherine Manfield's, "The Fly"
Although "The Fly" doesn't bluntly state that the it is directly correlated to WWI, there are various implications that lead to the conclusion that it can without a doubt be paralleled to it. I also believe much of Mansfield's systematic use of each character and each meaningful occurance in the story to express some of the sentiments of the time, which is why the story is so short, yet inundated with symbols relating to death, power struggles, war, and ambition or in this case greed. Since Mansfield doesn't bluntly characterize each character, instead using more subtlty almost as if to make the reader dig deeper, the reader is given the opportunity to interpret their own perceptions of why each specific character had a certain "story" to tell about the destitude that resulted from the harships brought on by the physical as well as mental war that was being fought. Each character essentially represents an element of the war in relation to societal attitudes that resulted from the huge loss of soldiers, and their overall sense of frustration with the lack of hope that this "war to end all wars" seemingly lacked.
At first, the story beings with the boss minding his own business at his office, when suddenly senile and cynical Woodifield comes along and infuses the bosses memory of his dead son. That is his beloved only son, whom he dreamed of one day taking over his company. Time passes and the boss carries on about his daily life, yet it is this transcendent moment that sparks a sense of anger and disappointment in his son, and demonstrates his loss of hope for the future. This is prevalent when the boss has an epiphanie and realizes how much disdain he has towards other because of his imminent selfish nature that he has been blinded too, when he says, "How on earth could he have slaved, denied himself, kept going all those years without the promise for ever before him of the boy's stepping into his shoes and carrying on where he left off?"
Once Woodifield leaves the office, the boss is left with the harsh reality that he has lost the most important person in his life, and that he has also lost a part of him as well in effect, which infringes him with anger and disatisfaction. His lack of ability to cry demonstrates not only Woodifields careless and overt nature, but also reveals the bosses inability to feel sadness because he is so stuck on an idea of his life that is incapable of exisiting. This is expressed when reality hits him when: "He wanted, he intended, he had arranged to weep...." It is almost as though he has no sense of self-worth because he gave up not only on himself, but his son as well and feels numb since he hasn't really ever been able to grieve over his son's death, rather he has instead tried to appear to be strong and in control. Instead of facing the truth and letting go of his resentment towards his son.
Along with the bosses frustration towards his sons death re-surfacing, he dismantles his life-sucking discontent with his adversity and the anger that is eating him up inside, onto this fly that symbolizes his dead sons hope and courage. In fact, the fly represents the son as well as all of the men in WWI that were struggling to survive, yet remained that sense of good faith and triumph in spite of the hateful loss and terror that they were threatened with everyday. The boss sees the courage and will-power that he saw in his son, yet is overcome by a sense of powerlessness from the war and betrayal from his son, which leads him to kill the fly with ink. This is expressed in the text when Mansfield says, "But then, as if painfully, it dragged itself forward. The front legs waved, caught hold, and, more slowly this time, the task began from the beginning."The boss kills the fly slowly and painfully, which symbolizes the growing sense of despair and will to hang on that people faced, when courage and determination seemed too unfeasible to some fighting the war on the fronts, as well as in their homes.
At the end of "The Fly," two important factors are significant in underlying the bosses senile nature due to not only his predicament but his old age, which I feel as though are direct indicators of the darkness and despair that death can bring to loved ones left beind. The fact that people were fighting for freedom, yet ironically enough, that is all that the boss really wanted; to pass his job down to his son so that he would be liberated of any burdens or work when he got older. Yet, the fact that he was unable to have defeat, and become a diseased, cynical old man, shows just how much of a toll his sons defeat had on him; much like that of the countries defeated by the war that were left with guilt, rage, and debt. The story closes with a satirical yet overly meaningful line, when the boss is unable to remember that he had been talking about his son for all of that time, and says, "For the life of him, he could not remember." I think that this gives the ending such a powerful and insightful nature because it ends with a more literal meaning, in that this quote shows that his son's death is such a big part of him, that it has legitimately gradually killed him, yet he hasn't even really noticed how sick and senile he has become because he has been so in denial over his death that he hasn't been able to notice that he hasn't really even been living his own life.
At first, the story beings with the boss minding his own business at his office, when suddenly senile and cynical Woodifield comes along and infuses the bosses memory of his dead son. That is his beloved only son, whom he dreamed of one day taking over his company. Time passes and the boss carries on about his daily life, yet it is this transcendent moment that sparks a sense of anger and disappointment in his son, and demonstrates his loss of hope for the future. This is prevalent when the boss has an epiphanie and realizes how much disdain he has towards other because of his imminent selfish nature that he has been blinded too, when he says, "How on earth could he have slaved, denied himself, kept going all those years without the promise for ever before him of the boy's stepping into his shoes and carrying on where he left off?"
Once Woodifield leaves the office, the boss is left with the harsh reality that he has lost the most important person in his life, and that he has also lost a part of him as well in effect, which infringes him with anger and disatisfaction. His lack of ability to cry demonstrates not only Woodifields careless and overt nature, but also reveals the bosses inability to feel sadness because he is so stuck on an idea of his life that is incapable of exisiting. This is expressed when reality hits him when: "He wanted, he intended, he had arranged to weep...." It is almost as though he has no sense of self-worth because he gave up not only on himself, but his son as well and feels numb since he hasn't really ever been able to grieve over his son's death, rather he has instead tried to appear to be strong and in control. Instead of facing the truth and letting go of his resentment towards his son.
Along with the bosses frustration towards his sons death re-surfacing, he dismantles his life-sucking discontent with his adversity and the anger that is eating him up inside, onto this fly that symbolizes his dead sons hope and courage. In fact, the fly represents the son as well as all of the men in WWI that were struggling to survive, yet remained that sense of good faith and triumph in spite of the hateful loss and terror that they were threatened with everyday. The boss sees the courage and will-power that he saw in his son, yet is overcome by a sense of powerlessness from the war and betrayal from his son, which leads him to kill the fly with ink. This is expressed in the text when Mansfield says, "But then, as if painfully, it dragged itself forward. The front legs waved, caught hold, and, more slowly this time, the task began from the beginning."The boss kills the fly slowly and painfully, which symbolizes the growing sense of despair and will to hang on that people faced, when courage and determination seemed too unfeasible to some fighting the war on the fronts, as well as in their homes.
At the end of "The Fly," two important factors are significant in underlying the bosses senile nature due to not only his predicament but his old age, which I feel as though are direct indicators of the darkness and despair that death can bring to loved ones left beind. The fact that people were fighting for freedom, yet ironically enough, that is all that the boss really wanted; to pass his job down to his son so that he would be liberated of any burdens or work when he got older. Yet, the fact that he was unable to have defeat, and become a diseased, cynical old man, shows just how much of a toll his sons defeat had on him; much like that of the countries defeated by the war that were left with guilt, rage, and debt. The story closes with a satirical yet overly meaningful line, when the boss is unable to remember that he had been talking about his son for all of that time, and says, "For the life of him, he could not remember." I think that this gives the ending such a powerful and insightful nature because it ends with a more literal meaning, in that this quote shows that his son's death is such a big part of him, that it has legitimately gradually killed him, yet he hasn't even really noticed how sick and senile he has become because he has been so in denial over his death that he hasn't been able to notice that he hasn't really even been living his own life.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Joyce's "The Dead"
Consider all the references to death, the dead, and dying throughout the text, what is their significance? How does they influence/inform Joyce's title selection?
Joyce refers through Death all throughout the text, which is meant to symbolize different characters sense of inner-being and their feelings towards other characters in the story. The death references serve as epiphanies for Gabriel, and allow him to the see the world from others eyes, instead of him merely focusing on his own little unrealistic world. Death and the allusions to death made by Gabriel, serve to demonstrate the idea that you can be alive without really living. In other words, it serves to bring about truth and acceptance into Gabriel and Gretta's lives.
Some examples of important references to death from the text are provided below.
- The first reference to death is made at the very beginning when it briefly mentions that Kate and Julia took their niece Mary Jane in to live with them after their brother Pat died. The text then goes on to discuss Misses Morkan's dance and what a huge successful event it was, ever since Mary Jane comes and lives with them. The fact that Julia and Kate move into Mr. Fullman's house after Pat dies, and that then they begin to have these large festive events, reflects the inevitable changes that death can bring to those it impacts. "For years and years it had gone off in splendid style as long as anyone could remember; even since Kate and Julia, after the death of their brother Pat, had left the house in Stoney Batter and taken Mary Jane, their only niece, to live with them in the dark gaunt house on Usher's Island..," (1946).
- Michael Furey's death symbolizes the death of love between Gretta and Gabirel. It also serves as a symbol that Michael was the only one was really alive and everyone else was pretty much dead inside. Gabriel realizes that a part of her died when Gabriel died. This is expressed when Gretta says to Gabriel, "I implored of him to go home at once and told him he would get his death in the rain. But he said he did not want to live. I can see his eyes as well as well! He was standing at the end of the wall where there was a tree." (1973).
- Gabriel also refers to death during his speech when he refers to the monks in their coffins. He also makes a reference to those who have already died and how their still in their hearts and minds almost as if to convey that love can conquer death in a sense. "He was astonished to hear that the monks never spoke, got up at two in the morning and slept in their coffins. He asked what they did it for." (1961.)
- Gabriel predicts his Aunt Julia's death which is symbolic of how gloomy and depressing everyone seems.. It's almost like Gabriel has a connection with the dead or can feel death coming which isn't normal really. It just kind of shows how darkness can't escape him. He sees time as slowly slipping away, and everything reproaching death sin a ominous and creepy manner. "She, too, would soon be a shade with the shade of Patrick Morkan and his horse."
Michael represents life because he's the only one that is really still alive. He symbolizes passion and fire, which symbolize his love for Gretta and the fire symbolizes his work with gas. He also symbolizes the arch-angel Michael who is right below God. Gabriel represents the other arch-angel Gabriel who is subservient to Michael. Their use in the text is to symbolize how Gretta experiences death in life. When Michael dies, a part of her heart dies too due to her to deep loss of love.
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