Imprisoned Hamlet

This radio show, I found shocking. It amazes me how the prisoners each relate to a different character, and how each role connects to their past. Reading Hamlet will now be different, a little maybe. The way the prisoners change the characters by talking about them and relating them to their lives make the play deem different. Big Hutch for example, says Hamlet has no problem, no conflict. He knows Claudius killed his father, he doesn't just sit to think about it, he is supposed to do something. Just as he probably did.

It's amazing how the people start to open up, some of them more than others. Talking a little about their families and the reason for their jail time. It shocked me how, for example, in the play Claudius is talking about the remorse he feels after killing his brother. These people feel the same, some of them would like to change the past. More than a play, it's a reality to them. They have to face the consequences of killing someone.

I like to write, and often times, i don't connect the writing to reality. Or i do, but it just seems fantasy, a little imagination. This radio show helped me realize, that what i write about, is or can be someones reality, and they can't do anything about it.

As Big Hutch sees himself, how he compares prison to the sea is a little ironic. To start, the sea is very wide, there is lots of freedom, and the prison is the complete opposite. But he is right in some points, the big one controls the little ones, as he says, the killer whale controls the guppies.

I like very much how the characters that played Hamlet did it. It really shows the confusion going on in Hamlet and how he tries to deal with it but he really can't. It was mentioned, that Hamlet was just one more person in the Hamlets crew. The four prisoners probably had messed up lives, just like Hamlet did.

After hearing this show, I will pay closer attention to Hamlet. I am sure from now on I will make connections to the prisoners, thinking about their reaction and their way of interpreting everything.

Crazy, Crazier

"The dramatic effect produced by Hamlet's personality and behaviour" is Ernest Jones essential concern. He gives a very clear example on how Hamlet's insanity is special and brings the reader towards it. When Hamlet's insanity is compared with that of Ophelia a mayor contrast arises. How is it that Ophelia's craziness ends in death but Hamlets is developed during the entire novel? As Robert Bridges says in his text, The Testament of Beauty, "whereby Shakespeare so gingerly put his sanity in doubt", this calls the readers attention. Questions such as, is he really crazy? start to arise and the reader must keep on reading to discover the answer.

Jones expresses that Shakespeare possesses, "a degree of insight that it has taken the world three subsequent centuries to reach". Looking at this words, Hamlet's character also possesses qualities that no one can easily equal. The attention his craziness gets is a clear example, and how he uses it to his power is another way of showing the reader that he is intelligent and he can do things even if he doesn't see it that way.

With everything that is going on at once in Hamlets life, he has a mayor concern. That is sharing his mother. It was hard when he had to share her with his father, but it is even worse now. Hamlet knows the king got killed by Claudius, adding to that, the queen has married his uncle. Giving no correct mourning to his father.

Hamlet is being torn and tortured by an insoluble inner conflict.

Thinking Makes It So

August Wilhelm Von Schlegel talks mostly about Hamlets personality. He tells the reader how Hamlets personality can't be explained by him on one sentences as Goethe does. He reflects oh Hamlets personality as a man that is, "open in the highest degree to an enthusiastic admiration of that excellence in others of which he himself is deficient" his wise words open a new perspective about Hamlet. He doesn't see excellence in himself the way he sees it in others. The way he is crazy can be equaled by no one. His intelligence is big and he uses almost any method to keep his cover. From challenging them to telling them lies. Also he mentions that Hamlet's weakness is too apparent.

His craziness starts to gain power and seem more real when he starts thinking about sceptical doubts. He starts to believe in the ghost only when it is seen and when it disappears it "appears to him almost in the light of a deception".

Augusts Wilhelm summarizes Hamlets personality ans shows us how troubled his mind is with quotes like,"There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so", this shows to us that Hamlet has started to think of everything in a very deep way. Questioning his thoughts and always thinking about thinking.

Being Judged, Losing Everything We Have Accomplished

In this critical extract written by Northrop Frye, a very interesting idea has been mentioned. The thought, "A man's quality may be inferred from the record of what he has done, or it may be inferred from what he is trying to make of himself at any given moment" clearly reflects both Hamlet and Claudius.

Claudius actions made him what he is now, the King. Unfortunately, Claudius's "great potential (has been) fatally blocked by something he has done and can never undo", that is killing his brother. Hamlet will forever see his uncle as a murderer without taking into consideration those actions were intended to make him king, "you've done such and such, so that's forever what you are".

Frye talks about a limited repertoire humans have, as they age, it becomes narrower. We all build secondary prisons out of our actions, as Frye's expresses, consciousness could be connected to the prisons. For example, after Claudius has killed his brother, he starts to feel remorse, preventing him from truly acting. Not only do we limit ourselves, but the society that surrounds us has a huge impact on us. The way consciousness could be cured, is by actions, because even our conscious is a murderer, it kills actions.

The play Hamlet, was very significant because it shows the conflict of consciousness and action. The fact that it talks about "action and thinking about action so deeply", has made literature deeper and bolder. If it wasn't for Hamlet, the Romantic movement might of never existed.

Ever is a long time- close reading

"Turns out the light and is gone. Ever is a long time. That ever is no time at all"(28).

The first sentence might refer to a dream or hope. Humans always want to achieve new things so when it says, turns out the light, it means that it doesn't interest him anymore or that he has no way of accomplishing his dreams so its gone, the idea, the desire to do it has vanished.

The second part of this quote refers to the time something takes. If we are waiting for something to happen, it takes a long time before it happens. Or if we want a moment to happen quickly it seems very long.

The last part is very similar to the the second one. If we want something to happen, we wait for a very long time till it happens, once it occurs, time goes by really fast.

Human greed

Eating people. How crazy can you be to do that? While the son and the father starve for some days until they find food, the bad people have absolutely no problem in eating others. They get prisoners from the road, as they hide in a box observing they catch their pray. After making them take their clothes of they are taken to a room where they are locked up. I personally think it's harder to get the prisoners, and cook them and then eat them. I couldn't do that. Who could! I must admit, this part of the book really shocked me. Often lots of the ideas and actions present in this section of the book are mentioned. To continue with the shockers, how can a father teach his son to kill himself? I cant judge, I've never been in that position and i hope i never have to be involved in a circumstance like that. However, the father gives the son the gun, "you know how to do it.You put it in your mouth and point it up"(113). How can you say that! Teach your son how to kill himself? I blame society. I blame humans. It's all our fault. We are despicable human beings. We kill others and feed of them when we need food, and we have to teach our children how to kill themselves so they don't have to suffer and live what others have lived. It's all part of our greed. Humans are greedy, we want more material things, more power, more emotions. We always want what others have. While some people eat fancy food and dress up with expensive clothes, others are dying because they cant have a sip of tap water. Other humans are suffering because of our desires. Children are dying while we have an extensive meal, others have no knowledge at all because they cant afford school while we complain of the homework we have. The human want of power and material things have turned the world to a race. Always showing off to others what we have. Well i think its about time we stop thinking about ourselves and start taking others into consideration. Stop caring for material things and start caring more for others.

Against the Current

The boy and the father continue to travel down the road, their shoes are muddy and their bodies are weak. The little boy cant walk anymore. The father knows he has to stop, the child needs to rest but if they stop in the wrong place they might end dead. The words of comfort the boy receives are, "We'll stop. Okay? We just have to find a place."(93). As they continue to walk, they find an old barn, the wall full of decapitated heads. The father comforts the son and encourages him to go on. As they proceed to enter, the father places the plastic on the floor. The child and the father are ready to sleep. They cover themselves with the blankets and jackets they have. Soon the father is awake again and as he sees people walking near their hiding place he touches the child and tells him to be quite. Once the child is warned, the father crawls out the barn and lays on the ground observing how the bad guys walk through the road. Several good people have been made slaves ant they are forced to pull a cart full of ammunition. On their march, there are also several women, some of them are pregnant. Very still, the father and the son wait till the procession has passed. Very quickly the father pick everything up and puts it in the cart. He has to be careful, the bad guys are on the move and they can be easily found. At this point of the book, i think the father has a disadvantage over the other males in the book. With a weak son, he has to take special care of the little boy, also he has to be very careful because they could ens up pulling the cart for the bad guys. The little kid needs rest. The father knows it but everywhere they try to rest something happens. After they hide from the other humans, they continue to walk and the child isn't making it easy for the father. With excuses and apologies the boy tries to continue walking but after the child falls, the father tries to find a hiding place. They will stay during the night in the woods under a big trees. As a procedure, the father puts on the floor the plastic where they will sleep. He goes out to find some wood to make a fire. They get some sleep but once again the fathers sleep is interrupted by some noise. After several series of the big sound, the father realizes the trees are falling. He wakes the kid up and they try to move fast, avoiding an accident. They finally find a safe spot, they wait for some time until the trees stop falling. Once they think this has happened the father makes a hole under a fallen tree, moving away the snow where they sleep.

role model  noun a person whose behavior, example, or success is or can be emulated by others, especially by younger people. Everything seems to be against the father and the son. They try to rest but their sleep is always interrupted by something. They are fighting to survive in a world they don't even know. They have no idea of they will have to face in the future. But still the father keeps on going. It amazes me how the father is still so strong. Hiding the weakness from the son. I think at this moment, the father is keeping the boy alive. Before the boy gave the father strength and help him cope with reality. Now the father seems strong, giving the boy a great example. A role model, is the word i would use to describe the father. With the situation the two of them have to face, they are surviving, the father stays true to himself and to his little son. Always following the right path and trying to do things in a correct way. By this time, i think the father is stronger than the bad guys. In the book the father and the son are vulnerable. Instead of being the good guys, they could turn into the opposite. Getting food and clothes by killing people or making others carry their blankets so they can walk easier. This would be easier on both of the characters but instead, the father stays strong and does things correctly. Giving the boy a good example.

Words from McCarthy

McCarthy explains to Oprah how the book came to his mind, telling us about a night he spend in a hotel at El Paso with his son. Its interesting to see how the story comes to life. McCarthy mentions how he was awake in the night and he looked out the window, everything motionless but the sounds very alive. He could see the image of flames and destruction in his head. Four years later he writes the novel always having the thought of his son in mind. It takes him 4 years with his son to continue writing the book, we can see how in reality and in the book McCarthy and the father share lots of time together with their sons, listening to them and teaching them. They have lots of affection for the little boys. The night in the hotel , helped him through the books setting, were we often find the father awake in the middle of the night and the child sleeping. Making nameless characters McCarthy allows anyone to relate to the book, never mentioning their identity. I can even say the book is about McCarthy and his son, telling the readers about experiences the have. In the book, the way the father and son react towards each other is more than an imaginary idea. Giving the novel a personal tone, we see how the father protects the son under any circumstance even killing men if he needs to. The reason why the world is the way it is in The Road, is because humans are always searching for perfection. They have a set of ideals and goals they want to reach bus as McCarthy says in the interview, they will never be accomplished. However without these "dreams" of perfection, humans wouldn't get anywhere I found an interesting connection between the interview and the book. McCarthy mentions he didn't know where the book was going to end while he was writing it. Somehow, this idea relates to the book because the characters, the boy and his father, have absolutely no idea of their destiny, for all they know, they could be walking towards death or to salvation. Their faith depends on how McCarthy decides to end his fiction book. Even then McCarthy has the power to terminate or continue the life of the two male figures that appear in the book, however he has absolutely no idea of what their end will be.

Match each word with the correct definition.

1. G Morels a. Keep under control; restrain. 2. D Eddied b. A tarpaulin sheet or cover. 3. C Uproot c. Pull or move something out of the ground. 4. F Jackknifed d. A circular movement of water, counter to a main current, causing a small whirlpool. 5. B Tarp e. A cigar with both ends open. 6. H Macadam f. Bend into a V-shape in an uncontrolled skidding movement. 7. A Rein g. A widely distributed edible fungus that has a brown oval or pointed fruiting body with an irregular honeycombed surface bearing the spores. 8. E Cheroot h. Broken stone of even size used in successively compacted layers for surfacing roads and paths, and typically bound with tar or bitumen.

Different words, Different perspectives

Trudged: tiring walk
Quoits: flat ring thrown to encircle a peg in the game of quoits
Ravine:deep narrow valley
Sappers: soldier employed in the construction of fortifications, trenches, or tunnels that approach or undermine enemy positions
Pantry: A room or closet in which food, groceries and other provisions are kept.

In the Road, I often find some words that are crucial for the image that the author wants to create on your mind. It might not be so important for your understanding because the book happens mostly in the same place. However if we want to focus on the descriptions and specific setting of the book it is important to understand all words. Allowing your mind to create a clear scenery and understand better the books development.

Interesting

Andrea's blog mentions certain things i hadn't noticed. I must agree with her, the descriptions McCarthy uses in the book are incredible, placing each reader in the room or place he is describing. However leaving some of the scenery to the readers imagination. Although the books setting happens in a very similar place the entire time, their is always a different twist. The way he writes the conversations is also very interesting and as Andrea pointed out it is up to the reader to infer who is speaking. Normally starting with the conversation of a new character on a new line. This can be confusing sometimes because both of the characters can have a different idea about a subject and their is no certainty of who is speaking. If you refer to the prior text, the conversation will become clear. This blog post caught my eye due to the last paragraph. The way Andrea connects the form of the book, that is it's lack of quotations and apostrophes to the content in incredible. This connection i must admit, i find fascinating and its the best way to understand the way grammar happens in this book. She says, " It is as if the author wanted us to realize that in the circumstance that the boy and the man are in is so beyond grammar and societal perfection that it is not necessary to put apostrophes to words or quotations to dialogues."

I wash a dead man's brains out of his hair. That is my job.

Surprising event, the one that has shocked me the most. Incredible the things parents do in order to protect a child. This episode happens really quickly. The father and the son are sleeping in the woods near the road when they hear sounds approaching them. Scared the father shakes the kid so he gets up and they start running away from the road. The cart is left hidden and they hide in the woods further up. The man with the gun in his hand hides under the blanket with his son in his arms. They peek from time to time to see if the men are approaching them. I cant avoid thinking back to a conversation mentioned before, when the man is talking to the kids mother. She says that she has to go, they are going to be found and raped, then they will get killed and the man won't be able to protect them. She was wrong. The man a fierce protector guards the child and lets nobody get near. As they peek over the blanket, they find a bad guy very close to them. The man without hesitation takes the gun and points it a him. Asking him questions about their survival and how they keep their truck going. The man is distracted by the boy and the father warns him. Ignoring him, they guy moves forward and with agility takes the kind in his arms with a knife in his neck. As this happens the father shoots killing this man, the boy is now safe from one bad guy, but there are more. They have to run. The father exhausted has carried the little scared boy and puts him in the ground forcing him to walk. Darkness comes and they sleep under a bridge, they make a fire and get cleaned, washing away the dried blood.

As the world is cruel, the little boy can find shelter in his father, that without any doubt would do anything to keep his safe. Killing a man is a strong action that might be punished afterwards. The man full of remorse might act differently and might be scared of continuing making him weaker. He still has to protect his little boy, the only person that has kept him going.

Struck by Lightning

Struggling with what is correct, the little boy tries to let aside his needs for survival to help others. A man that has been struck by a lightning is found wondering just as they are, in addition to his condition he has absolutely nothing and has no mental capacity of acquiring material things for his basic survival. The character, a giving human being seems to be confused. He can't understand why this has happened to this man and why he cant help him. Having limited supplies the dad refuses to help this lost man, as a consequence, the boy becomes angry. Looking at the point of view of the father, i can comprehend why those decisions are being taken. To begin with, neither of them have past knowledge of the mans life. He might of been part of the bad people, stealing something when the lightning hit him. He might be a good man, but running a risk in a situation like that isn't cant be the best choice. Being involved with this third man and giving the father an extra responsibility isn't smart. If the man was good and healthy, interested on the well being of the boy, the option might be viable. However allowing him to join would only bring to the father an extra "boy", making both of them less agile and more vulnerable.

Before finding this unfortunate man, they encounter a traffic accident, a huge truck and a taxi stuck on a bridge. Nothing is on either of the vehicles and as they search for a way to get though with their little car, they realize that they have to go under the bridge. The father lights up some paper and throws it to the space, to find in the bottom of the trailer dead people, their clothes stuck to their soulless bodies.

The father is being haunted by a female. The boys mom, it must be. He often thinks of her and dreams of her but always manages to push those thoughts away. Arranging his dreams so he isn't involved or changing the ending so he can avoid the reason why she is gone. He cant sleep she is his weakness. This might be the reason of his love and interest towards the kid. Not only is he his son, he is also her son. As the boy lives she is being present in both if their lives. He has parts of her, maybe in his attitude or his appearances. This is the reason the male grownup takes such a good care of the little boy. However as i read farther the boy says a confusing line: "I wish I was with my mom", it obvious these two characters dont share a mom, but if they shared family, wouldn't the little boy say i wish i was with mom.(55). Without mentioning the MY? The mother abandoned them, however the boy doesn't seem angry. He relates to me a little like Buddy Bolden in the way that Buddy didn't question matters of life, he just took his faith and continued to live. The boy could question lots of other things instead he just continues to walk.

Walking backwards

The father, a man I thought to be cold and strong shows a vulnerable side. Walking through the rooms of his old house leaves him paralyzed. Memories return to his mind as he tries to isolate the complaining words of his son. Tries to focus on the house, the rooms. He wishes it would return. The peace. The little boy in constant suffering tries to hide and find shelter in his dad, only to find that they are equally scared. Ironic how some people hope for disasters to occur so they can prove points of view and try new technology while human beings are actually suffering. Even worse how both of these characters have to be hiding to survive. Why is it that humans can't help each other survive? Life would be much easier if we all helped each other. Take the dad and the son as an example. They have to be very cautious with every step they take because if they don't, they might be harmed and robbed. If it was safe, the father could take better care of the child and he could be helped. What kinds of humans live around us? Is it worth having friends and counting on them? Who survives and who doesn't? Survival of the fittest. Do i think it's fair? No. A child the future of the world has to be protected. His father protects him, making him an easy target. He has an extra weight while others are running carelessly. If the father is harmed, the little boy might survive. For how long? As i turn the pages of the book i start doubting humanity even more. Is there someone to trust? Time will tell... i hope.

When all that is left are hopes

The Road, by Cormac McCarthy is the next book we will read during this course. After reading Coming Through Slaughter and The Great Gatsby, our summer books, i have discovered this book to be very interesting and after reading some of its pages, questions and doubts have arised.

I'm am not certain of what is exactly going on in the books setting, for the vocabulary is sometimes hard to understand. However i can tell that the story is about a man and his son. They are walking around their country trying to reach something. Apparently, everything is burned and there are no survivors, making it even harder to live from morning to night. The weather is cold and it is constantly raining. Aspect that doesn't help the characters for they have basic equipment for survival. They sleep wherever they can and they must be constantly hiding, protecting their tired bodies with blankets, they make it through the night. Only to find the same panorama next morning, grey sky, lots of ashes and destruction.

I find the little boy in the story very interesting. He seems young, but mature for his age. Facing things that are challenges he overcomes them next to his strong dad. Scared of death, and the end, this child asks questions as if he was looking for life, searching for a small percentage of survival, even though everything he sees around him is destruction. Asking his father things like, are we going to die, reassure him and give him strength. "Do you think there could be fish in the lake?" is a question he asks his father, but the only thing he obtains is a cold response "No. There's nothing in the lake." (20)

Sometimes, we find the father praying and cursing. Maybe he doesn't like the present he is living, or maybe what is really killing him, is having no idea about the future. The kid, makes it better, he is not alone, he can talk to someone. He has a purpose of life, the little boy must be safe, he has to be fed, he has to have someone watching him and in this burned country it is difficult to survive. Suicidal thoughts might of gone though his fathers mind but the kid keeps the thoughts from becoming actions. The boy depends on his father, and he is keeping him alive. So as the book continues, i hope to learn what they are both searching for, and also what discoveries they make during their trip on the road.

Coming Through Slaughter: Close Reading II

"Right on my head. But i still have the razor and we stand looking at each other. The blood drooling of his chin on to the wet shredded shirt. He takes a quick look at himself in the mirror and the tears just rush out of his face. I am exhausted, sorry for him. Got no anger at him now. I'm finished i'm empty but i cant tell him. What the hell is wrong with me? And Picket's face is hard waiting to come for me, looking around the room."(73)

The first sentence shows us how Buddy is determined, he has a sharp object in his hand and doesn't seem scared of using it. He faces facts as they come. He is fighting with his friend and while fixing his beard cuts him. Buddy shows us an aggressive side, and at the same time a weak one. He seems impulsive, some things trigger attacks and its hard for him to control himself.

Coming Through Slaughter: Close Reading

"There was much curiosity on Boldens part. They had been away from news for nearly a month, god knew if there was a famous murderer in the area. His mind went into theories. Eventually he decided to take the car and drive to Pontchartrain and tell Webb about it. Nora refused to be left with a strangler around. They drove with dead Mrs. Bass in the front seat settling carefully into rigor mortis. At the turns however she would fall over onto Boldens lap like a valuable statue, so Nora got in the front and Mrs. Bass was put in the back seat. Covered with a trap for diplomacy. Bolden parked outside the police station and asked for Webb. Nora went to a restaurant to get a meal." (26)

This quote shows us how Nora and Bolden are careless about facts that would be very significant for other human beings. Finding a loved one strangled in the front seat of their car isn't very pleasant. As we see in the first sentence, it mentions the curiosity that arises in Bolden, it demonstrates how he isn't really surprised and how he might of seen this already. "... god knew if there was a famous murder in the area." and they didn't seem to care. Buddy takes everything as it comes and tries to solve things by himself, allowing his minds to make up theories, after several days, when he cant take it more and has the necessity of answers, he recurs to Webb. "Nora refused to be left with a strangler around", she is scared of being killed rather than being charged with murder, they both take Nora's mom to the police station where they talk to Webb in a very straight way. It seems Buddy is very direct, he says what he has to say without playing around with his ideas. Neither of them get shocked or surprised with life.

The Great Gatsby Symbolism

During the novel, The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald symbolism is a mayor topic for discussion. As the story progresses, we can see how the characters are affected by certain things and how some of them shape them to certain extend. Some symbols are obvious, such as the green light Gatsby observes, or the yellow car he drives; others aren't so visible, such as the fact that Gatsby maintains distance with alcohol. He has lots of parties, and is a great host, however, he doesn't drink that much, it is strange, for someone who constantly lives in the social network. Another symbol that comes to my interest, is the pool. Gatsby never uses the pool, it is full during summer, but it is never used. Ironically, the only time he uses it, he gets murdered.