Connections

As I watched a movie tonight, The Cider House Rules directed by Lasse Hallström, I came to realize there is a clear relationship with the book we are reading, Invisible Man. As an orphan, Homer Wells was raised by a doctor, he lives his entire life with them so he has some medical experience. Homer gets tired of the medical practices that are being done by the doctor (abortions), so he decides to leave. 


As he will work picking up apples, he will live in a house of black people, they all work with apples, however when it is out of season all of them except Homer leave for vacations. After some time they come back and Homer figures out Rose, the only female that lives in the house is pregnant. Eventually Homer tells a female friend of his and she comes to him saying that Rose (the father of female Rose) is the father of the baby. This directly relates to Trueblood´s relationship with his daughter. Both of the men got their daughter pregnant. At the start, Mr. Rose denies it but when he is told Rose is pregnant Homer does an abortion on Rose.  

Are you satisfied?

After all the incidents Mr. Norton went through, he finally arrives to the campus of the school.The driver has lots of things in his mind to say but he keeps them to himself. Thinking about his possible consequences for all the bad things that happened to Mr. Norton he is freaking out. He just wants to apologize and tell Mr. Norton how he hates the people they had seen before, even if they were also black  He is trying to be the perfect driver, the perfect student the perfect human, waiting for approval on behalf of the white race. This reminds me of Edna Pontellier and how she is constantly trying to be the perfect wife. Just like the driver, she is willing to hide her real feelings and thoughts to seem perfect. The old Edna would follow every command made by Mr. Pontellier without doubt. Her life is being directed by a male, just like the invisible man´s life is being directed by the white.

Everyone tries to impress others, but eventually they start to realize how it doesn´t make sense. Once Edna gets tired of being the perfect wife she revels, and it all ends with her suicide. With the invisible man, he decides to be invisible, please no one, he turns aggressive and defensive.

Pretending

After his conversation with Trueblood, Mr. Norton is in shock. He feels very weak once he gets in the car and asks his driver to get some whiskey. The nearest place is the Golden Day and there are lots of veterans visiting. The invisible man tries to get the drink and take it outside but it is denied by the owner of the bar. With no other option, Mr. Norton is brought into the bar.

Through out the entire "adventure" the driver is always thinking of white men. First of all, he is really scared of being responsible for the health of a white man, if Mr. Norton died, it would be the drivers fault. Always trieng to be like the white men, the driver takes whatever is given to him by them. Trying to impress them to be one of them.

So Mr. Norton´s condition gets worse before it gets better, although, once in the bar with a little of whiskey in his mouth, his body reacts and is no longer unconscious. As he begins to improve, there is a fight in the bar that makes him worse again. He ends up being pushed under the stairs and the driver tries to find him. Once it happens, the invisible man is scared and is screaming without even realizing it. A patient that used to be a doctor comes and helps him carry Mr. Norton to a room where he can be cured.

The doctor acts like a normal person, he talks to the driver and tells him what to do. He makes Mr. Norton better and they continue to talk. Everything is fine when suddenly the doctor starts to seem a little crazy. Telling Mr. Norton how the driver is "invisible, a walking personification of the Negative, the most perfect achievement of [his] dreams, sir! The mechanical man!" The man starts to ask Mr. Norton questions about his interest in the school and laughs because of his answers, then he suddenly stops and starts talking about the drivers admiration towards the white, how they consider the white men to be gods. Finally allowing them to leave, they hurry out of the room.

The connection that appears to be in this part of the book, is that the crazy men try to seem normal, to be like normal men, just like the black race tries to be like the white race, always following whatever they order.

Protection is everything

The not yet invisible man is asked to drive a white man called Mr. Norton. While driving through an unknown street they encounter a log cabin. Jim Trueblood and his family live in here. Once Mr. Norton is told that the daughter is pregnant by her father, he is anxious to talk to Trueblood.

This man tells Mr.Norton how it was all because of a dream. He explains how the wife attacked him once she woke up and realized what he was doing. With surprise, the mother reacts aggressively and with reasons she reaches for his double-barrel shotgun. The man tried to stop her but she was so angry, she was protecting her little girl. Nothing could stop her. She throws things at him and finally, she gets an ax. With the recent sharpened, Kate cuts Jim Trueblood´s face.

This fight of protection, brings to mind a book we read in the past, The Road. The father has been fighting along with his little boy to survive. They don´t have food and the situation is very dangerous. Everyone wants to eat them. In a part of the book, the little boy and the father are in trouble because they are being attacked by a hungry human. The goal of this carnivore is to kill the boy and eat him. The father, just like Kate, protects his little child and kills the threat.

Both of this parents, are willing to go to any extreme just to protect their children. From hurting the husband or killing a stranger, the important thing is both of these children will be safe thanks to the strength of their parents.      

I am not a singer

All For Rewards

Cruel is the word that best describes the scene. Several men trying to preserve their dignity by fighting others. They are promised lots of things just to be humiliated. The main character with the idea of giving his speech is willing to take lots of pain. He will resist everything just to impress the white men because they can give him a chance. At a part, a man screams to the two final fighters that he wants the big one to win. Our character contemplates the idea of losing on purpose just to satisfy the requests from white men, because this could possibly bring to him greater prizes.

All of the fighters are trying to survive and make it through the evening so they can win some money, blindfolded, they fight each other. The worse part would be the electrified rug. What kind of person sees someone in need, and makes them suffer even more just so they can be entertained? Even though the fighters are aware of the rug, the continue to collect coins, finding techniques and trying to hide the pain by laughing. Giving the observers whatever they want to see.

Our Invisible Man, before, had a huge need of being recognized by society, he tried to please everyone he met, and followed societal standards. He went to the meeting with the intention of sharing his speech, and even after all the suffering, he stands up in front of them and pleases them, excusing himself when he mentions things that make the others mad. With a desperate need to fit in, he is being humiliated, however he looks at it as if he was doing a good thing because the white men accept him. Ignoring all the pain that he felt because of them, he thanks them and tries to become just like them.

During the fighting there are similes used to describe how the bodies of the fighters react to the punches, "A blow to my head as I danced about sent my right eye popping like a jack-in-the-box and settled my dilemma". Also, there is imagery, "blood shaping itself into a butterfly, glistening and soaking into the soiled gray world of the canvas". These literary figures show us how the fighters are really suffering, they help us understand how the fight is real and rough.  

Visibility.

It's ironic how Mr. Pontellier is always acting to be seen by society, he doesn't want to be an outcast and how on the other opposite, the character in Invisible Man is declaring himself invisible. It is clear that Pontellier hides most of his reality to fit into society, he camouflages Edna's decisions, for example when she moved out and he said they were remodeling the house, or when she wouldn't go to the wedding and he went only to excuse her. In Invisible Man, the character doesn't care about society, he lives his way and even commits crimes. He is stealing constant energy supply from Monopolated Light and Power saying, "it allows me to feel my vital aliveness". The reason why he does it, is to teach the company a lesson. While he was trying to fit in society, this light company took lots of his money so now he does this as revenge. The character in Invisible Man tries to teach society a lesson. He takes matters into his hands, for example that night he got into a fight with a man on the street. Trying to get some respect, the character tries to make the blonde man apologize, with no result, he starts kicking him, thinking that there has to be some kind of respect. Then it just came to his mind that it is possible that the man hadn't actually seen him, just as he was about to kill him. Perfect timing.

At the beginning of the book, there seem to be a lot of similes and metaphors. The invisible man compares himself several times to different things. He uses a simile to say he is invisible "like the bodiless heads you see sometimes in the circus sideshows", most times these heads aren't seen because they are ignored by the crowd just like everyone ignores him. He then uses a metaphor to question whether he actually exists or if he is only a phantom in the mind of others. He not only compares his invisibility but he also compares his actions to those of visible man. After having kicked the man, he compares his actions with the actions of a drunken man. It's ironic that he compares himself to a drunken man, because humans under the influence of alcohol seem to be everything but invisible. They are loud and they are constantly moving around, disturbing others. The reason he compares his actions to this man is that drunk men usually don't think their actions through, so when he attacks the man he bumped into, he feels thoughtless.  

An object?

How to continue? Every effort reduced to nothing. The end of the awakening is not that shocking. A person like Edna, full of internal problems and desires tries to make everything right for her, unfortunately she turns even more depressed that before. Her love towards Robert disappears when he views her as an object, she abandons all her intentions and desires. Everything Robert had been for her loses value because he views her as something other than a human being. Enda's intention is to becomes someone in life, she wants to accomplish things, with the help from Robert, she manages to do it for some time but his thoughts towards her trigger her death. What kills Edna is the idea that she left everything behind just to be with Robert, she pauses everything to realize he wouldn't come near her because she is owned by Pontellier.

Our Choice

During times, humans have been raised to follow social constraints. It is Kate Chopin that expresses her concern towards the people that don't overcome what society wants, that are always trying to satisfy others above them. With the character of Edna, Chopin shows how a single human can change to make life a pleasure at least for a little time. As Kate Chopin writes, "how few of us ever emerge from such beginnings!"(pg.35). Robert, is one of the emerging souls. He follows his desires and does what will make him happy. During their visit to the Grand Isle, Robert choses to abandon everything and leaves to Mexico, however he comes back and becomes a perish soul thus succumbing to what society expects from him.     

Changing Tides

After Edna's sudden behavioral change, Mr. Pontellier was shocked to see how his wife was drifting away from her role in society. Instead of keeping up her act Edna decided to rebel against what was always expected of her. Mr. Pontellier who worried very much about what people thought of him tried to repress Edna. However, Mr.Pontellier's actions caused his wife's reactions to be stronger. For example, when Mr. Pontellier orders Edna to enter to the house and she refuses at the beginning of the book. This reaction makes Mr.Pontellier mad and he tries to control her even more. The entire situation strains their relationship. Edna has evolved into a new personality and Mr.Pontelier is stuck in what she used to be. While she tries to live freely, Mr. Pontellier pulls her back every time by constantly controlling her. Edna pushes Pontellier out of her life, staying only with the people that don't judge her (Robert) or with the people that are unaware of her actions like her children. Edna realizes she has nothing to do in her life, if she wanted to spend time with her children, all she could do is watch them play because the quadroon is always taking care of them. If Edna wanted to change something in the house she would have to wait for Pontellier's approval. Therefor, Edna wants to change and do something with her life. 

The End

Remorse?

Reasons

Search of Happiness

Robert was a support for Edna, he wouldn’t judge her, he would accept everything she does, without questioning her or anything. When they were together, Edna managed to be a very different person, she originally followed everything she was supposed to follow, she did the chores and took care of the kids, even if that ment being emotionally unestable. However, spending time with Robert, she realized that she wants to do something with her life. Its amazing how Robert changed her perspective of life, and unlike all the other men, he didn’t judge her.

Edna was free, if that’s how she could be described, when she was with Robert. However since he left she has been feeling lost. Without any ideas on how to act, Enda tries to go back to the person she was during her summer vacations. Then she was somewhat controlled, but now there are no bounderies. Edna does what she wants to do, when she wants to. Mr. Pontellier has been trying to stop her but he has failed. He has been trying to get his wife back, however Edna only wants to be left alone. She soon becomes desperate about doing other things. She continues with her impulses and wants to visit every one that was connected to Robert. During her visits, she discovers that Robert has written to Mademoiselle Reisz, and to Madame Lebrun, she is shocked that she has recieved no letter from Robert. Edna is in a hurry to live and feel. When she was with Robert, she was living like she wanted to live, however, when he left, she lost a support. Now she is trying to live happy, but she doesn’t know how to do it. 

Impulse

Robert, Edna's companion doesn't judge her. She follows her and does whatever she tells him to do, but with all the strange things she does, he accepts her. This might be the reason why Edna likes to be around him so much. Truth is Edna is very impulsive. Once she has started experiencing the world in a new way, a way without so many rules, she becomes unpredictable. During the beginning of the book, Edna is shown somewhat vulnerable, she cries after her husband has woken her up, perhaps its the frustration, or the lack of sleep, whatever it is, Edna is a new person now. She has drastically changed. It is clear to her that she has changed and she is conscious while making or taking her new decisions. After Edna went for her first swim, she goes home before everyone else. Robert stays with her as she lays on the hammock waiting for her husband to arrive. As soon as voices are heard, Robert leaves and Edna stays in the hammock. Once Mr. Pontellier has seen Edna, he tells her to come in. Normally she would obey his orders but now she resists and follows her personal will. She wants to stay outside so she will do it. After being called several times and making it clear that she is not giving in, her husband decides to join her. They stay there some time, Edna rejects everything she is offered. Soon, Edna feels like coming inside, she stands up and walks towards the house, she stops and asks Mr. Pontellier if he is coming in, and for a small instant the roles are changed, now its Mr. Pontellier following Edna's orders.

Although she was a very calm and repressed female, Edna has clearly changed and is now rather impulsive. In the morning, she wakes up and calls for Robert, she wants to go to mass, and without objection Robert comes with her. While in the service, Edna feels the need of walking out, so instead of controlling herself, like she would normally do, she stands up and walks away. Robert follows her and without questioning her decisions he cares for her. It is Robert who feeds Mrs. Pontelliers impulsiveness. Every time she is going back to the person she used to be, Robert makes a comment that brings her back. At an exact moment, Edna is worried about the time, she tells Robert, "The sun will be gone in two hours", she is clearly worried about the time and about her husband, however, Robert doesn't care about anything, and he just answers back, "well, let it go; who cares!". (pg. 79). Edna has started to learn how to enjoy life, she now focuses on every present moment, this quote sums it all up, "But the beginning of things, of a world especially, is necessarily vague, tangled, chaotic, and exceedingly disturbing. How few of us ever emerge from such beginning! How many souls perish in its tumult!".

Fear of Being Alone

Most people find it strange to be alone, they feel the need of being with someone else at all times, however, Kate Chopin shows us a different perspective though Edna's character. Through the beginning of the book, I didn't realize how the word alone, or its synonyms were being used so much, however after the phrase, "inviting the soul to wander for a spell in abysses of solitude; to lose itself in the mazes of inward contemplation" these words started to appear often.

The meaning of these phrase demonstrates how she stops being afraid of solitude, instead she takes it as an opportunity for personal time, while she is alone, she gets to know herself even more. Since that point on, Edna tries to search for moments where she is alone, where she can connect to her inner self. For example, the first time Edna realizes she can swim. Surprised and after being congratulated by every one she looks towards the sea. She has no limits, she is in the water and observes the horizon. She swims and tries to reach "the unlimited in which to lose herself". (pg.60). Soon after she has enjoyed the view, she turns back and looks at the people she left behind, she looks at the distance between her and the shore, and understands that for a professional swimmer it wouldn't be much, but for her, she has overcome an obstacle. While on the sea, Edna has a vision of death, she tells her husband about it, "I thought i should have perished out there alone", once again talking about loneliness.

Some times, Edna enjoys solitude more than others, with each moment, she acquires new feelings, new sensations. She has become a different person. While visiting Madame Antoine, Edna is taken to a room so she can rest. While being by herself, she can do whatever she wants, she has to follow no social constraints. As every one left the room, she washes herself and takes some of her clothes of, she soon realizes it feels nice to rest in a strange bed. Edna embraces every alone moment she has, instead of being scared and overwhelmed, she takes every second and makes it hers. No one can steal anything she has gained during her personal time. This time becomes important to her well being, since it helps her know more about herself, it teaches her limits.

A life Style

Mr. Pontellier seems like the perfect husband to every one else. He sends his family chocolates and gifts, and gives his wife money, he takes care of everyone and feeds them also. Just like the perfect husband, there is also a perfect wife.

 In the book, Adele Ratignolle is described as one. She is a lady full of charms, with blonde hair and blue eyes, and really red lips. Every movements and gestures are made with grace. Every movement she makes is careful and calculated. She is always watching out for what might be needed.

As her opposite, there is Mrs. Pontellier, and altough she is a good wife, there are certain things she does that make her really different from Adele. Edna understands Adele’s charms and just like she admires them she wouldn’t want to acquire them.  The new Edna, focuses more on the present, she is not worrying about the things her sons will need for the winter if it is summer. Adele takes things slowly and does things as time advances. It’s all about becoming a happy individual, instead of being absorbed by the level of pressure and rush of the society, she sets a pace that will suit her and the things she has to do.  

Dealing with them

It’s a woman’s task, what to do when we are told it’s your task to do certain things? I don’t understand how Enda can manage Mr. Pontelliers attitude. He thinks, she doesn’t do anything all day, he thinks she just sits there. Well, women do lots of things men don’t know they do, or they might know, but they think it is easier to do them. Being a lady is easy. Give amen, a piece of chiken, he will masacre it till a woman comes and saves him, unless baking chicken is their specialty. Woman are able to multitask, and in order to do that, they need rest. 

Mr. Pontellier comes in to his room without any care, he walks loud, and talks even louder. Poor Edna is trying to sleep, getting energies to deal with the next day, however lovely Mr. Pontelier doenst care and tells her about everything he cares about. Edna being half asleep can only make certain noises, Mr. Pontellier then wonders why Enda doesn’t share interest in the same topics. Oh well, thats tough. If you are talking to a person that has just woken up, chances are you wont get much of an answer. However as Mr. Pontellier hasn't had enough, he walks to the room and checks on his sons. After revising them, he assures Edna one of them has a fever. As a mother would know, she contradicts Pontelier, he soon coments on how taking care of the children is Ednas job, he brings money and food to the house, so like he does this wonderful things, he takes as a fact, that Edna will take care of her children.

As an obedient wife, she wakes up, walks to the children and sees for herself that... they don’t have a fever. Unabe to sleep, she just cries. Silently, at first she tries to hide the tears, cleaning them with the sleeve, after some time, she realizes that the tears can’t be hidden any more and that trying to dry them is irrational, " the tears came so fast to Mrs. Pontellier’s eyes that the damp sleeve of her peignoir no longer served to dry them" (pg. 22).   

Power?

The aparent power males have over females is somewhat questionable in "The Awakening". Altough Mr. Pontellier does have a say in Mrs. Pontelliers decisions, his opinion starts to diminish as Edna awakens. At first, Edna would do whatever Mr. Pontellier would tell her to do, and Pontellier himself could do whatever he wanted to do without Ednas aproval or dissaprova. Edna would keep her opinion to herself.

An example, Mr. Pontellier wants to go over to a club where he can bet, and spend time with his friends. So a little time before an early dinner, he just excuses himself and leaves. Edna knows him well and she understands that he might take a long time coming back, "perhaps he would return for the early dinner and perhaps he would not" (pg. 16). Pontellier left before dinner, leaving Enda alone with the children. As she seems to acept everything her husband does, she keps quiet. However this changes radically when Edna starts doing whatever she wants to do. When Edna abandoned the tuesdays with Mr. Pontellier, he freaked out, "she has abandoned her Tuesdays at home"(pg. 126).  He wouldn’t understand why she was doing such thing. Very different reaction to that of Mrs. Pontellier when her husband did the same thing.

Women tend to react less when their husbands do whatever they want. Edna for example, just remains quiet, and she accomodates herself to Mr. Pontelliers desires. However, when the women start to do how they please, they are repressed by their husbands, in this case, Pontellier is trying to get his wife back.