Death of a Salesman

The theme of the play seems to be that Willy is getting dementia. He has grown tired from all the traveling he does as a salesman. Willy starts reminiscing about the past, only remembering the good times with his brother, memories of his father, and when his boys were younger and thought so highly of him. Willy talking to having conversations with himself, yet thinking he is talking to others symbolizes the fact that he is loosing his mind. The dialogue affects the readers because Willy speaks with such harshness not only to his wife, but to his son Biff. Perhaps he is this way with Biff because Willy feels as if Biff has moved on and forgotten him. They used to be so close and now they barely speak without an argument of some sort.

My reaction to the play thus far is that it started out kinda interesting but then became very confusing due to the flashbacks that Willy was having. I couldn't keep track of what was really going on in the play. After reading it a second time, I started to understand what was going on with Willy and the reasoning for the flashbacks. I believe he is very lonely and truly just wants people to notice him again. That is why he keeps having the accident in the car. I don't feel he is trying to kill himself, just get noticed. I predict that Biff will run off again to never return home and Happy will stay around to help his mother. Willy, because Biff has gone again, will continue to grow more depressed and his dementia will overcome him and eventually kill him.

"The Glass Menagerie" part two

The relevance of The Glass Menagerie and today's readers and theatergoers is that this play demonstrates the truth about everyday life and the reality that people live. Things are not that much different today as they were sixty years ago in regard to a husband walking out on his family. This is more common in today's world. Today's readers and theatergoers in reality have experienced or know someone who has experienced the drama we have read about in this play. The play shows some resentment among the mother and son. Tom wanting to be free and live an adventure sorta like his father, but yet feels this obligation to his mother and sister to stay and be the bread winner of the family. I believe a lot of readers and theatergoers having been through that situation before or are maybe going through it now.

The play has retained its popularity because it depicts real life in many aspects. As in, being a single mother trying to raise children and see to it that they have a future. This is reality with most mothers. Something that any parent wants for their children. In the play, Amanda just doesn't seem to understand Tom and why he is always going to the movies and never stays home. Yet Tom doesn't understand why his mother pushes so hard for him to be successful in life. As with today's parents and children, parent strive to push their kids into being a success and to live descent lives, and children just want their parents to leave them alone. Also, in the play, Laura feels allot of anxiety and low self-esteem. This is a big issue in today's world. Anxiety is one of the most common mental issues among all people, young or old. This causes people to become somewhat of a loner and they tend to escape onto a fantasy world of their own. The Glass Menagerie presents the truth about everyday life. So this is why is has retained its popularity.

The Glass Menagerie

In "The Glass Menagerie" the setting seems to take place in the south during the mid 1900's. I believe the theme of this play thus far, is the mother Amanda is always wanting to find her daughter Laura a gentleman caller. The glass figurines symbolizes Laura's shyness and inability to find a gentlemen caller. The figurines is all she has and all she cares about right now in her life. I believe that Amanda, the mother is so bored with her own life that she has made it a vow to take over her children's lives. Tom, however is getting quite tired of this and finally stands up for himself.

My reaction to the first five scenes was at first it started out boring and slowly I became engrossed in the play. I kept imagining myself in Laura's shoes with having my mother always riding me about needing to find a gentleman friend and making something of myself. My Response to the play is that Amanda is always doing this with both the kids, more so with Laura though. Amanda appears sincere about her affection for both Tom and Laura. However, she is very overbearing and persistent with interfering in their lives. I predict that in the end, now that Tom has invited his friend from work over for dinner, that Laura and Jim will get along good and it will love at first sight. Tom will move out and go on with his life the way he wants to live it. As for Amanda, she is going to finally be left alone with no one to fuss about and this will in turn drive her crazy.

"Marriage is a Private Affair"

My reaction to this story is sadness. Although I realize that different cultures have many different beliefs, I just do not understand how a parent can turn their back on any of their childern. In my opinion, regardless of what that child has done it is a parents duty to always have unconditional love for their children. Turning your back on a child is unexceptable. No one is perfect, and everyone makes mistakes. However, I was also disappointed by the stories ending. I was anticipating the father, after reading the letter from Nene about his grandsons, to put an end to disowning his son and come to terms with the decision that Nnaemeka had made in marrying Nene and finally allow them to be in his life. Instead, we are left with an ending of wondering what happened.

"Everyday Use"

Dee wanted the churn's top to use as a centerpiece for her alcove table and she will figure some artistic way of using the dasher. As for the quilts, Dee did not want them when offered to her when she went away to college as they old-fashioned and out of style then. Now as she has grown up and appreciates things better Dee wants the quilts because as she states "they're priceless!" Her mother, Grandma Dee and Big Dee had pieced them together out of pieces of clothing of Grandma Dee's, Grandpa Jarrell's and a small piece that was from Great Grandpa Ezra's uniform her wore in the Civil War. Hanging the quilts is a way for her to show others and remember her heritage. Meanwhile, Maggie wanted the quilts for after she was married to put then to everyday use. She didn't need to hang them in order to remember her heritage. For her heritage is still something she lives and uses everyday.

As for the significance of the story's title "Everyday Use", I believe that it is significant because as I mentioned, Maggie will be using the quilts for "everyday use" not for something that will be hung on a wall to collect dust. Maggie can use the quilts for "everyday use" and get the same sentimental value out of them as Dee can by hanging them up and showing them from time to time,explaining to company what they are and how they were made. I believe the quilts were made with the intentions of being used on a daily basis.

"The Yellow Wallpaper"

The importance of writing to the narrator is that it is the only way she can express her freedom. She writes about her life, as depressing as it may be. Writing is the one thing in her life her husband does not have control over. It is something that she enjoys doing, even though her husband thinks it will just overwhelm her. Although, she does state "but it does exhaust me a good deal-having to be so sly about it, or else meet with heavy opposition". Non the less, writing helps her to withstand her days.

At the end of the story, the narrator finds a way to break free from her husbands control. A way to be free and finally be herself again.Gilman tears off the wallpaper to set the woman trapped behind it free. That woman being herself. Her husband faints because he thought she was would remain the same and he would always have that control over her. To care for her everyday need in a round about way. However, when he walked into the room he discovers that she has overcome all that and has finally been set free. So she creeps over him because he had been creeping over her for so long. Watching her every movement.

"The Rocking Horse Winner"

I believe the irony is that of circumstance. The mothers dislike of gambling because it has caused damage to her family in the past and the fact her young son has become lucky in gambling behind her back to make money for his mother. After all, his mother is the one that said being lucky is what causes you to have money. The importance of the irony in this story is that the mothers want for more money has drove her young son to be obsessed with becoming lucky, which in turn has made him into a gambler and ultimately cost him is life and a mother her son.

My reaction to this story is disturbing. The mother installs into her son's head that his father is unlucky and that is why they are the poor members of the family and luck is what causes you to have money. I feel you should never burden your children with money issues. Children should not have to worry about issues like that, they need to be kids and enjoy their childhood. I believe the mother, more or less, stole her son's childhood from him. In my opinion, the mother is the one who is responsilbe for her son's death. Because of her greediness for money, she created this overwhelming desire in her son's life to be lucky in money.