The Story of an Hour

Kate Chopin's The Story of an Hour is anything but predictable. I typically like to predict the endings of stories, but I was surprised with each little twist in the short story. Chopin uses irony to surprise the readers of the short story. "She said it over and over under her breath: 'Free, free, free!'" Mrs. Mallard seemed to be more than happy that her husband had died. She even admits she did not love him. Of course, she had to put up the show that she was heartbroken. The irony in the ending is that she imagines her future free from her husband, and then there appears Brently. Readers then infer that Mrs. Mallard died from heartbreak in the sense that she had just had the feeling of happiness only to have it taken away when her husband was still alive. Initially, readers think she will die of a heart attack from the news of her husband's death, but she dies from the news of her husband's survival. Ironic?

Popular Mechanics

Raymond Carver's Popular Mechanics initially appears to be a typical fight between a husband and wife. Then by the end, I felt like my mind was torn apart along with the baby. The external conflict between the man and his wife is most likely due to a problem in their marriage. Then things turn towards the child. I think this story is a sick and twisted way of saying that fights between parents tears apart the children, sometimes literally. The final sentence of the short story reads, "In this manner, the issue was decided." This line refers to  how the child was ripped apart by the parents. Of course, the issue was over who gets the child. I guess in this case both of them get a part of the child! The title of Popular Mechanics demonstrates the theme that fights like these occur rather often, well except for children being ripped in half. Thinking about the title, helps readers know that children are devastated by the fights that occur between their parents.

You're Ugly Too

Well, Zoe is a psycho. In Lorrie Moore's You're Ugly Too, Zoe is characterized as a person completely detached from normal social interaction. Moore uses characterization to reveal Zoe personality. At one point, Zoe tells the story of a time she was out on a double date: " 'Once at a dinner party I amazed the host by getting up and saying good-bye to every single person there, first and last names.' / 'I knew a dog who could do that,' said Zoe." This scene characterizes Zoe as a person who is incapable of proper social interaction. Although I find Zoe to be hilarious, I think she is crazy, especially in the final scene. Zoe almost pushes a drunk man to his death! What a psycho! Then she claims she was only kidding, and the only thing going through her head is how she looks right now. I imagine she looked like deranged killer.

Throughout the story, Moore includes the teacher evaluations of Zoe. These help provide a glimpse into the kind of teacher Zoe is. This is another form of characterization of Zoe. Also, Zoe mentions "Heidi" throughout the story. I think she considers this Heidi to be the typical, ideal woman. Oh, and why does her sister have a boy's name? Evan, really?

Lonely Hearts

Lonely Hearts by Wendy Cope  shows a few brief stories of people looking for love. I think it is a very clever poem in that it acts like a section of a newspaper of people looking for love. I think the title Lonely Hearts is appropriate because each of these people seems to be at a rather desperate stage for love. I find it interesting that each person is looking for an odd characteristic in their potential lover. My favorite was, "Executive in search of something new-- Perhaps bisexual woman, arty, young." I liked this one because it was the person who was bored with getting anything. The structure of the poem was interesting. The corresponding lines of each stanza rhymed. Also, the ending of each stanza alternated. One of the final lines is, "Who knows where it will lead once we've begun?" It seems like all of these people are unsure of what they truly want.

Bright Star

John Keats' Bright Star is definitely a love poem. The speaker talks about how he wants to be steadfast as a star. Well what does that really mean? I think it means that he wants his love to be unwavering. The speaker talks about the qualities he likes about a star like how it keeps constant watch even through the night. However, there are a few characteristics about stars that the speaker does not like. He says, "No-yet still steadfast, still unchangeable." The speaker does not like how stars seem to live forever. I guess the speaker just does not like the idea of seeing his lover die, but who likes that idea? This poem is an example of an apostrophe as well. The speaker is addressing and absent object, the star, which is a rather long distance away. Its a little weird he wants to address it to the star when its about his love, but it is an effective metaphor.

Eveline

Throughout James Joyce's Eveline, and internal conflict is occurring in the woman's mind. She is in love with a sailor. Of course, sailors are traveling people and if she wanted to marry him she would have to go with him on his travels. Her father does not like her little sailor boyfriend at all. The woman is conflicted about whether she should go with this sailor who she loves or to stay with her father who has loved her all her life. Might I just say, I totally predicted the ending after the first page. Although it doesn't really make it a perfect love story, I think it is good that she values her family. However, I think this really because she fears her father's wrath. Eveline describes: "...she sometimes felt herself in danger of her father's violence." I think this line makes it pretty clear that her father has a short temper and he tended to beat his family. The last line also gives a clue as to why she fled the sailor. It says that her eyes gave no sign of love or farewell or recognition. It appears that Eveline had a revelation that she did not really love this man, and she wanted to get away in order to reevaluate her life.

How I Met My Husband

How I Met My Husband by Alice Munro details a farm girls life with a wealthy family not accustomed to farmers. Mrs. Pebbles makes some  Chris is a pilot who just recently got back from the war, which suggests a major war involving planes just got over. I inferred from this that the story takes place in possibly the late 1940's just after World War II. Edie kind of likes Chirs, but she's a fifteen year old girl, so she isn't smart enough to know what she's feeling. Then things get weird when Chris' "fiance" shows up. I found it funny that his fiance's name is Alice and the author's name is Alice. I think this is intentional. I think the author wants to convey that she did not want to be the girl that fanatically chases a man who doesn't like her. Throughout the story, Munro uses characterization to contribute to the plot. Edie is characterized as naive. First of all, Edie is too naive to know what intimate means: "You don't get a baby from just doing that!" Secondly, Edie thinks that this Chris guy is going to write her and be all romantic after he was already running from his old fiance. However, I did like the ending in which she ends up marrying the mailman. I think it sends a good message that the man a girl overlooks is probably the type of man she will end up marrying.