"Harrison Bergeron"

The year is 2081, capitalism and Democracy no longer exists. Prevailing is Soviet-style Totalitarianism. Evidence of this exists in the acknowledgement that there no longer are differences, advantages, or competition. Without these factors the population remains one big governmentally controlled faction deemed as Equality. Equality so extreme personal rights protected by the Constitution of the United States are infringed upon, and are no longer allowing for an American Democracy or Capitalism society. Factions among the population are not evident. Ones such as social class, wealth, athleticism, and intellegence. All of these factors are now controlled by the Government through technological mind control as well as laws, the create the idea of so-called equality. As in "A&P," this Soviet-style government also contains a faction, or group of individuals with the same ideas or beliefs. In "A&P" the faction can be defined as the sheep-like society. Even through sports for young children today, even the losing team recieves medals to display equality. If all competition is eliminated, what other to do then follow the norm? One can only eliminate so many differences before too long everyone is controlled like robotic figures that have no purpose other then completing tasks they are assigned.

Answers to Questions on "Where Are You Going...."

Group 1.
The title "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" can be interpreted as expressing the conflict, the main character, Connie has to endure when targeted by Arnold Friend. The author illustrates Connie as the main character in that Connie's purity, will, soul are over-taken by Friend. She has to endure change. I believe this reflects the title of the story. The question contains two parts signifying that great change has taken place, not only physically, but also emotionally and mentally. "You" refers to the characters sense of safety, her will, her soul, her purity.

Group 2.
Arnold Friend , outsider who seems to sexually targets women. He is depicted as a middle-aged man, clean and sleek, and controlling through emotion. I think the last name "Friend" contributes irony, in that he is creepy and definitely not "A. Friend." His car, clothing, language all depict and image of an impersonator of a young hip male, yet an outsider; almost making the reader of the story curious of where he is from and his intentions. Connie begins to question the identity of A. Friend when she studies details such as clothing, language, and "...the way he tapped one fist against the other in homage to the perpetual music behind him." To Connie examining these details she concludes his age must be much older.

Group 3.
The significance of the numbers 33 19 17 on A. Friend's car might symbolize sex. When all three numbers are added together they equal 69. Connie's family criticize Connie for her beauty. I don't think that they fully understand how constant criticizing has impacted her emotions in a negative way. There roles in the story are brief only to add to Connie's conflict. At the end of the story Arnold Friend takes Connie to a field to hold her. This is where the story ends, however, I think that Connie was raped and then returned to her home later mentally distraught.

Group 4.
In the story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" the author illustrates that the stories setting was place in a small town. Small town generally have the reputation of low crime and a sense of hospitality. Most people know just about everyone else. This setting adds to the story dramatically. This shows that A. Friend could have been an outsider and that his actions might not ever be revealed.

Where are you going? Where have you been?

Literature, not just a class we all have to endure in order to pass school, but much more. Through various forms of literature such as: films, articles, novels, short-stories, songs, etc... meaning can be derived. Stories are portrayed and moral messages may be interpreted. Literature preserves our heritage and culture. Through literature one may learn where they have been, and where they may be going. In reading over "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" and watching the film Smooth Talk, similarities are evident. Mostly descriptive details portrayed by the author are depicted in the film. Open to interpretation is whether or not Connie, victim of Arnold Friend-a sexual predator, is raped. The three articles on Charles Schmid, accused of three counts of murder in 1966, show that his three women victims remain similar, in that all three of the women prove to be decease. Alleen Rowe, one of Schmid's victims, relates to Connie, for she too is raped. Both girls are portrayed as the prey. All of these passages relate in one central idea that there are predators and rapist out in the world and young women are commonly victims. There are many points of iterations or commonality between all of these works of literature.

Updike and Poems in Deepth

In the short story "A&P" by John Updike, "Rites of Passage," and "The Girl at the Boys' Party" both by Sharon Olds, bestows an underlying message. Universality may be found among these three pieces of literature. All three works of art depict the process of growing up into the real world and how who we are can be shaped through decisions or events in life. Within the lines of "A&P," the author describes customers as sheep-like, and Sammy, the main character, as unsheep-like. This sense of acting out of the norm is displayed in all three works. In the short story "A&P" Sammy, the main character, acts on impulse and decides to quit his job in the defense of three young women. He feels the three girls are disrespected by his boss Lengel, manager who asked the girls to leave for improper attire. By quitting, Sammy has given up his reputation in a small town for the attention of girls that just seem to vanish. This acting on impulse shapes Sammy's character into a being lacking leadership skills. In "Rites of a Passage" a young son around the age of six or seven is depicted as a leader. When he sees the other kids at his party in a conflict on how they would beat each other up, the main character, interrupts by saying he could beat up a two year old. The two boys agree with the main character and focus back on the party. This shows characteristics of leadership, problem solving, and compromising. This relates to "A&P" with Updike's image of being unsheep-like, or out of the norm. "The One Girl at the Boys' Party" by Sharon Olds shows that the processes of becoming a women are unlike processes of becoming a man. In this poem the author displays the main character, as Updike would say, "unsheep-like" in that the main character is the only girl at a all boys pool party. The author depicts puberty and life processes. These three works of art show universality through processes. Processes that shape use into who we are as an individual.

Updike Comparison

Updike portrays Sammy, the main character in his short story A&P, as a hero. The author sets the scene with three young women in bathing suits parading around the A&P; local grocery store. Updike's imagery details depict a scene of public nakedness that is shocking and stunning. Sammy's attention is on Queenie, the beauty of the three girls. Updike states that Sammy's character being blue collar is attracted to the women clearly of white collar social class. The author describes customers as sheep-like and Sammy as unsheep like. Showing that Sammy is willing to take chances despite the consequences. Sammy's character being interpreted as a rebellion, good outlaw, or a hero. He suggests that Sammy's character is a typically well-intention American male. The character acts on good impulse with a sense of feminist protest. Sammy gives up his good name for girls that disappear. In Updike's view Sammy's character is depicted as a hero. A masked hero, one who gains nothing.

As the reader I interpreted Sammy's character to be impulsive and hormonal. Sammy's act of heroism proves to be nothing more then act of attraction. Although Sammy expresses concern for the well-being of the women, I believe his act was done impulsively due to male hormones. Sammy risks ruining his work-reputation in a small town for the attention of the girls who do not even notice his so- called heroic deed. Sammy's character to me would not be a hero, but merely a fool.

Heroism

According to Dictionary.com, a hero is defined as a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. Hero is also defined as a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities of has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal: He was a local hero when he saved the drowning child.

I feel a hero should be defined as an individual who effects a life of another greatly in a positive manner. Having the courage to complete the act. Heroes are normal people we meet on a day-to-day basis. In most cases family, friends, or co-workers. They are individuals who make positive choices in spite of overwhelming obstacles. An example of a hero for me would be my older brother. He has made a grave many mistakes and bad choices in his life, but he also paid the price. From jail-time to probation to prison, my brother has endured many hardships. However, to this day he is a hard-working, positive, respectful, honest, comical, loving husband and father, and brother. My brother has turned his life completely around. He is not only my hero, but also my role model, my friend, my family, my brother.

In Updike's short story A &P Sammy, the main character, decides to quit his job in hopes to gain the attention of three young bathing suit-wearing women, who he feels were being disrespected and were embarrassed by his boss Lengel, when confronted about their attire. Does this make Sammy's character a hero? Through-out this short story from the time the three women enter the store to the climax when the girls are asked to leave, Sammy's character does not show heroism. Despite the act of expressing concern for the well-being of the women, Sammy quits his job out of frustration and poor choice. Sammy's “concern” for the women however, seems more like an act of attraction. Sammy's idea of completion or following-through with the gesture is a great concept, but one that should be applied else-where. Quitting his job because Lengel, Sammy's boss, has asked someone in improper attire to leave, in that bathing suits are not proper in grocery stores, embarrassing them, would not only be non-heroic, but also a very poor decision. Consequently by quitting, Sammy inflicts pain and betrayal on Lengel, a family friend of many years, in hopes of self-gaining the attention of three young women he meet only moments prior. Not only has Sammy negatively concluded a relationship with Lengel, but also between Lengel and Sammy's family. Is this suppose to be a heroic act? More like a selfish act that proves Sammy to be immature. I would not define Sammy's character as a hero.

Fiction Chpt. 1. Questions

Questions p. 6
1.

Both the North Wind and the Sun have competitive personalities. However, actions taken by the two show their methods prove to be much different. The North Wind is aggressive and impatient, using forceful methods that prove unworthy in the competition. On the other hand the Sun shows traits such as patients and persuasive action, that prove to be beneficial.
2.

The North Winds methods are flawed, in that, forceful action only causes the traveler to resist much more. By whirling winds, the North Wind, forces the traveler to become uncomfortable and as a result the traveler pulls his cloak closer for warmth.
3.

The Sun, patient and persuasive, gently beams warm sunlight on the traveler, and convinces him to unclasp his cloak. Slowly the sun progresses the intensity of the heat and the traveler is willing to remove the cloak for better comfort.
4.

The person in this case is the subject that shows persuasion is better than force.
5.

Persuasion is better than force. The North Wind's forceful actions prove to be no match for the Sun's persuasion techniques.

Questions p. 8

1.

Exposition occurs in the first two sentences; dramatic situation is set up in the first three sentences.
2.

He changes the subject by grabbing the attention of the two guards with a intriguing story on an ancient tortoise, now having the complete attention of the guards, he shows them using this story as a metaphor, that he to, like the tortoise would like to remain free. Asking the guards whether or not the tortoise would rather be dead and honored or alive proved efficient, using guilt and sympathy of the poor tortoise the guards associated this with Chuang Tzu, and with this metaphor he gains his freedom.
3.

This shows us that Chuang Tzu is very intelligent. Using the mind and emotion to express his way out of the situation. His character shows independence and wisdom.


Questions p. 19

1.

The details about an ordinary day at the supermarket and the attention the girls are able to obtain. The way the author is able to capture the image. Sammy's vivid imagery and actions shows his attractions to the girls. Lengel's upsetting further shows authority. These reactions stand out and are particularly true to life. Descriptive details add dramatically, not only to the story as a whole, but also as Sammy's level of interest in the girls. By being able to capture every detail of the girls, shows that Sammy's attention was directly on the girls. The descriptive details are so vivid I could place myself there.
2.

Sammy's character shows that he is a typical young man. He is intrigued by the girls and seeks to be noticed. Although he wants to show heroism by quiting his job, this action shows he acts more on impulse and reveals his insecurities. His thoughts, feelings, and character image were more vividly portrayed.
3.

The exposition would be the introduction of Sammy and the girls in bathing suits. The Queenie in the story is of value in that, she is the leader of the other two girls. She is the reason for complication in the story. Through her actions we find what Sammy's true character is.
4.

No, Throughout the entire story Sammy shows attraction towards the girls.
5.

The dramatic conflict arises when Lengel takes notice of the girls in bathing suits. When he confronts them about the clothing policies. The crisis happens when Lengel tells the girls they need to leave because they are not properly dressed and a small conformation takes place between them and Lengel. He asks Sammy if he has yet to ring them up. The climax is when Sammy decides to quit, in hopes to gain the attention of the girls, because of the way Lengel embarrassed them.
6.

Sammy quits his job because he feels that Lengel had embarrassed the girls. He hopes that the girls will notice his heroism. However, once he realizes they are not interested he feels he must continue with his decision.
7.

When the girls reached the meat counter and ask McMahon something. While walking about McMahon sizes up there joints, Sammy says. He comments that he feels sorry for them.
8.

The conclusion of the story is that Sammy quit his job in hopes of gaining the attention of three girls. A mild attraction for his job. Probably not the smartest decision he could have made. He states “how hard the world was going to be...hereafter,” means because of his choice jobs are going to be harder to obtain. Quitting his job for attention will be a hard lesson to learn. You can not just quit every time you want to be noticed. You won't ever have a job-means of survival.
9.

Commenting on how you could set of dynamite in “A&P” and shoppers would not even stir, but three girls in bathing suits enter and even the “houseslaves in pin curlers even looked around after pushing their carts past to make sure what they had seen was correct.” This captures how much attention the young girls are receiving.