Here is the Professor's post for this week's story. Simply comment on this post for this first trial run in blogging. Don't forget to follow the format as shown in this blog.
The key points we went over Monday:
- The title "That Evening Sun" is from a blues-gospel song.
- Gospel incorporates call and response.
- Jesus is the "Trickster" or outsider.
- Ritual/common acts are passed through culture: the type of work you do, clothes you wear, whether or not you brush your teeth.
The following are the Lyrics from Van Morrison's Version of "When That Evening Sun Go Down"
I want you, be around
When that evening sun goes down
I want you, be around
Keep my both feet on the ground
When that evening sun goes down
I want you, understand
Little girl, take me by my hand
I want you, understand
I wanna be your loving man
When that evening sun goes down
If it's nice, we'll go for a walk, a stroll in the clear moonlight
Singing a song, won't take long
Everything gonna be alright
And I wanna hold you oh so near
Keep you, darling from all fear
I wanna hold you oh so near
Nibble on your little ear
When that evening sun goes down
If it's nice, go for a walk, stroll in the clear moonlight
Sing you a song, won't take long
Everything gonna be alright
And I wanna hold you oh so near
Keep you, darling from all fear
I wanna hold you oh so near
Nibble on your little ear
When that evening sun goes down
When that evening sun goes down
When that evening sun goes down..
32 comments:
The Evening Sun
William Faulkner
William Faulkner was raised in Oxford, Mississippi. He later traveled to New Orleans where he developed a passion for the blues. He said himself the central theme of his writing was "the problems of the human heart in conflict with itself".
Basic passage
"What ditch?" Caddy said. "A ditch like that on there? Why did a queen want to go into a a ditch?"
"To get to her house," Nancy said. She looked at us. "She had to cross the ditch to get into her house quick and bar the door."
"Why did she want to go home and bar the door?" Caddy said.
This passage shows us how clueless the children are about Nancy's situation and the adult world in general. Nancy is ridden with guilt after she realizes that Jesus knows she is pregnant with a white man's child. She begins to have irrational fears of her crazy husband hiding in the ditch that is in the lane on the way to her house.
"When that evening sun goes down
I want you, be around
Keep my both feet on the ground
When that evening sun goes down"
Nancy does not want to be left alone at night, especially in her cabin. She goes as far to bribe the children to stay with her because she knows Jesus will not harm her if he knows the "white people” are with her. The children cannot seem to understand the whole situation and interpret it to Nancy being "scared of the dark".
"Everything gonna be alright
And I wanna hold you oh so near
Keep you, darling from all fear
I wanna hold you oh so near"
Everyone has that irrational fear they experience in their life. Whether it be the fear of clowns, the fear of ghosts, fear of the dark - all irrational, but all feel very real. Even moreso, the fear sparked by guilt is often the fear that haunts us the most. No doubt Nancy is feeling guilty for being pregnant with a white man's child. Her fear becomes so intense she begins to imagine a scenario where her husband is actually hiding in the ditch waiting for her. Have you ever had an irrational fear sparked by guilt?
For example, I’ve heard scenarios where a person steals something from a store and everytime they go back in the store they have a constant anxiety of being watched and a paranoia that they will be arrested any minute… even if the crime occurred months ago… simply from the guilt.
Another obvious symbol in the story – maybe too obvious – is the name of Nancy’s husband, Jesus. Nancy fears Jesus because she thinks he’ll kill her for having a white man’s child. Nancy may also feel guilty towards the real Jesus for having sinned.
1. Identify the cause of human suffering—Tragedy
The cause of human suffering is Nancy’s pregnancy. Her guilt and fear of Jesus drive her to paranoia.
2. How can the tragedy be turned into a comedy?
The white family can take Nancy in and allow her to live with them instead of being completely apathetic to her feelings.
3. Identify the cause of joy or happiness—Comedy
This is a nostalgic story of dark events, I don’t see any joy or happiness.
Difficulties
Why is Jason portrayed at a tattletale? Does this have any significance to the story?
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
That Evening Sun
William Faulkner
William Faulkner lived in Oxford, Mississippi. Faulkner used Oxford as a pattern for the fictional county in the story. Faulkner, an avid blues and jazz lover, used music to help us (the readers) to better understand the story.
Basic Passage
Then it stopped and we heard father going down the back stairs, and we went to the head of the stairs. Then the sound began again, in the stairway, not loud, and we could see Nancy's eyes halfway up the stairs, against the wall. They look like cat's eyes do, like a big cat against the wall, watching us...
This passage shows that Nancy is truly "afraid for her life." The kids' description of Nancy's eyes shows that she is alert and restless. Nancy probably has not gotten a "good night's sleep" since she found out that she is pregnant with a white man's baby for fear of what Jesus (her husband and the real Jesus) would do to her. Nancy knows that Jesus (her husband) will be more likely to harm her at night than in broad daylight. The title of the story is derived from the blues song "When that evening sun goes down." The "sound" that the kids hear Nancy make is similiar to "music." It seems to me that at night or "when that evening sun goes down" Nancy probably hums to try to calm or comfort herself because she is distressed.
... Sometimes we would go a part of the way down the lane across the pasture with her, to watch the balanced bundle and the hat that never bobbed nor wavered , even when she walked down into the ditch and up the other side and stooped through the fence. She would go down on her hands and knees and crawl through the gap, her head rigid , uptilted , and the bundle steady as a rock or a balloon, and rise to her feet again and go on.
In this passage, the narrator seems to be mystified by Nancy's ability to carry "a bundle" on her head. This passage, to me, seems to suggest that no matter what obstacles are in placed in a woman's way , she is able to grit her teeth, "carry the heavy burden" , and still come back on top with her person intact. The "heavy burden" signifies the baby that Nancy is "carrying." The "obstacles" that are in Nancy's way is her fear of her husband Jesus and the guilt or shame she feels because she sinned when she committed adultery. This passage contains foreshadowing. I believe that once Nancy forgives herself for what happened and asks Jesus (the real Jesus and her husband ) for forgiveness , that gradually she will come back on top with her person intact.
(1). Identify the cause of human suffering- Tragedy
I believe that the cause of human suffering is Nancy's anxiety due to her situation.
(2). How can the tragedy be turned into a comedy?
I do not think that the tragedy could really be turned into a comedy. I think that once Nancy comes to terms with her situation and forgives herself and asks for forgiveness, she will be okay , but not completely happy.
(3). Identify the cause of joy or happiness-Comedy
I do not think that there is any joy or happiness in this story.
List Difficulties
I did not have any difficulties.
The Evening Sun:
William Faulkner
William Faulkner was born in NewAlbany, Miss, but he was raised in Oxford, Miss. He later then moved to New Orleans, where he wrote poetry. I imagined that the city influenced his writing because the city is known for its music(blues) and cultures.
Basic Passage:
"the quiet, dusty, shady streets would be full of Negro women with, balanced on their steady, turbanded heads, bundles of clothes tied up in sheets, almost as large as cotton bales, carried so without a touch of hand between the kitchen door."
This passage is looking back in the past on how black women used to wear such clothings. It is looking back on the culture in which how black women use to do labor such as how they carried water back in tubs or clay pots on their heads and now looking towards the future our wants and needs are similar but simplfied. Meaning labor work that was done by black females are now done by machines. For instance if we want water now instead of just of sending black women down to the stream and get some we have sinks and a water system runned by machines to feed us water. Same for washing laundry, we have machines doing that those needs. As relating to the title the EVENING SUN, the sunset is always the same but instead of labor power there is machine power.
Correlate:
Now in my life things are evolving but dealing with electronics it didn't make anything easier just better quality for example, television. In my life time it went from color Tv to better quality picture, but for example the generation before me was the ones who had the major changes, For example, push behind lawn mower and now gas power mower. Type writers to computers, and the list goes on. If i would have a chnce to live in that error that i would have a better analogy. Other than that just hearing my parents stories are my only experiences.
1) Identify the cause of human suffering-Tragedy
A black women (Nancy) pregnant with a white male's child and worried about her husband.
2) How can the tragedy be turned into a comedy?
having her baby be her husband's(Jesus) child
3) Identify the cause of joy and happiness- comedy:
i don't see any joy or happiness.
Difficulties:
Why is Jason the scared one between the two kids?
"The Evening Sun"
William Faulkner
William Faulkner was born in New Albany, Ms. When he became the age of 5 or 6 years old his family moved to Oxford, Ms. He started his career as a poet, unfortnately his poetry was not a big sucess. So he turned to writing.
Basic passage:
"He out there," Nancy said. "He looking through the window this minute, waiting for yawl to go. Then I gone." "I can't do nothing. Just put it off. And that won't do no good. I reckon it belong to me. I reckon what I going to get aint no more than mine."
This pasaage to me shows that Nancy has so much fear built up in her that it is driving her insane. She feels that her husband is watching her every move now that he knows her dark secret about her being pregnant by a white man. The kids can not understand why she is afraid to be alone in the dark. However, I feel Nancy is afraid of the things that could happen in the dark, while she is alone.
I think that after a while, she starts to realize that she has made a terrible mistake and has sinned aganist her husband. Maybe thats why she did not get up to bar the door when the kids and thier father left her house. Nancy starts to talk about putting it off wont do any good. I took that as her saying why should I wait or be afraid any longer. Her fear of her having to face her husband with the dark secret, led her into not fearing that she had to face the consequences of her actions.
Whether she knew it was wrong or right, she obviously was ready to bring what she had done to the light. When she stated, " I reckon what I going to get aint no more than mine." I felt she was saying she can not blaim anybody besides herself for what had happened.
1. Identify the cause of human suffering----- Its obviuosly that Nancy had sinned aganist her husband and got pregnant by white man.
2. How can the tragedy be turned into a comedy?----- If the wife had joined in on her husband and Nancy's secert sex life and approved of their child together. The wife also agreeing to try to keep the truth hidden from Jesus.
3. Identify the cause of joy or happiness----- Do not feel there was joy or comedy within the story.
That Evening Sun
William Faulkner
Faulkner was born in Mississippi and raised in Oxford. He traveled extensively. Wrote most about conflicts within humans. He was known for the shock in his stories.
Basic Passage
"When yawl go home, I gone," Nancy said. She talked quieter now, and her face looked quiet, like her hands. "Anyway, I got my coffin money saved up with Mr. Lovelady."
This passage connects with the title because this is at night and when every one leaves her she is going to die.
Correlate
This passage applies to the part of society who just give up. Nancy believes that Jesus is going to kill her and she doesn't think she can do anything about it. When the speaker said, "she talked quieter now, and her face liiked quiet, like her hands," it seems he is saying she is ready to go now because she is quiet. She is not fighting any more. She even has her coffin money ready.
-The cause of human suffering is that Nancy thinks Jesus is going to kill her-TRAGEDY
-Nancy could decide she was not going to let Jesus kill her-COMEDY
The only joy I can see is that the children get to go home like they wanted.
That Evening Sun - by William Faulkner
Wiliam Faulkner was from New Albany, Mississippi. He was born in 1897. He won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1949 and in 1925 he met Sherwood Anderson in New Orleans to discuss publishing some literary works. He published many literary works such as poems and both fiction and non fiction.
Basic Passage
"I scared of the dark," Nancy said. "I scared for it to happen in the dark." "When yawl go home, I gone." Nancy said. She talked quieter now and her face looked quiet, like her hands. "Anyway, I got my coffin money saved up with Mr. Lovelady."
This passage means that Nancy was afraid of Jesus and that he would kill her when she went home at night. The setting of the sun represented the end of the day and in this story represents Nancy being afraid of the dark and of being afraid of dying.
"And then about half of the time we'd have to go down the lane to Nancy's cabin, and tell her to come on and cook breakfast. We would stop at the ditch, "because father warnwed us not to have anything to do with Mr.Jesus, because he was a short black man with a razor scar on his face and father disliked him. And we would go down and throw rocks at Nancy's cabin untill she came out."
In this passage it is obvious to see that Dilsey's father is very strict about them not hanging around Mr. jesus or Mrs. Nancy's house. But the children disobey their father. This applies to my life because I too once was told not to associate with someone but disobeyed my parents instructions. The Bible teaches us that we should not be afraid of our enemies but that we should pray for them, and that the first sinner should cast the first stone.
No I do not think that people would accept Dilsey's or her friends behavior towards Mr. Jesus and Mrs. Nancy. I wish that they had learned to be cautious of Mr. Jesus instead of throwing rocks at his doorstep.
Yes a life lesson about how to be cautious and stay away from unfriendly or mean people is an important lesson which can be usefull for a person and his or her career.
1. Identify the cause of human suffering—Tragedy
The cause of human suffering was when Nancy was thrown in jail and beaten by the guard while she was pregnant. This act showed the cruelty of whites towards blacks during an era when slavery was present. It showed a sense of moral prejudice and anger which would set the stage for Nancy's fear of Mr. Jesus.
2. How can the tragedy be turned into a comedy?
This tragedy can not be considered a comedy because the act that Nancy endured was severe and inhumane treatment for a pregnant woman to face and there was nothing funny about it or her sense of fright of Mr. Jesus.
3. Identify the cause of joy or happiness—Comedy
The cause of joy and hapiness in this story was the family's time spent gossiping around the breakfast table each morning. And the funny but rude jokes made by Nancy and Dilsey. such as when Nancy said ":I ain't studyin my breakfast," I got to get my sleep out," I bet you're drunk," Dilsey said.
Posted by DanielWise at 5:00 PM 1 comments
The Evening Sun
William Faulkner
William Faulkner recieved the Nobel Prize in 1949. He began his literary career as a poet, but his poetry was unsuccesful. He trained as a pilot for the Royal Canadian Flying Corps in 1918, worked in New York city in 1920 and 1921, he also spent time in Europe, New Orleans and Hollywood.
Basic passage
"What are you talking so loud for, Nancy?" Caddy said. "Who; me?" Nancy said. "Listen at Quentin and Caddy and Jason saying I'm talking loud." "You talk like there is five of us here," Caddy said. You talk like father was here too." "Who; me talking loud, Mr. Jason?" Nancy said.
In this passage we can see how needy Nancy really is. She knows that these kids can do nothing to protect her yet she clings to them just so that she doesn't have to be alone. She also tries to make enough noise so that someone hiding (Jesus) would think there were more people with her and leave her alone. She also makes it appear that the childrens father Jason is with them, by calling Jason (the child) Mr.Jason. She has it in her mind that Jesus is hiding and going to attack her the minute she is left alone. So by talking louder, and saying everyones name, she is letting him know she is not alone, therefore she feels safer.
Correlate
My Husband use to travel a lot for his job, and I had never had to be alone before, I was fine all day, but as soon as the sun went down, I was scared to be in my own house. I would hear noises and of course always assumed the worst. So at night I would put my son in the bed with me, who was only 2 at the time, but for some reason when he was there I felt better. I knew he would be of no help in protecting me, but just realizing that I wasn't alone somehow made me feel a little safer.
(1) Identify the cause of human suffering--tradegy
I feel the cause of her suffering is fear. She lets her fear control her and take over her life.
(2) How can the tradegy be turned into a comedy?
I don't think it could be.
(3) identify the cause of joy or happiness-Comedy
There is none.
Difficulties
I'm a little confused about the ending, what happens to her?
This is in response to Almond joys post:
For your difficulty you asked why is Jason the scared one. I think it is probaly because he is the youngest child, he was only five. So being the youngest and being that the youngest are usually babied a little more this is probaly why. He was very annoying to me; I have a six year old son and he is nothing like that, but he has a baby sister.
A comment on Rachel's Blog:
I agree about rachel's blog about how, " Everything has changed but things are still the same". Like she said, things are changing in the world and new things are being done but yet we still have some of the same of beliefs and do some of the same old things.
I remember about a year ago i went and visit my old highschool and it was amazing to see how much it had changed in small amount of time it has been since I was at that school. It is the same old school but with newer things. Like she said, "The Evening sun still shines like it once did".
I Believe that the bloggers response' about Nancies mental condition while she was pregnant were true. I believe that Nancy suffered more trauma in this story than the other members in the story. She was beaten while she was pregnant had an unwed baby with a white man which was beyond the customs of norm for her culture. Most of all she always had a feare of the night, dying, and of Mr. jesus. But she handled her stress by socializing with Dilsey's family while she cooked their breakfast in the mornings.
The Evening Sun
William Faulkner
William Faulkner was born in New Albany, Mississippi but was later raised in Oxford, Mississippi. He eventually moved to New Orleans where his passion for blues lead him to poetry writing. Faulkners main theme was conflict within ones own heart.
Basic Passage
"Monday is no different from any other weekday in Jefferson now". "The streets are paved now, and the telephone and electric companies are cutting down more and more of the shade trees-the water oaks, the maples and locusts and elms-to make room for iron poles.
In this passage the writer clearly feels as though all the days blur together. The town has become a shadow of its former self. The materalism of mankind was killing the wholsome nature all around him.
"But fifteen years ago, on Monday morning the quiet,dusty, shady streets would be filled with negro women with, balanced on their steady, trubaned heads, bundles of clothes tied up in sheets, almost as large as cotton bales,carried so wothout touch of hands between the kitchen door of the white house and the blackened washpot beside a cabin door in Negro Hollow."
Here Faulkner seems to be dreaming on the ways of the past. Letting the reader know that it was not always as it is now.His writing brings you a perfect image of an african women hard at work, in the cultral sense.He goes on to enlighten you on how graceful she must be to carry on normal movements while always keeping perfect posture to ensure the strudyness of not only her buddle but her life.
"She turned her head and spat out some blood and teeth and said," Its been three times now since he paid me a cent "
Here I think Faulkner is showing Nancy sense of pride in a way. Its not that she is proud of what she has done but she is going to make sure the people know that Mr. Stovall was partaking in that action with out paying the proper toll.As he is a decon in the church this two can be concidered a bash toward the godlyness of the white man. And how they use white christanity as an excuse to control and abuse the black man.
Correlate
I am an environmentalist at heart and I feel the abandonment of nature will lead us to desruction, in our journey to perfection through technology we abandon our culture and individuality. While its true things must change it is important to remember where you come from.
1. The suffering (tragedy) is the fact Nancy is not only with child, but its a white man's child.
2. It could be a comedy if Nancy didn't kill herself and the baby turned out to to be Jesus's child.
3. This story was a bit dark and the only joy I could find was the fact that with death comes life.
No Difficulties
The Evening Sun
William Faulkner
William Faulkner was born in 1897, and was from New Albany, Mississippi. He won the Noble Prize for literature in 1949. He began his literary career as a poet rather than a fiction writer, but his poetry was unsuccessful. When he moved to New Orleans he got a passion for the blues.
Basic Passage
“When you yawl go home, I gone,” Nancy Said, She talked quieter now, and her face looked quiet, like her hands. “Anyway, I got my coffin money saved up with Mr. Lovelady.”
In the Passage I find that Nancy is a woman who has given up. And the first sentence ties in with the title The Evening Sun. When she says, “When you yawl go home, I gone.” Her I see Nancy is ready to go and that she believes that when the sun goes down and everybody leaves her that she is going to die. And her by saying that she her has her coffin money saved up, shows me that she is a settler, and she is ready to settler for what is going to happen. Also she is in fear that Jesus is going to kill her.
Correlate
We see this in a lot of people today. People will just settle with what they have, but are they truly happy, or do they really want what they have in life? You see some people with the best of everything, but I think that they settle with themselves and go buy the finer things in life to get some kind of happiness, and most of the time I don’t think that they get what they want when it comes to them trying to buy happiness. Many people have different fears in life. I have a fear of being of getting cancer.
(1) Tragedy- Her settling with what she has when she is not 100% happy. Also I think that her fear would be a Tragedy too.
I feel the cause of her suffering is fear. She lets her fear control her and take over her life.
(2) How can the tragedy be turned into a comedy?- I don’t know if it could be.
(3) Identify the cause of joy or happiness- There is one part that she is tell everybody that they are going to have fun.
This is a response to Jag2419.
I have to agree with you. I think that Nancy has a lot of fear built up in her. And, I agree with how her husband is watching her every move after finding out about her secret. I also find sad that she doesn’t like to be alone in the dark, because she is in fear of what can happen.
In response to nicken's difficulties
I think she kills her self.
I am commenting on Rachel's response:
I can relate to what Rachel's saying about, "Everything has changed,but things are still the same." I am from a small town. In the last few years, there have been new restaurants and carwashes built and other businesses have closed down; meanwhile the roads are still narrow and full of pot holes. Also in the last semester of my senior year, we attended class and graduated in our new high school, which is like 5 miles from our old high school. I mean, don't get me wrong, "change" in a small town like mine can be good, but I couldn't help feeling sad and reminiscing about the "good old days."
(The Evening Sun)
William Faulkner
William Faulkner was raised in Oxford, Mississippi. His influence of the literary arts is known all over the world. As a Nobel Prize winner, he also served as a screenwriter in Hollywood. He wrote novels that were baffling to readers alike.
(Basic Passage)
Then Nancy began to make that sound again, not loud, sitting there above the fire, her long hands dangling between her knees; all of a sudden water began to come out on her face in big drops, running down her face, carrying in each one a little turning ball of firelight like a spark until it dropped off her chin. "She not crying," I said.
I truly believe that this passage shows that somehow, Nancy must get pass this situation. The reason I believe this is because after Nancy has her episode, the father and the boys leave her in the cabin with her lamp on. It also describes the anxiety Nancy feels when she knows she is carrying a white man’s child and that narrator’s father is near. It also seems like this is her way of weeping because of the consequences she knows that is ahead. She wants to stay with Jason, Caddy, and narrator because she feels that she would be safe from her husband Jesus, who could be potentially lurking anywhere. This passage I believe connect with the title because of her conflict that is inside her.
(Correlation)
I personally have fears in life that I am dealing with. I also know that somehow I must overcome them before they overtake me. For example, if have a road accident on a certain street. I would do my best not to come near that street again. But, I know that there might be a situation, which may force me to drive on that street. So I somehow got to get over this emotional hurdle.
Identify the cause of human suffering?
Nancy is suffering emotionally because she knows that she is carrying a white man's child, which was unacceptable back in those times.
How can the tragedy be turned into a comedy?
The Narrator's family somehow takes her end because of the psychological trauma she is going through.
Identify the cause of joy or happiness?
There is no joy.
(Difficulties)
Where is the husband?
I'm responding to what Moonlight said.
I agee that the town has become a shell of its former self. For example, Negro women delievered the white people's washing in automobiles instead of walking. This in my opinon could be a sign of change in that particular town. Faulkner somehow is dreaming of the past, while observing the present.
In response to what Celia Loy wrote
"This passage, to me, seems to suggest that no matter what obstacles are in placed in a woman's way , she is able to grit her teeth, "carry the heavy burden", and still come back on top with her person intact."
I agree with the idea that the bundles of clothes the women carry represent the burdens they carry as well. However, along with the "heavy burden" representing pregnancy it could also represent something else. Black women were opressed in those times but could not say anything about it for fear of being killed. They had no other choice but to carry heavy emotional burden that being raped by white men or being yelled at/bossed around results in. In the story Nancy has yet to get over that emotional burden and come out on top but I agree with what Celia said... she needs to ask the real Jesus/her husband for forgiveness before she will be able to get over it.
The Evening Sun
William Faulkner
William Faulkner was born in New Albany, Mississippi but spent the majority of his childhood in Oxford, Mississippi. Beginning as a poet, he later developed an appreciation for fiction writing after traveling to New Orleans where the blues genre of music first inspired him. He used this type of music as a model to express his central theme of "the problems of the human heart in conflict with itself". In 1949, he received a Nobel Prize for Literature.
Basic Passage
"Monday is no different from any other weekday in Jefferson now. The streets are paved now, and the telephone and electric companies are cutting down more and more of the shade trees—the water oaks, the maples and locusts and elms—to make room for iron poles bearing clusters of bloated and ghostly and bloodless grapes, and we have a city laundry which makes the rounds on Monday morning, gathering the bundles of clothes into bright-colored, specially-made motor cars:…But fifteen years ago, on Monday morning the quiet, dusty, shady streets would be full of Negro women with, balanced on their steady, turbaned heads, bundles of clothes…”
This passage shows how a young man, who returns home, is nostalgic about the way life was when he was a boy. This passage connects to the title because just as the sun was setting on Nancy and her life, the sun is also setting on Quentin and the way of life he remembers. The old days of women carrying bundles of laundry on their heads have been replaced with women carrying bundles of laundry in cars. Time is an unstoppable thing. Nancy even says to Dilsey “Won’t no nigger stop him”. While she is referring to Jesus, time is also something that can never be stopped, and Nancy realizes that the sun will set on both her and this way of life.
Correlate
Change isn’t always a bad thing. The sun setting on a tragic event can be a good. While Quentin misses how his town was during his childhood, certain things have improved. People shouldn’t always be so opposed to change. In my opinion, forgiveness is an example of a good way to let the sun set on a bad encounter. Letting an emotional issue remain in the forefront is rarely beneficial and forgiving someone releases a lot of built up frustration. While sometimes change is hard, it should be embraced because it cannot be avoided like the setting of the sun.
Identify the cause of human suffering—Tragedy
The cause was Nancy’s fear of Jesus. It crippled her and wouldn’t allow her to take any steps
necessary to ensure her safety.
How can the tragedy be turned into a comedy?
Perhaps if Nancy was more determined to protect herself and didn’t let her fear consume her.
Another way would be if she hadn’t been impregnated by a white man but her husband instead.
Identify the cause of joy or happiness—Comedy
I’m not sure there was any
Difficulties
I didn’t really understand the role Dilsey played. And did she try to commit suicide because she thought Jesus was coming after her?
This is in response to Chloe
I agree that Nancy is ridden with guilt. Jesus is the trickster and has seperated himself from society, while Nancy has become a victim of it by becoming pregnant with a white man's baby. I think her guilt has something to do with her inability to break away like her husband did and having a white man's child only makes it that much harder.
William Faulkner--- He was norn in New Albany, Mississippi. Faulkner began his career as a poet, rather than a fiction writer. His petry was considered undistinguished and unsuccessful. His central theme was not "Oxford" or "Mississippi" , or even America. It was the universal theme of "the problems of the human heart in conflict with one's self."
"Monday is no different from any other weekday in Jefferson now. The streets are paved now, and the telephone and electric companies are cutting down more and more of the shade trees-- the water oaks, the maples and locusts and elms-- to make room for iron poles bearing clusters of bloated and ghostly and bloodless grapes and we have a city laundry which makes the rounds on Monday morning.
This passage talks about how the old nature is being replaced with new "construction." It seems like the author misses the way things use to be. It seems like he took so much of the old "nature" for granted and now realizes it after it is too late.
This passage connects with the title because "that evening sun" stands for the evening sun that we always take for granted and just "expect" to always be there. We never just stop to appreciate it, or even realize that it could be gone one day.
This passage speaks to me because I have taken soo many people for granted in my life and never realized it until it was too late and they gone. I guess it is sort of like the saying." You never know what you have until it's gone!"
Identify the cause of human suffering
Tragedy- The author is trying to express about taking the small things in life for granted. We do it every day and do not even take the time to realize it.
How can this tragedy be made into a comedy?
This , unfortunately cannot be made into a comedy because we all get so caught up in the "hustle and bustle" of life that we do not even stop to notice the small things like "nature" in life.
Identify the cause of Joy or happiness?
Comedy-- The small things in life can make you sooo happy if you will just take the time to stop your life and realize how beautiful and how happy they can make this busy life seem...
in response to bham615:
I totally agree with you when you say change isnt always a bad thing it can be good too. It is like he is stopping and reminiscing on the old days and how good it was, but at the same time excited about the future and what all was going to happen in this town. He is portraying optimism in this statement about his town and the "good days"
William Faulkner was born in 1897. He grew up in a southern town, Oxford, Mississipi. Even though he traveled the world he always went back to Mississippi.Faulkner wanted to write about the theme, "the problems of the human heart in conflict with itself." His stories and novels were about the decaying south. Even though he started out as a poet, he has become on of the greatest fictional writers in the United States, due to such writings as The Sound and The Fury and Requiem for a Nun. His writings focus on racial and religious issues during the forties and fifties. He passed in nineteen sixty two, just one month after his last publication of his book, The Reivers.
Basic Passage:
"When are you going to pay me white man? It's been three times now since you paid me a cent"- p.1337
Correlate:
Nancy has become the house maid and the local prostitute and I believe that she does not have much of a choice in this lifestyle, because of the white man society of the south. White men are allowed to come and go as they please. This is like the women and young girls that fall into prostitution and drugs. With this lifestyle. there is a feeling of emptiness and no where to turn.
Difficulties:
"He said it was a watermelon that Nancy had under her dress."-p.1337
Who's baby was it?
I think that she was pregnet with the white man's child and that is why her husband, Jesus left her. She was so guilty of her lifestyle that is why she thought that he was after her.
Essence of Passage:
I think that because of Nancy's guilt she does not want anyone to know about her pregnancy and her relations with the white men of the town, but she does the sexual acts because the white men suppress her because of the color of her skin and she feels that she is invisible and disposable to the world.
How can the tragedy be turned into a comedy?
This is a tragedy that this is the why that the Southern society treated people and I do not see any comedy in this.
Identify the cause of joy and happiness?
I really do not see any in the story, but I am glad that the south has evolved out of this narrow minded society, well to some degree they have.
Identify the cause of human suffering.
Tragedy
Nancy is stuck in this life because of the color of her skin and she does not deserve it.
Response to Celia Loy
I agree with what you said about Nancy fearing what Jesus her husband and the real Jesus will do to her. She faces consequences on earth and after.
Response to Randy:
I agree with him in that she has given up on anyone helping her in the situation. There is no man or woman that will stand up to this society, so why fight it any more. It is almost like she would rather be dead.
I am responding to celia loys' response to The Evening Sun. I like the corilation she makes with her husband "jesus" and the heavenly "Jesus". Also I can see were she is coming from when she states that she is fearful of both, because her husband (jesus) is more likely to harm her at night, and the heavenly Jesus would punish her for commiting adultry.
Comment on Chloe
I agree with what chloe said about the passage we just discussed. I also think that the children are oblivious and the don't even realize that nancy is feeling so guilty.I also felt like the guilt nancy felt was caused by her thinking jesus knew she was pregnant with the white man's baby.
In response to ednuke
I also believe that Nancy's conflict is inside of her. She knows that she is on her own and she is the only person who can solve her problems, she just has to go through the difficult task of finding a solution and making it work.
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