Friday, January 31, 2014

Herland Prediction

          After reading the first few pages of Charlotte Perkins Gilman's book, "Herland", I have come to conclusion that the story seems to be about the life of a group of friends, who go on an adventure around what seems like an abandoned part of the world. Then, one of the three friends is telling their story of the adventure, as a book. The place they go to must be called "Herland", or at least that might be the name the three people have given it after traveling all around it. I suspect that there will be a life changing event that takes place for the three travelers, only because if there weren't a "change" occurring, I don't feel like there would be enough plot to keep the story going.
          By the visual aspects on the cover of the story, and knowing the title of the story as "Herland", maybe the three men travel to a place where they find the love of their lives, or maybe its just a land of women (Herland). I can see the three men finding three beautiful women and end up staying in "Herland", together forever, building friendships, relationships, and maybe even ending up getting married and growing old together.  Because only one of the men are telling the story, maybe he is telling it as an old man, after everyone else has either parted ways or passed away, years after the adventure had taken place, and many years after they had been married to the women they met in Herland.
          To me, this story seems like an interesting love story, with a peculiar plot twist somewhere in there that will throw everything off. Although I have a weird vibe about this story, I do feel like it will turn out for the best, and the three friends will have traveled through, and experienced a life changing event that is worth telling the rest of the world, in hopes that they can take on these miraculous adventures as well, changing the world "one step at a time".

Sunday, January 26, 2014

The Snake

      "The Snake" and the snake relate to American Literature by looking at it through Transcendentalism.  Transcendentalism itself is a time period of nature and realization about oneself and the things and world around you. "The Snake" has to do with transcendentalism because its a poem about the snake, who is actually symbolic to a man who has grown to have and notice self realization.   He (the snake), has grown and learned more about himself and the dangers, and opportunities around him.   The snake in  "The Snake" seems to be referring to a person.  The speaker uses description and adjectives that tend to describe the actually snakes every move. The first stanza explains the action in which the snake is taking. The snake here, is coming out of the shade and finds another shelter on a rock. This stanza describes the snake being relaxed and calm, while also implying the speakers tranquil attitude towards his life. The second stanza then turns the tone around, where we see the snake hide and draw away with fear. The speaker himself is showing the reader that he relates to the snake because he too, was shunned, and drew away from an uncomfortable state. The third, and final stanza along with the last two lines, talk about and explain the snakes "final steps", which can mean that the snake realizes he is better off hidden and not being out in the open for people to see and be judged. The speaker is relating himself to the snake here, by saying that they are comfortable lying behind the crowd and laying low. To end, the author could have wrote this poem to point out his adventures and longings to become who he is through all of his struggles and pains, and also the happy and positives moments in his life, which just might end up being the idea of laying low, and being content with solidity.