Avery AP Lit

1. What's the significance of the novel ending with Ammu and Velutha having sex? 2. Why does Roy develop Baby Kochamma into such an evil character? And why does Chacko let her manipulate him into turning against Ammu? 3. Is Roy trying to make any social connection or point in regard to Velutha's death and where he stands in the hierarchy?

In these chapters, we FINALLY learn of the events surrounding the death of Sophie Mol.  After SO MANY chapters building up to the actual telling of Sophie Mol's death, the incident itself is rather quick. Sophie drowns in an instant and by accident. All the controversy surrounding her murder has to do more with other people's social conflicts than with her death. For the twins, it is not even their role in Sophie's death that haunts them throughout their lives; for Estha and Rahel, Sophie Mol's death really represents the day on which they lost both their mother and father figures.  It also has been officially confirmed that the “God of Small Things is Velutha and that at this point in the novel we see that it  has turned into Velutha’s story as opposed to the twins. 

significant word: secrets 1. What’s the significance of the name “God of Small Things”? 2. Does Ammu’s “dream” speak to her being robbed of the chance to live her life? 3. The narrator often indirectly references the closeness of the twins.. what’s the significance of their connection?

Chapters seven through nine were constructed in an interesting fashion. It began with Ammu's death. The significance of Rhhel's feelings about Ammu loving her less further developed and made more sense.  Also, it's almost as if they mock the idea of death. Death is seen as the logical and inevitable end to life. The story of Ammu's death, then, unfolds in a nonlinear fashion. First we witness her cremation, the final affirmation that she is no longer living, then flash back to the moment when she begins to come alive again for the first time after the divorce, when she becomes attracted to Velutha. The sequence and series of events change abruptly however the transition flows. There is little dialogue in these chapters (especially chapter 9) however, there is deep meaning through the imagery.

Significant word: sadness 1. Why is the significance of Rahel examining Estha's body while he's undressing? What kind of signs of herself is she looking for? 2, What is the significance of the scene where Ammu basically tells Rahel that hurting people results into them loving you less? Does Ammu love Rahel less? 3. What makes Rahel reveal that she never wrote Estha about Ammu dying?

1. Does Ammu feeling as if her life is over/already been lived due to one failed marriage speak for the role of their culture in her life? 2. Does Rahel play any role in the significance of setting the scene of a typical “May in Ayemenem” in the opening of the novel? 3. What’s the context behind the fraternal twins when the narrator tells us that Estha Rahel never really resembled each other and that any confusing similarities between the two lie in a “deeper, more secret place”?

These chapters consisted of Milkman trying to connect the origin of the gold to ultimately finding his identity as well as the origin of his family. Similar family themes ran through these two chapters as in Get Out . There was also another reference to peacocks. A motif that seems possible to have more than one meaning: “A peacock soared away and lit on the hood of a blue Buick.” However, this particular reference did not have to do with a distinction of color.

In this section of the novel, we encounter a great sense of evil. A type of evil that almost seems uncontrollable at this point. From Guitar’s Seven Days organization to the recount of Pilate and Macon Jr.’s incident in the cave. However, the symbol of the white peacock caught my attention the most. Throughout the novel thus far white creatures have represented harm or extreme mischief. For example, the white bull that caused the labor and death of Freddie’s mother. There is an association between their pursuit of the peacock and Macon Jr.’s sense of greed and yearning for wealth. In addition, one can make the connection that color of “white” let alone the peacock symbolizes evil for Freddie because it caused him to grow up without a mother and ultimately having a poor upbringing considering there were no orphans for black people. For Guitar it symbolizes the oppression of black people by white people.

1. What does Septimus’ death symbolize for Clarissa? 2. What exactly did Clarissa sacrifice when she married Richard and does she regret it? 3. Why did Woolf choose to end the novel in the perspective of Peter?

Aside from the perspective/narration of Peter Walsh, we had the opportunity to read about Clarissa Dalloway from the perspective of Lady Burton following her lunch with Hugh and Richard. Thus far, I believe Lady Burton’s point of view has been the most complex because of how well written it was aside from Clarissa Dalloway’s narrations. However, the complex point of view did not compromise the ability to visualize what was going on in the reading. As a reader, you were able to analyze Clarissa Dalloway in a sense that was quite different from the bias of Peter. A failed romance was not used to develop the characterization of Clarissa Dalloway’s coldness. The first image from this novel that lingered in mind was the scene that consisted of Hugh and Richard walking down the street and Lady Burton was falling asleep. Woolf used the image of a string linking them all together.

1. Why does Woolf continue to highlight Peter's self-pity at the rejection of love he faces considering the fact that The Smiths are now in the picture who in my opinion have to endure more misfortunes than himself? 2. What is the significance of the old woman singing the ancient song? 3. What message is Woolf trying to convey through the actions of Peter, Hugh, and Mr. Brewer as members of the upper class?

Thus far in Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway, I am intrigued by her writing style. Although it can be difficult to follow, I admire the fact the fact that the point of view switches. It helps me as a reader to focus more and become more involved in the novel. However, not only the point of view but stream of consciousness plays a role as well considering the change in time and location. For example, as Clarissa Dalloway walks in the park, the scene immediately changes to a time in the past when her and Peter Walsh had been arguing, back to Clarissa Dalloway walking as if the present had never been altered. As a reader, one also gets to hear recounts about one event from two different perspective, hence Septimus' section. In addition, Woolf's lack of use of quotation marks may seem bothersome to others, however, I think it keeps the tempo of the book moving. Plus, I think it is fascinating how an author can dictate the reader with a technique as such—it makes them keep up. In ...

In Jhumpa Lahiri's "A Temporary Matter," I believe the overall tones in which it is written consists of a rather mellow, casual tone that gives off a genuine feel. The tone in which Lahiri writes this short story goes hand-in-hand with the prevalent theme: The importance of communication within a marriage is vital and secrets can lead to grief. However, it is interesting because she uses the times before and after Shoba's pregnancy to highlight the changes in tones that ultimately mirror the change in Shoba and Shukumar's marriage.  The tone while describing the happy days before her pregnancy is hopeful and carefree as the young couple holds dinner parties and look towards the future.  However, after Shoba's pregnancy, the tone of her and Shukumar's interactions becomes rather weighed down and indifferent.  Finally, the tone during the couple's nightly confessions turns  emotional and passionate as they reveal their deepest secrets to each other.  Thr...