POV in Othello

"The Moor, howbeit that I endure him not, is of a constant, loving, noble nature, and I dare think he’ll prove to Desdemona a most dear husband. Now, I do love her too, not out of absolute lust—though peradventure I stand accountant for as great a sin—but partly led to diet my revenge, for that I do suspect the lusty Moor hath leaped into my seat (II.i.267-275)." -Iago

Plays are a little unique in that there can't really be a 1st person point of view obviously; a play is either 3rd person limited or omniscient. While most plays let the audience in on the plot, not many do it from the point of the antagonist. Through this device used by Shakespeare, the audience knows everything the villain is about to do. Although Iago is definitely not a character to sympathize with, the audience finds itself wondering and to see if this plan will actually work and unfold as told. Also, while Iago is far from sane, he exhibits common human fears and emotions. Unfortunately, it isn't uncommon for a man to suspect infidelity, like Iago. While his fear may be unwarranted, it's plausible. The imperfect, evil, maniacal, and deceitful Iago definitely has trust and self-confidence issues and feels wronged by the world and must concoct an evil plan to get even with everyone.

Response to question #5 on themes

"Make me to see't, or at least so prove it that the probation bear no hinge nor loop to hang a doubt on, or woe upon thy life (III.iii.365-367)!" -Othello

While going through this play, I haven't really thought too much about theme; I've been more focused on trying to figure out what Shakespeare is even saying. But, once I've figured out the plot and stumbled upon this question, I have a general feel of some of the themes. One of the things I have found is how easy it has been for Iago to draw out these bad traits from characteristically good people. He makes Othello jealous, Cassio a belligerent drunk, and makes his wife a thief. With these events, it seems Shakespeare is trying to point out the flaws of all men, even men we consider great, like Othello. Iago is able to mold other flimsy characters like Roderigo to do his will because of his simple mind, but he is even able to make a maniac out of reasonable man in Othello. The theme of the fact that humans are weak and easily manipulated isn't exactly the same as "live life to the fullest". While the theme is gloomy, it may be one of truths of humanity we sometimes fail to recognize.

Response it #4 on suspense

"Hell and nigh must bring this monstrous birth to the world's light (I.iii. 383-384)." - Iago

Throughout Othello, it becomes pretty clear that Iago is the only character fully aware of what's going on. This is due mainly because he is the architect of the master plan. While other characters call him trustworthy and loyal Iago, he plots behind their backs. This is in part what creates suspense in this play. The reader knows of Iago's plan but is in the dark to specifics entirely until the plan comes to fruition. What is also suspenseful throughout is waiting and seeing if one of the characters is going to catch on and spoil the evil plot. While the audience is watching the plot unfold flawlessly, they feel helpless. In the audience knowing of Iago's plan and the characters not knowing, the dramatic irony creates most of the suspense in Othello.

Sarcasm in You're Ugly, Too

"What is your perfume? a student once asked her. Room freshener, she said.

This might have been one of the funniest stories I've been forced to read. I think one of the reasons I found this story so funny was the type of humor displayed. In today's society, most stand-up comedy and box-office comedies are crude dry. The humor is no longer knock-knock jokes but it is rather roasts of celebrities or mocking social customs. Zoe displays this type of humor. Although she doesn't intend to, her humor offends the people she insults but is hilarious to the reader. But, the source of her harsh sarcasm seems to be the result of her own state. In the beginning of the story, she alludes to her losing her mind. Is she insane?

Irony and alcholism in "The Drunkard"

p. 351 "My brave little man!" she said with her eyes shining. "It was God did it you were there. You were his guardian angel."

The irony in this statement is beyond hysterical. The first irony is that everyone expects Father to be the drunk one at the funeral when in reality, his son ends up drinking the beer. But, this isn't the only irony found in this situation. Not only is he drinking beer at 10, his mother is praising her 10 year old for stealing alcohol and getting drunk. In doing this, she is encouraging he son to drink and probably one day turn in to his father. So, while saving her husband from relapsing into another alcoholic fit and not showing up for work, she instead celebrates her son for drinking his beer. I'm reminded of the McDonald's scene in Big Daddy where Adam Sandler drops some ugly words in front of his kid and is told "nice parenting" by some sarcastic customer. So, nice parenting, mom.   

Style in Popular Mechanics

"I want the baby.
Get out of here!"

Throughout this short, short story, there is an obvious disregard for quotation marks. Usually with a lose of punctuation, there is often a lose of clarity or meaning. But, with "Popular Mechanics", the story is still easy to follow and understand who is speaking. The breaking up of this couple and the ensuing battle for the baby, is intense and very emotion-filled. None of which is lost with the loss of a some small marks. What I really want to know is the reasoning for the title. Is the popular mechanics ironic in that his lack of quotation marks isn't popular at all? Or is the "popular" referring to the society's trend of the problem of divorce/ break up and custody battle found in the story's plot itself?

Foreshadowing in "The Lottery"

P. 264 "Bobby Martin had already stuffed his pockets full of stones, and the other boys soon followed his example, selecting the smoothest and roundest stones...made a great pile of stones."

This interesting seemingly insignificant snippet of the story is a hint of the cruelty to come. In reading this story through I glazed past this part. My thinking being: boys will be boys and boys play with rocks and throw them at each other. Also, I saw the "smoothest and roundest stones" and figured maybe these boys are stockpiling rocks to skip across some pond or lake to come. As the story focused around the gathering in the town center, the people gathering, the history of the lottery, and the lottery itself, I soon forgot about these stupid stones these boys had gathered. But at the end of the story, these stones make up part of the spectacle that is the lottery as they are hurled at Tessie Hutchinson. In reading through the early stones paragraph again, I picked up on the fact that these stones weren't being thrown immediately; they were being saved for something. If only I had known their cruel purpose, I would have been able to understand other subtitles of the story better. For example, the fact the box was black and the importance that EVERYONE from the town be there were details that make sense with the ending.