Amanda Thomas’ English 158 Blog

Examples of Suicidal Images in Howl:

I

who chained themselves to subways for the endless
              ride from Battery to holy Bronx…

lost battalion of platonic conversationalists jumping
              down the stoops off fire escapes off windowsills
              off Empire State out of the moon, 

who disappeared into the volcanoes of Mexico leaving
              behind nothing but the shadow of dungarees
              and the lava and ash of poetry scattered in fire
              place Chicago, 

who created great suicidal dramas on the apartment
              cliff-banks of the Hudson under the wartime
              blue floodlight of the moon & their heads shall
              be crowned with laurel in oblivion, 

who cut their wrists three times successively unsuccess-
              fully, gave up and were forced to open antique
              stores where they thought they were growing
              old and cried, 

who jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge this actually hap-
              pened and walked away unknown and forgotten
              into the ghostly daze of Chinatown soup alley
              ways & firetrucks, not even one free beer, 

who threw potato salad at CCNY lecturers on Dadaism
              and subsequently presented themselves on the
              granite steps of the madhouse with shaven heads
              and harlequin speech of suicide, demanding in-
              stantaneous lobotomy,
II

Breakthroughs! over the river! flips and crucifixions!
              gone down the flood! Highs! Epiphanies! De-
              spairs! Ten years’ animal screams and suicides!
              Minds! New loves! Mad generation! down on
              the rocks of Time!
Real holy laughter in the river! They saw it all! the
              wild eyes! the holy yells! They bade farewell!
              They jumped off the roof! to solitude! waving!
              carrying flowers! Down to the river! into the
              street!

The meaning of suicide changes over the course of the poem by escalating from
least  serious to most serious. The beginning images are all either vague (they could
be suicide, but it is likely not literal, just a creative use of the images to heighten
drama) or unsuccessful suicide attempts — the “suicidal dramas,” the ones who cut
their wrists but then “gave up,” the person who jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge but
“walked away.”

Part II of Howl has the example that is most dramatic, and most symbolic. Most of
the examples from Part I include anecdotes from things Ginsburg had heard of from
friends or witnessed, but this is an over the top use of suicidal imagery. It builds up
the scene with constant punctuation, making it seem almost joyous that these
anonymous individuals are jumping off the roof into eternity. This use of suicide in
Ginsburg’s poem is truly the crescendo of Howl, the end of Part II, and the transition
into Solomon’s dedication that takes up Part III.

Loyalty was a complicated issue to Miller in the 1950′s because of his very complicated relationship with his wife, Marilyn Monroe. They were both married to other people when they met (and perhaps when they started their affair), and both engaged in affairs near the end of their marriage. As Marilyn Monroe continued on the downward spiral of drug and alcohol addiction, it is hard to believe that Miller was not affected by this behavior. Miller divorced Monroe, and married a woman he had met on the movie set of the Misfits (a movie that he and Monroe worked on together). It is quite obvious that the issues of fidelity and loyalty (and a lack thereof) were often present in their life together.

The issue of loyalty is so important to the community Eddie Carbone lives in because their ethics and values are what dictate their behavior. Since so many of the members of their society either came to the US illegally or are housing illegal immigrants, they do not use the government’s law as their own. They use the code of the old country, and that is not broken under any circumstances. When it is broken, we find that tragedy follows.

Loyalty is a difficult value for Eddie because of his conflicting feelings toward his niece, Catherine and her relationship with Rodolpho. He feels so strongly for Catherine, yet does not consciously realize that he is betraying his family (and ultimately dooming himself) for his niece. He believes that he is actually being loyal to Catherine, yet he only ends up creating a tragic situation for everyone involved.

The female character feels “fine” at the end of the story because she has resigned herself to her fate. Despite her subtle intimations that she does not want to go through with the procedure, she knows that in order to save her relationship with this man she must go through with it. Although the American (the male character) urges her that she “mustn’t feel that way,” it is quite apparent that her decision has been made. She is willing to sacrifice her well-being and physical and mental livelihood for this man, although we are not presented with any redeeming qualities or obvious reasons for her to do so.

He went out through the bead curtain. She was sitting at the table and smiled at him.

“Do you feel better?” he asked.

“I feel fine,” she said. “There’s nothing wrong with me. I feel fine.”

The female character claims “I feel fine” because she knows it is what the American wants to hear. He has already made up his mind as to the correct course of action, but does not want to come off as pushy or insensitive. He has to ask one final time if she feels better, so that he can settle his own conscience and tell himself he did all he could to help her feel better and assure her. I am fairly certain that this situation is not going to end positively. In fact, the female character has already assured herself, already “knows” that things are not going to go well, but will do it anyway just to settle her partner’s mind. This, unfortunately, is all too common in relationships.

The Armory Show, which took place from February 17 – March 15, 1913, must have been quite the exciting event to attend. Starting with Gallery A, which contained sculpture and decorative art from American artists, it is obvious that the art world is about to be turned on its ear, and Modernism is here to stay.  Robert Chanler’s screens that have been painted with wildlife scenes don’t even have linear perspective — it’s as if we’ve been transported back to the Middle Ages. Of course, Modern thinkers and artists don’t need a scene laid out perfectly. They can ascertain exactly what the artist’s intentions were, and if that isn’t possible their own interpretation will help guide them through the piece. George Gray Barnard and Robert Aiken’s sculptures all still have the semblance of the blocks of stone they were carved out of. They have carved just enough to show what they want to depict, and have left the rest untouched. That is how Modern artists sculpt: just enough to give you the semblance of the subject, and leave the rest to you to perceive what you will. The perception of the piece is the most important aspect of their art, not how aesthetically pleasing it is.

The paintings of French artist Marcel Duchamp shown in Gallery I (nicknamed the “Chamber of Horrors” by those who fear change) created quite a stir. This is where most of the Cubist works of art were shown, and where most of the people flocked to if they really wanted a shock. Duchamp’s painting Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2 definitely does not contain a nude figure, or a staircase in any conventional sense. It more looks like a mannequin was wildly waved in front of an open camera lens for a few seconds to create the resulting image. Modernism challenges the viewer to create their own interpretation, instead of spoonfeeding the art directly to the consumer without any sort of critical thinking take place. The modern artist is interested in defamiliarizing our definition of paintings and sculpture. After looking at Duchamp’s painting, our definitions of nudes and staircases, and even the act of descending, have been changed.

Robert Delaunay, another French artist, featured a painting titled Window on the City, No. 4. This painting is Cubist, containing entirely geometric shapes of bright colors and black, but also looked pixelated. That is the very definition of being Modern: predicting technologies that hadn’t been invented yet! But seriously, once one reads the title and takes a look at the painting, one could see that the window is foggy and scratched that Delaunay is looking out of, and perhaps he doesn’t have his glasses on, but it could indeed be a picture of a city scene from someone’s window. One corner of a building is clear, and the rest of the painting is obscured. The Modern art fan always has to be on their toes, and always ready to look at things through a new lens.

Henri Matisse’s work, shown in Gallery H, also stirred up quite a bit of criticism. His paintings were more in touch with reality, in so far as you could tell they contained human figures without reading the title. His painting titled Goldfish and Sclulpture is quite literal, but seems brighter and more childlike than some of his peers’ work. Matisse didn’t decide to deconstruct what he painted in terms of subject matter, but in terms of detail and perspective. They could be doodles that were painted over, and that was exactlt his intent. One of his critics, Harriet Monroe, conceded that “In a profound sense these radical artists are right… They represent a search for new beauty . . . a longing for new versions of truth” (Brown, Story 212). We spent centuries struggling to create the most perfectly realistic painting, and now we have nowhere to go but in new and radically different directions. Now Modern artists create things to make us think, rather than just feel.

613

They shut me up in Prose — “They” could be representing the other, the ones that do not understand, the ones that are not in the know, the ones that are trying to keep Emily down. “Shut me up in prose” means boxing her in, limiting her to a specific genre, when she is happiest composing poetry. This situation would ring true in many Whitman and Emerson poems. The man is keeping her down, and not letting her be free to write and do as she pleases.

As when a little Girl This pairs with the next line, she is comparing the situation she is currently faced with to being disciplined as a child. The fact that she is an adult and should be able to make her own choices is completely disregarded. It is also interesting that she uses the word “Girl” (and that it is capitalized) instead of child. This word may have been chosen to bring attention to her femaleness. Perhaps the fact that she is a woman makes it socially acceptable to oppress her, or deprive her of options.

They put me in the Closet — “They” shows up again – who are “they”? Why are they controlling her, why do they want her to write prose instead of poetry, and why did they shut her in a closet as a girl? I do not know the nature of the relationship with her parents or guardians, but that is the most obvious candidate for “they,” as Dickinson lived with them her entire life. Closet is also capitalized. This could mean that she is quite familiar with the closet and being shut in, and therefore is using it as a proper noun, like the name of an old friend. Seemingly random capitalization by Dickinson must have some meaning.

Because they liked me “still” — Again with They – they did not want her in motion, they did not want her to progress in a way. Perhaps Dickinson feels as if her development was stunted by these people that controlled her, and she is resentful. Still is in quotations, which shows that still is not what is actually meant, or is symbolic for something else. Still likely means unquestioning, quiet, meek, or ladylike.

Still! Could themself have peeped — Still has a double meaning. At first it looked like she was emphasizing the “still” from the previous line, but reading it a second time I though “still” was referring to the adverb – as in, up until this point, perpetually, etc. “Could themself have peeped,” as in, if they only knew. She is keeping something from “them,” a secret only she knows.

And seen my Brain — go round — Her brain is embarking on great adventures that can never be detected by “them.” This represents the larger picture of the author keeping all of the poems she’s written to herself. Her brain has gone everywhere imaginable to Dickinson, yet here she is still, locked in a closet and being controlled by others.

They might as wise have lodged a Bird Their attempts to keep her emprisoned are futile. They may as well have tried to keep a bird under lock and key. It may work for a little while, you may be able to clip its wings or put a cage around it, but at the first available moment the bird will flee without regrets. Dickinson may have been kept “still” and locked in a closet as a girl, but her mind is soaring, and no one can control that.

For Treason — in the Pound – The idea of charging a bird with treason is quite preposterous. Equally silly an idea would be charging someone with a thought crime. This seems to be the comparision Dickinson is trying to make. “Pound” is capitalized, and I am going to assume she is referring to the animal shelter, which could be seen as a kind of prison for animals. She sees herself as completely trapped where she is, with no way out in the physical sense. The only way she can get out is in her head.

Himself has but to will The fact that the pronoun “him” is used may show the difference between Dickinson and a male that would be in a comparable situation. The male simply has to will, or wish, or use his free will to change his status or place in life. Dickinson does not have it this easy. She cannot use her will to rise above where she is, she can only use her mind to escape.

And easy as a Star Stars do not have to think about what they are doing, they simply are. Stars are not self-aware, stars do not ever feel trapped, stars merely exist. You see evidence of their existence in the night sky, but they are completely out of reach. Stars represent the ease and thoughtlessness that some may leave bondage, yet Dickinson can only be a spectator to these events.

Abolish his Captivity — The man, Himself, is able to leave his unsatisfactory place in life so easily, that a bird is an unacceptable comparison. Stars do not every have to think about being suspended in the sky, they do not have to flap their wings, they never falter. They just have to thoughtlessly rise out of their captivity, as it is not where they belong. Dickinson is making some incendiary arguments about gender relations of the 19th century.

And laugh — No more have I — “And laugh” is referring to the men that have just abolished their captivity. Obviously this would be a time for mirth and merriment. “No more have I” could mean that they no longer have these shackles to bear. No more worries, no more emprisonment, no more authorities dictating what they should write. The dashes in between “And laugh” and “No more have I” may mean that Dickinson meant them to be understood as separate statements. She could be projecting herself into that statement, showing that her mind is like those people that got out and got free. She is no more enslaved than they are.

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I enjoyed this exercise more than I thought I would. Going in, I figured it would be tedious to look at each line of a poem and expand upon it. It came quite naturally, and I was pleasantly surprised by some of the things I observed about this poem once I took a closer look. The use of the word “they” is extremely prevalent. It is clear that Dickinson sees her situation as her vs. the world. The irreversibility of her lot in life made this poem more melancholy than it seemed upon first inspection. The saving grace for Dickinson is her imagination, and that is more than many have, giving this poem a silver lining. Having this secret gift and passion for poetry probably kept her going, and that is not as depressing as someone without any tools for coping.

I enjoyed doing something different and a little more creative for Whitman’s poem, rather than just responding with a blog post. I also thought using a wiki to add images to the poem was fun/new, as it felt more like a community project.

I didn’t dislike anything about the assignment — it was easy to use, and a good activity for a poem full of vivid imagery. I like what our class created, and it is really enlightening to go back and look at it, even now!

By participating in the wiki, I could see a huge amount of variation between my personal interpretation of the poem and other people’s in the class. I think that is an important aspect of studying literature, and hope there are similar interactive assignments like this in the future.

The only change I would make to the assignment would be to apply it to a couple other poems or short stories in the class. I thought it was a very cool idea and would like to see others’ views of the different stories we’ve read. This would be very cool/creepy to do with the Tell-Tale Heart.

The entire time I read this portion of Whitman’s Song of Myself, I was thinking about a picture I took of my boyfriend’s mother, Barbara, last month when we drove to the top of Mt. Tamalpais. The weather was beautiful, about 70 degrees, and his parents were so excited to see what I consider the most amazing view you can get in the Bay Area. We laid on top of the mountain and soaked up the sun and view of the ocean for a long time, and I definitely felt “recharged” (as lame as that may sound). Living removed from nature can be tiring, and I consider it important to get back to where we all originated and relax as often as possible.

These two lines in particular struck a note with me:

The feeling of health . . . . the full-noon trill . . . . the song of me rising from bed and meeting the sun.
-28-
Have you reckoned a thousand acres much? Have you reckoned the earth much?

This image definitely evokes the feelings of “meeting the sun” and “reckon(ing) the earth.” We should all be cognizant of the positive benefits of going for a hike or going to the beach to reckon the earth, especially because California is one of the most beautiful spots on the planet.

“Colleges and books only copy the language which the field and the work-yard made” (8).

Emerson believed that experience was the basis for all knowledge. One had to go out and experience what they chose as important to their development, as opposed to sitting and reading about others’ experiences they wish they had as their own. If this were not possible, or the experiences were too dangerous or immoral, then it is far better to read of others’ exploits than to remain ignorant, although you are resigning yourself to remain dependent.

Going to college is an important experience to go through, as long as one understands that they are learning about others’ conclusions based on their own personal experiences. It is almost more important to have wholly unique events to draw from, which would in turn introduce others to different points of view. Doing it your own way requires a large amount of courage and a lack of fear, and completely levels the playing field. Many of the most successful executives were the ones that were the most skilled entrepreneurs — that means doing it your own way, with or without college.

SINNERS! I arose and sauntered into the den of sin, Salem Village. Anxiety washed over me as I walked the streets — the minister raised his hands over me to place a damning curse upon my soul! I turned pale, so pale, and fled from his advances. The deacon was the next one to pray for my certain demise. I heard him muttering strange and sinful passages from a book — certainly it was a book the devil penned himself!

I witnessed Goody Cloyse proselytizing to an innocent young subject, tarnishing her spirit and certainly damning her to hell! I yanked her away, bringing her back into the world of goodness and faith. Faith, Faith, that sweet young wife of mine, had certainly hoped that I’d forgotten her spells and witchcraft in the woods. I cannot dash her FOUL SINS from my mind! Oh, how I wept for my fallen angel!

Will you say the fiendish and terrible events I witnessed in the woods were but a dream, or temporary spell of madness? I tell you, surely, THEY WERE NOT. Every day since that fateful eve, Salem Village has been steeped in SIN! The minister — the minister, once so pure and steadfast, injects putrid sinful rhetoric into his sermons! And the crowd, the throng of townsfolk, they so patiently listen! Nary a protest is heard from the others, yet their children are being taught IMPURE SINFUL IDEAS!

Faith, previously so dear to my heart, now spewed forth the very essence of sin from her bosom. The vile temptress beckons me to join her and her sinning brethren, yet I RESIST! I resist, AND RESIST STILL, TO THIS DAY!