Blog #5

A common theme in the texts of Sigourney's "Indian Names" and William Apess "An Indians Looking Glass for the White Man" is reform. Although the tones of the two authors vary from mild to harsh, the two authors show a desire for reform within the states. Apess argues that the treatment of Native Americans is unjust and he uses biblical references to back up his argument. "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer, and no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him." He also uses the argument that different races often intermarry and therefor bring both cultures together into one, so why not learn to accept the differences? Apess brings up a great point that Jesus was born a Jew and because of that, was a person of color. White supremacy was a growing concern and they believed that Christianity was a white dominated religion when in fact it is founded upon people of color. Signourney is arguing that the massacre of the Natives and their lands and their names is the reason for American success. Each author provides legitimate arguments about the treatment of Native Americans.

Blog #4

Symbolism is a key feature in literature and the short story "The Tenth of January" utilizes this element.  Some symbols are very subtle and maybe unrecognizable but upon further insight we can find a deeper meaning.  A reoccurring symbol presented throughout the story was the color red. The color red can be symbolized as many different things such as love, desire and envy. The author used the color red to symbolize the protagonists angst against society. "Asenath always wore a cape: there was one of crimson flannel, with a hood, that she had meant to wear to-night; she had thought about it coming home from the mill; and she was apt to wear it on Saturdays and Sundays; Dick had more time at home. Going up stairs to-night, she had thrown it away into a drawer, and shit the drawer with a snap; then opened it softly, and cried a little; but she had not taken it out." I believe "Sene" would wear this cloak to mask her deformity and it showed that she had envy for the prettier girls in town that teased her. "She shrank instinctively at the first sight of herself; and opened the drawer where the crimson cape was folded, but shut it resolutely." She can't bear to even look at herself and the cape represented her loathsomeness for herself. The color red also appears in the factory where Sene meets her ultimate fate. "To lie here and watch the hideous redness crawling after her, springing at her!- it had seemed greater than reason could bear, at first." The fire in the factory was her escape from the cruel world she lived in. She was in agony and the color red flashed before her giving her a sense of hope in her final moments.

Blog #3

"The wife" brings out important values and morals in American society. Marriage is seen as a sacred bond between two people. When Leslie in the short story is faced with the problem of living in poverty, he is traumatized with the thought of telling his wife about his problem. He is afraid that his wife will leave him and become unhappy with him when he bears her with the bad news. Women are seen as delicate, sensitive people, that can easily replace a man with greater status and wealth. But as we find out, the couple lives in poverty together regardless of money and are still happy.