Assignments for week of September 7, 2009

Dear class,
It was fabulous getting to know you better during the AP Summer Institute. I am very excited about this upcoming year. This year you will become even better readers, writers, and thinkers!

Below, please find the assignments and supplies needed for the first week of class.

• 500 word essay assignment and text of A streetcar Named Desire is due Wednesday.
• Vocabulary quiz Thursday.
• Review the Common Application and select a topic--begin brainstorming ideas. We will most likely address the elements of the college application essay on Friday. The link to othe application is: https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/docs/downloadforms/CommonApp2010.pdf
  

Supplies:

1. 1 folder
2. 1 composition book
3. 1 notebook/binder with which to take notes
4. 1 binder for handouts (to stay in-class)
5. Several blue or black pens
   I also recommend you obtain a stack of index cards for future use with vocabulary

Please feel free to discuss with me if you are unable to obtain any of the above supplies due to financial hardship.

Mini Essay on A Streetcar Named Desire:

This mini essay will be an exercise in being concise. Please select one of the literary elements below and write a mini essay (around 500 words, which is one page single-spaced or two pages double-spaced) about that element in A Streetcar Named Desire and how Tennessee Williams uses that element to achieve some type of purpose or goal in his writing.
1. Names of people & places (include symbolism)
2. Theme: Past vs. Present (include ideas of the Old South)
3. Theme: Reality vs. Illusion (include bathing/ cleanliness and madness)
4. Motif: Light/ Darkness/ Shadows (include symbolism, use in stage directions)
5. Music & sounds (include symbolism, how music is used in stage directions, etc.)
6. Themes: Gender roles and class issues
7. Theme: Youth vs. Age (include Death as a theme)
8. Character development-- Blanche Du Bois
9. Character development-- Stella Kowalski
10. Character development-- Stanley Kowalski
11. Character development—Mitch
12. Eunice & Steve as foils for Stanley & Stella
13. Theme: Desire
14. Setting-- (interior/exterior, internal/ external, private/public)
15. Stella's conflict-- between Stanley & Blanche (Blanche vs. Stanley as foils)
16. Mitch vs. Stanley & other men

Remember that even though this is only 500 words, you still need the following:• A clear, non-obvious, insightful thesis—so it needs to be something along the lines of: literary element + how Williams uses it to achieve his purpose as a writer• Specific quotations and examples from the text• An organizational scheme/ development of your argument• You must have a conclusion, but the conclusion may be only a sentence or two—it doesn’t have to be a whole paragraph

Please bring in a rough draft on September 9 for a peer-editing exercise.

The final copy will be due on Friday, September 11. (Revised dates)

A Streetcar Named Desire Group assignment

Sam Fred
Biniyam Justin

1. Reality vs. Illusion:
Blanche Dubois has fabricated a life for herself in order to cope with her own miserable reality. She acts as if she is a woman of high stature, sophisticated, made of money, and pure as can be. However, she is actually completely broke, insane and has had a very loose sexual history. She even states that “A woman’s charm is fifty-percent illusion”, which would lead the audience to believe that Blanche feels that she is completely justified in making her own version of her life. Some more examples of her twist on reality is when she tells Stanley that Mitch came back to beg for her forgiveness and she turned him away, as well as a Mr. Shep Huntleigh coming to take her away on a cruise.
Blanche also bathes very frequently and hides in the dark. She bathes in order to try to “cleanse” her past, as in her sexual history. But because, the past cannot be erased or easily forgotten, she continues to bathe frequently. As for hiding from the light, she does so in order to try to avoid the truth of her life. This is more evidence to argue that Blanche probably knows her true reality, but tries to cope with it by controlling it in her mind. She even says herself, “I don’t want realism.”

2. Gender Roles and Class Issues:
In A Streetcar Named Desire, there seems to be a struggle between the male and female genders, as well as social status. On one hand, Blanche feels she is superior to Stanley because he is a descendant of an immigrant family and is not in the upper-class, which Blanche was part of but thinks she still is. She even says to Stella “Well--if you forgive me--he’s common!” On the other hand, Stanley feels he is superior because he is the man of the house. This is where the conflict between gender and class had collided in the Kowalski household, which resulted in a power struggle between the two.
As the struggle between Blanche and Stanley continued, Stanley became more and more aggressive. First, he hit his wife. Then he started throwing dishes on the floor. And last but not least, he rapes Blanche, most likely to exhibit his dominance over her.

3. Past vs. Present:
Blanche has never let go of the past. We can see this whenever she hears the polka music playing in her head. It also ties into her constant bathing because she is constantly trying to cleanse her past. Blanche’s past most likely involved a luxurious life on her plantation Belle Reve. Meaning a “beautiful dream”, that is what Blanche and Stella must have been living in the past. In the present, Blanche is nothing more than a nomadic soul searching for love, but in the process ruins her own sanctity and life. She loses Belle Reve, gets kicked out of a hotel, and is forced to live in an apartment with her sister and brother-in-law. To cope with all these devastating events, she creates an alternate reality in which she is as Stanley put it, “the queen of the Nile”.


4. Setting:
Setting plays an important role as it helps demonstrate the characters backgrounds and sets some of the events in motion. Laurel, for example, is a town in the South where Blanche and Stella used to live a luxurious life, which is where Blanche became accustomed to being pampered. After loosing Belle Reve and forced to live in the low-class hotel the Flamingo, the audience is shown how low Blanche has reached. After being kicked out of the Flamingo, Blanche is forced to move in the cluttered, two-bedroom apartment of her sister’s in New Orleans.
As for the apartment building itself, The Kowalski apartment forced Stanley, Blanche and Stella to deal with each other because it was a close-quarters area. All the secrets involving Blanche were revealed to us inside this apartment. The relationship between Mitch and Blanche blossomed and decayed as well here.
Lastly, the street they live on is called Elysian Fields. What is supposed to be a sort of heaven for Blanche ends up becoming her own hell.

Summer reading Assigment: A Streetcar Named Desire Journal #1--Alyson

I was actually excited to have A Streetcar Named Desire assigned to us as a summer reading assignment, not only because I had already read it and seen the movie, but because I thoroughly enjoyed it. The entire plot is so captivating, the characters are so real, and everything is so easily imagined and visualized, making the reading experience completely different than that of C&P.

Since this is my second time reading the play, I tried forgetting everything I already knew about the characters, and tried getting new first impressions of them from the first scene. I never liked Blanche, as I found her very pretentious, fake, and materialistic, even from the first time she enters the play. When she sees Stella and Stanley’s home, it doesn’t match up to her high standards, and is thereby repulsed. She is a very judgmental character and, to agree with Biniyam, that is something I absolutely cannot stand in anyone.

Even before Blanche’s entrance, you get somewhat of a feel of Stanley and Stella’s relationship. Their playful and lighthearted interactions made me feel that they are really in love, but he is a bit too rough with her. From the first few scenes (and throughout most of the play), it is extremely difficult to pick up on Blanche’s character, like Raskolnikov, and I was entirely unaware of her intentions

Summer reading Assigment: A Streetcar Named Desire Journal #3--Claryliz

Finishing A Streetcar Named Desire, there are many things that are clear to me, such as understanding that Blanche was not in a good state of mind after all. However, throughout the book I felt like I did not fully understand some details as the story went on. There were also some messages in the story that I did not agree with as well. Furthermore, there seemed to be acceptance in the fact that Stella and Eunice were both abused by their husbands. Initially I thought that Stanley was doing the right thing (and for some part I still agree with him), however, he did many unscrupulous things that Stella seemed to freely condone. Overall I find the story had many analyzing pieces that one could scrutinize, such as the author’s diction, and structure which he used, which are very peculiar. Perhaps the method of his writing was avant-garde or interesting, but as far as the content of the story, I did not become a fan of it.
As I mentioned earlier, I suspected some hint of abnormality in Blanche’s behavior, and I said that maybe it had some type of connection with the author’s life. Now that I’m done reading the story I think is directly related to his personal life. Stella, who was the character who could not bear to see her sister, Blanche, seen as a lunatic, represents Tennessee Williams himself. Blanche, who was demonstrated to need attention, seems to be a symbol for his siblings, who did in real life end up being traumatized. Indeed this story seemed to inform more about the author’s personal life, then to be a “new” story.

Summer reading Assigment: A Streetcar Named Desire Journal #2--Claryliz

Still doubtful about Stanley, I came to respect his character. At first he seemed like he was just interested in making sure that his wife’s money was safe (he continuously mentioned the “Napoleonic code”). However, he was brave and smart enough to confront Blanche. While she is successfully manipulating her sister and making it seem like she did nothing to be ashamed of, Stanley tried to decipher her plans. I found myself apprehensive when he went to her clothes and showed his wife the reality. Oblivious to what her sister is really doing, Stella did not see what her husband tried to explain to her, which was obvious to Stanley. I liked that he took the situation into his hands to discover Blanche. However, this also brings the point about whether he had a right to that. Even though she did look like she was lying, does he have a right to just go into her personal items without permission? I raised this question and think that this is applied to many mundane situations if one comes to consider it.
I also wonder about Blanche’s peculiar behavior with Mitch as well as vice versa. Without knowledge about the ending, I expect some type of connection between the two. Was there some love involved between the two in the past? Did Blanche come to her sister’s house just because she lost her money in luxury, or did she come to find something else? Whatever it is I think Stanley will be able to discover the truth.

Summer Reading assignment: Journal #1 A Streetcar Name Desire-Claryliz

Upon reading Act One of A Streetcar Named Desire, I became very observant of the character of Blanche. She seems to be manipulative and seems to be hiding something from her sister, Stella. Constantly nervous and wanting to have a drink after denying that she wants more, I suspect that she is a heavy drinker. She is definitely afraid, and in my opinion is trying to take advantage of her sister. Accustomed to a different lifestyle, she conspicuously disparages her sisters’ home, which I agree is extremely rude. Eunice’s response to seeing her arriving at the home, and contemplating her form of behavior when asking whether she was at the right place, gave me an immediate conclusion that this had to be her last resource. A person of such nice physical appearance and at the same time, disgust for her new poor surroundings is unlikely to come just for a visit with all of her belongings.
Apart from giving an image of manipulation, she does not seem to be right on her mind. She, herself, accepted that she was not very far from lunacy. This is evident when she continues to talk rapidly about preposterous things and at the same time continues to question her sister about her silence. And here is where I began to worry for Stella. Mentioned that Stella is younger of the two I expected a different relationship with her sister. However, when Blanche asked her about her silence, she confirmed that it had always been like that, where Stella was always the one listening. Therefore, I wonder if Stella will leave herself to be so vulnerable to the manipulations of her sister, who seemed to obtain what she wanted after hysterically crying the “difficulties” that she had been through. Her sister immediately seemed to feel the onus and the guiltiness of leaving her sister behind. Stella’s tears worry me, because I fear if she will be gullible enough to believe her sister’s words.
Referring back to Blanche’s supposed nervous state of mind, and lunacy, I wonder if this is a personal connection to the author’s real life. As mentioned at the beginning he had two siblings with mental issues. So I wonder if Blanche is a case of a mental issue like she says she was about to, or whether she wants something else from her sister.

Summer Reading assignment: Journal #1 A Streetcar Name Desire-Claryliz

Upon reading Act One of A Streetcar Named Desire, I became very observant of the character of Blanche. She seems to be manipulative and seems to be hiding something from her sister, Stella. Constantly nervous and wanting to have a drink after denying that she wants more, I suspect that she is a heavy drinker. She is definitely afraid, and in my opinion is trying to take advantage of her sister. Accustomed to a different lifestyle, she conspicuously disparages her sisters’ home, which I agree is extremely rude. Eunice’s response to seeing her arriving at the home, and contemplating her form of behavior when asking whether she was at the right place, gave me an immediate conclusion that this had to be her last resource. A person of such nice physical appearance and at the same time, disgust for her new poor surroundings is unlikely to come just for a visit with all of her belongings.
Apart from giving an image of manipulation, she does not seem to be right on her mind. She, herself, accepted that she was not very far from lunacy. This is evident when she continues to talk rapidly about preposterous things and at the same time continues to question her sister about her silence. And here is where I began to worry for Stella. Mentioned that Stella is younger of the two I expected a different relationship with her sister. However, when Blanche asked her about her silence, she confirmed that it had always been like that, where Stella was always the one listening. Therefore, I wonder if Stella will leave herself to be so vulnerable to the manipulations of her sister, who seemed to obtain what she wanted after hysterically crying the “difficulties” that she had been through. Her sister immediately seemed to feel the onus and the guiltiness of leaving her sister behind. Stella’s tears worry me, because I fear if she will be gullible enough to believe her sister’s words.
Referring back to Blanche’s supposed nervous state of mind, and lunacy, I wonder if this is a personal connection to the author’s real life. As mentioned at the beginning he had two siblings with mental issues. So I wonder if Blanche is a case of a mental issue like she says she was about to, or whether she wants something else from her sister.

Summer reading Assigment: Crime and Punishment Journal #1-- Alyson

I want to start by being perfectly frank; this novel is completely boring me. Not only is the language difficult, the story is just hard to follow. Usually I am able to push past the first few pages and eventually become so enthralled by a story, that I forget that I’m actually reading a book. This was certainly not the case. One thing that did interest me, however, was Raskolnikov’s character. His awkwardness, paranoia, and somewhat obsessive compulsive behavior really caught my attention (and reminded me of Holden Caufield!). I wanted to learn more and more about his past experiences and family life, to try to piece together why this man is the way he is. As sick as it may seem, I found his self-consciousness and discomfort slightly reassuring (in regard to me hopefully enjoying the novel…), because it made his character so lifelike, dynamic, and oddly enjoyable.

After reading a few people’s posts, many seem to be questioning Raskolnikov’s motives in regard to killing Alyona Ivanova. I like to think I understand (to some degree) where he is coming from, and hopefully I can shed some light…Since Raskolnikov was completely depressed and a bit psychotic, I feel like he was a ticking timebomb, bound to kill someone, or himself, at some point. That being said, Alyona seems to be a good fit for a futile murder, considering the fact that she is old, feeble, and has a lot of money (which Raskolnikov obviously needs). I also found it very interesting how she totally foils Raskolnikov.

One question I must ask is “What is the relevance of Marmeladov?!?” Although his story did evoke a lot of emotion in me, I feel like the whole section could have been removed and the only way the story would be affected is that the book would be shorter in length. What I did learn from his story is how sad and desperate many people’s lives were during that time. I also got a sense of that from Raskolnikov’s mother’s letter, especially how Luzhin requested marrying Dunya out of pity for their family’s poor situation. I felt that the letter really moved the book in somewhat of a direction, and I learned a bit more about Raskolnikov’s personal life, allowing me to further my understanding of his character.

Summer reading Assigment: Crime and Punishment Journal #3-- Alyson

As the book came to a close, I was still as bored as I was in the beginning. I hate book-bashing, because obviously there are things that I didn’t pick up on as I was reading, but it was such a slow read!

Personally, I do understand why this book is considered such a classic. Doestoevsky wrote a novel that transcends (and will continue to transcend) different cultures and time periods throughout human history, because he so straightforwardly wrote a story about the human condition. This novel can be translated into any time period and any society, because of the way Dostoevsky portrayed ordinary people’s struggles within themselves and within society. For example, Raskolnikov’s personal struggle with insanity as well as Marmeladov’s daughter having to sell herself to prostitution due to their desperate situation display very real issues that still occur today. I feel that is the true definition of a classic, not how much fun a book is to read.

Although I didn’t take anything from the story, per se, something did click in my mind. The story was about Raskolnikov’s actions and the consequences that followed…the basic idea that every action has a reaction-- i.e. crime : punishment :: action : consequence. That being said, I sadly didn’t enjoy the novel as a whole, and found it a very arduous and unreasonably lengthy read.

Summer reading Assigment: Crime and Punishment Journal #3-- Fred

It was so… simplistic. Nothing to ponder over, nothing to satisfy my nicotine for excitement, and nevertheless a bashfully uninteresting way to meet the back of the cover. Throughout the whole novel, I spent my time thinking up the themes Dostoevsky concealed in the diction, and was actually quite satisfied with what I could make out of it. However for the ending, alls I have left is a bit of criticism in how he organized the last chapters. Firstly, it was very sad to see the outcome of the entire Marmadelov family. To me they played the most interesting role in the story, apart from the supposed suspense on what Raskolnikov would do. Katerina and Sonya’s story is the most pitiful to me in the sense that the daughter has been through so much, and her stepmother didn’t exactly have a Rockefeller lifestyle either. However it pains me more to see such good people finish unkindly when the murderer himself got off with jail time.

Now here’s what I would have done personally to improve the ending. For one, make every single point expressed in the epilogue appear before Part 6’s conclusion. Personally I think if the epilogue’s points in Sonya and Rasko’s affection for each other finally being confirmed, and maybe, not to sound like a pain lover, have Raskolnikov’s mother pass away before it could have probably made the book conclude on a more pitiful note, as by having more twinge knotted into the climax would have given me a somewhat pitiful opinion on what Raskolnikov went through. Why did he have to confess at that moment, through disappointment of his sister? There’s no moral, everything is canceled out and wasted in my opinion judging by how the book ended. Also why put this whole Christian thing with Lazarus, its hypocritical considering the worst sin biblically is committed, and it contains a dialogue between a prostitute and a murderer. To add to this, in a way one can say they live happily ever after, thanks to what the epilogue explains. In about a decade Raskolnikov will free with Sonya and they’ll leave the outskirts of Siberia to return to Petersburg .
On a brighter note, I suppose I can say Dostoevsky leaves the novel with a sense that all actions are worthy of renewal? Other than this, I would love someone to express some points of reason for the ending. Tha

Summer reading Assigment: Crime and Punishment Journal #2-- Fred

Midway through the novel, it’s compulsory to say that whatever Dostoevsky managed to accomplish by displaying the mind and sufferings of a paranoid killer in 500 pages appeals quite petite to me. Obviously, responding to my comment on Ms. Tramantano’s post, I find this novel particularly far from being considered “great.” Yet with the same bit of optimism I used to start Streetcar, the abdomen of this novel is a little lest confusing than the beginning, shedding light to many characters like Dunya, her fiancé Luzhin and Razuhmikin that I had only read in Razko’s dreadful monotone. I like how Dunya’s personality affirms what his mother’s letter had described about her being self-less, intelligent, and a firm personality. So far, she has to be my favorite character of the novel, how her brilliant idea to test Luzhin by bringing Rasko surely solidifies that she’s a much wittier and aspiring character than her beloved brother. I’m ALMOST interested in discovering how it turns out between her and her fiancé, considering Razuhmikin’s attraction to her.

Next, I’ve seen in certain posts on the blog, people seem to marginalize Marmadelov’s role in the story, concerning his death in Sonya’s arms. Thinking again back to the title, Crime and Punishment, in a sense I see this particular subplot as equivalent to a “control” in an experiment. To elaborate, Raskolnikov’s murder of the pawnbroker and her sister have throughout the middle of the novel caused him indeed a lot of pain and paranoia, which I consider in a sense, self-punishment. Now correct me if I’m wrong, but perhaps Dostoevsky’s point in having Marmadelov pass away right in that scene, and have his wife mourn and insult him simultaneously was to contrast both ends of the spectrum, and also to signify the relationship between choices and consequences. Crimes are choices; punishments are the consequence of those choices. Marmadelov dies in sorrow for his drinking and partial neglect of his family; a wrong choice he made. His punishment is natural death. Raskolnikov chose to kill for his own personal gain, and I suppose whatever external punishment, I’ll learn later in the story.

Probably the most eye opening thing to me at the book’s midpoint was when Raskolnikov wrote an article about some superhumans being able to defy normal crime for the greater good. I get the feeling he’s trying to a murderous correspondent to Robin Hood, but to expand I in a sense saw a bit of OJ Simpson in Rasko’s defense to the detective. Back last year, OJ Simpson wrote of very controversial book called “If I did It”, referring to his accusations of killing Nicole Brown and that other dude that he is notorious for. Ironic, he killed two people and published a book about it just as Raskolnikov killed the two women and is trying to defend it with an article. I suppose what I mean is that whatever murder does to a person, and Dostoevsky does well to catch this, it stays with them permanently like some kind of parasite that will never leave. Just my two cents, forgive me but I still think this book is dreadful.

Summer reading Assigment: Crime and Punishment Journal #3-- Eriana

As I closed the book on Crime and Punishment, I looked down at it and was filled with joy of the thought of never having to read another page. I have to agree with many of my classmates, not only was the ending disappointing but I felt that it was rushed or maybe written hastily to get it over with. I was surprised to see that Dunya decides to be with Razumikhin rather than her fiance. I am also unimpressed by Raskolinkov's decision to confess,which resulted in him getting sent to a prison in Siberia. I honesty think that's where he belongs far away from people because he himself can not function as a proper person. I can also say that the whole falling in love with a prostitute isn't a bright idea and only made me pity Raskolinkov more. In addition I felt that overall Dostoesky put the crime in our own hands, and left the punishment for us. Like a trail in a court we were introduced to a character who seemed odd, he observed him and his actions trying to figure him out. The murders was the climax that put the reader in the position to decide whether or not his outcome is deserving.
I enjoyed bits and parts of this novel and I can easily understand why it is considered a classic. I however cant say this is the novel you should cozy up to on a rainy day,I feel that besides the major points this novel lacked something. I'm not sure what that something is but something is missing that can take it to a whole new level. I would love to re-read this book and in depth to fully get inside the characters and grasp the message that Dostoevsky was trying to send. All in all I enjoyed reading both pieces of literature (Crime and Punishment and A StreetCar Named Desire) and I see how both can be compared. I would recommend this novel but to only boring people.

Summer reading Assigment: Crime and Punishment Journal #2-- Eriana

The middle of Crime and Punishment has proven to be very complex and dramatic. After witnessing the crime, the two murders of Lizaveta and her half sister Alyona Ivanova by the main character Raskolnikov caused all the excitement within the novel to really burst. It was when I went back to the beginning did I remember who Alyona Ivanova was and then did all of the puzzle pieces fall into place. It made sense why he was acting so strange the day he went in to her apartment. The crime itself was written very well, Dostoevsky has a nice flow in telling the climax of the story,I had the whole scene play vividly through my mind. A part of the novel that I think is important was the dream Raskolnikov has prior to the crime. The nightmare told the story of a young boy watching as an old mare is beaten to death. This part is significant because it tells a story of a very cruel act and brought out my fear and sadness. I think this dream may have foreshadow what Raskolnikov was planning to do.
The drama between his mother, sister Dunya, and her fiance is effecting Raskolnikov in a very negative way. It brings out more of his mysterious illness, and keeps me wondering what he exactly suffers from. Dostoevsky also reveals the knowledge that Raskolnikov has one friends from the university; Razumikhin which rules out him possible being anti-social. What really struck me as important was the way he behaved in the Police office, I predict that if he can not control himself around the authorities then maybe he will eventually spill the beans. My opinion of the novel is that its exciting and worth the while only when important events are taking place. Otherwise it seems to be progressing quite slowly. I'm hopping the ending will be just and worth reading.

Summer reading Assigment: Crime and Punishment Journal #1--Eriana

Well into the beginning of Crime and Punishment, I was already able to make a prediction towards the story line of the protagonist Raskolnikov. His description makes him come off as a strange person. Right off the bat Raskolnikov begins to talk to himself, his walk makes him come off as a jittery or anxious person. Raskolnikov says he babble's too much, I wonder if this could be a clue towards his illness. While reading from page to page I noticed the type of surroundings he was living in, it was then that it occurred to me that if he himself explains it as "smelly" then his neighborhood is not well kept. Overall the physical description of Raskolnikov seems rather ironic because for someone with such nice features to be covered in filthy clothes is unfortunate.
As for the author, Dostoevsky is keeping me hanging with all of the secrets and confusion that comes with Raskolnikov. The theme I see developing is suspense. Having the reader be kept in the dark allows the actual reading to be much more exciting. I'm anticipating to see what is going to happen next. Moving on to Raskolnikov's personality, he doesn't seem 100% together mentally. For example he doesn't want to be seen, makes me question if he is in debt to more than just his land lady. He appears very stressed by something and I have a feeling its something very bad. In addition I've been observing Raskolnikov's behavior when he is off walking and I decided that he is the type of person that half the time is slow and indecisive and the other half he seems hyper and wired. This looks like the perfect recipe for a person who could commit a crime. Hopefully towards the middle much more secrets will be revealed.

Summer Reading assignment: Journal #3 A Streetcar Named Desire-- Biniyam

So far we have encountered several situations with Stanley and Blanche. We were able to assume that Stanley distastes Blanche upon her arrival but it wasn’t so evident. This was however changed when at the end of scene eight, Stanley and Stella were having a conversation and Stanley states “And wasn’t we happy together? Wasn’t it all okay? Till she showed here.” This is a clear and plain proof that Stanley hates the fact that he has to share living space with a person whom he considers to be a liar. He accuses Blanche of being a liar about the situation regarding Belle Reeve. After doing his investigation, he is convinced that Blanche is lying about everything.
I actually feel very sad for Blanche, hey it is only natural. She has lost everything and is now in her sister’s house and is being accused of being a liar and is abused verbally day in and day out. She is not very happy with the situation of her life. She has her own problems, emotional especially and on top of that, Stanley is just being a horrible person to her, causing her to be delirious.
I didn’t understand one more thing in this novel. What was the significance of the Mexican woman selling the flowers? It doesn’t really flow with the train of thought. I am very convinced that Stanley has pushed Blanche to the edge of going crazy. She is a character whom Williams actually wanted us to feel bad for. Blanche’s relationship with Mitch is ruined after Stanley told him about several incidents involving Blanche and the Flamingo. This is possibly the worst thing Stanley could do to her at this moment. I just hope that Stanley leaves her alone and that she begins to feel better.
We were just announced that Stella as given birth to a baby boy and is staying at the hospital. During this night, Stanley gets into a physical altercation with Blanche. This ends in Stanley raping Blanche. I hope that Stanley was drunk and was not thinking straight as he did so. It is disgusting and unimaginable for me to believe that Stanley enjoyed this. I am very disappointed at Stanley . I thought he was just mean and abusive but he is also a rapist. I feel for Blanche. She has lost everything and has now lost her dignity to a man whom she also distastes. To add to the pain and hurt, Stella and Stanley send Blanche to a mental institute. I am very much shocked at the decision Stella made without knowing the truth behind everything. Stanley has fed her with a wealth of information he gained from an investigator but Stella hasn’t formed her own conclusion yet and was convinced by Stanley to send Blanche to the asylum. This book ended horribly. I am let down by Stella and even Mitch as he did nothing but stand aside as they took Blanche out of the house. I just hope after all of this sacrifice and suffering that Stanley and Stella live a life of happiness and comfort because Blanche never will. I did enjoy reading this book and I definitely recommend this book to those who like drama, trust me you are definitely going satisfy your thirst for drama in this book.

Summer Reading assignment: Journal #2 A Streetcar Named Desire--Biniyam

In the previous scene we left off after Stanley strikes Stella for turning on the radio. In scene four, we begin with Stella defending her husband. “He is as good as a lamb,” exclaimed Stella to her sister regarding Stanley . Although he did strike her, she still stands by him. I guess she truly believe in till death do us part. I just don’t understand why she would stay wit him. Women these days accept abuse from men and say that it is because that person loves them. This is not true at all. A man who loves his woman will always respect and treat her with respect and care. If a man lands his hands on a woman with the intent to hurt her, he is more likely to do it again leading to the cycle of abuse. Women are abused more frequently than men because they are able to cope with violent situations. Stella should have had the guts and bravery to say that she is going to separate from Stanley since he is abusive but rather disappointing, she decides to stay with him.
When Stanley is not home, Blanche talks about him behind his back. “He acts like an animal, has an animal’s habits! Eats like one, moves like one, talks like one!” It just so happen that Stanley was getting back home and he overheard what Blanche had said about him. I am very glad for this statement for two reasons. One is that it is true. Stanley is an animal since he abuses his wife and disrespects Blanche. Regardless of how much he dislikes Blanche, he should still be respectful; if not then he is definitely an animal. The second reason is that it shows Stanley is not the only character that we can label as being big and bad. It is one thing to talk about Stanley while he is present but talking about him behind his back is unacceptable. It shows that Blanche is deceiving and tricky, thus can not be trusted.
I do not understand one thing very clearly. When the young man arrives at Stanley and Stella’s house, Blanche kisses him. This does not make sense to me. Why would a “teacher” kiss a young man who doesn’t appear to know what he is doing and what was the reason behind it all? Is Blanche so desperate for affection that she is willing to go as low as kissing a young man who is much younger than herself? Or is it that she feels Mitch is too high of a standard to be interested in her so she decided to fall back on this innocent man? I just hope that this doesn’t affect the relationship between Blanche and Mitch.
Mitch as mentioned earlier is a very nice person and whom I think is very different from Stanley . There is a saying that a man will treat his wife/girlfriend the way he treats his mother. We find out that Mitch’s mother is ill and he has been taking care of her. He has even canceled several poker games so that the guys wouldn’t disturb his sick mother. This shows a great deal about Mitch’s character. He is caring, compassionate and has a good heart. Stanley is a foil of Mitch in my opinion, who is ruthless, doesn’t care about anything but poker and alcohol. I am very pleased to see that a guy like Mitch actually is in a group with men like Stanley , so that he can actually be an example for the rest.

Summer Reading assignment: Journal #1 A Streetcar Named Desire--Biniyam

A Street Car Named Desire
Tennessee Williams
Similarly to some of my class mates, I have read this book before and I knew the situation, the protagonist, antagonist etc. Thus I was actually looking forward to reading it a second time because now I was able to pick up things I missed the first time. In the beginning scenes, Blanche arrives to her sister’s house in New Orleans . This arrival I am sure is going to lead to several confrontations. One thing that amazed me was that as soon as she saw the place that Stella lives, Blanche dislikes the way that her sister lives. She quickly judges her sister’s lifestyle. This is something that I despise and dislike in a person. As soon as we meet a person or encounter a new lifestyle, we are very quick to judge. Being Judgmental is something I can’t stand. There are always hidden things and until then we should never judge. Even then, people should never judge each other. The bible actually states that a person shouldn’t judge or they shall be judged. The only one with the right and ability to judge is god when we attempt to enter his kingdom.
In the early chapters we run across a very interesting character named Stanley . We first encounter him when he is returning home from a bowling game. I noticed that Stanley is the Alpha Male of the whole crew. He appears to be the leader and the person responsible for everything that the guys do together. I am very much impressed and interested in Staley. However, every Alpha Male has a weakness and his weakness is a woman named Stella. She tells him to “try and understand her and be nice to her (Blanche.) I am very curious as to know the relationship of Stanly and Stella before the arrival of Blanche.
We find out that Stanley is curious of the reasons behind the arrival of Blanche unannounced. He suspects some secret and lie. When he goes through her trunk, he finds a bunch of letters. Blanche tells him that the letters are from her admirer. I assume that these letters give a false impression to Blanche. Blanche is somehow blinded by the words of the letters that she is delusional as seen in her actions and behaviors. I think this cover is somehow removed when she meets a fellow by the name of Mitch. Mitch seems to be a very interesting person. He is part of the Stanley Crew and yet he remains unique in his own way. I admire people who can blend in with others when necessary but can also standout when necessary as he did when Blanche arrived. I can sense that there is going to be some sort of relationship between the two of them.
I found out that Stanley is not a man. A true man is able to control his emotions and is also able to take care of everything else. A man never lands his hands on a woman. A man should always be caring and affectionate towards a woman, if not then he is no man at all. Stanley , in my opinion is a coward and a ruthless person as he strikes his wife. I question as to how a man can land his hands on a woman whom he is married to with the intent of hurting her. I despise men like Stanley and actually feel bad for him because he will never understand how to respect a woman.

Summer reading Assigment: Crime and Punishment Journal #3-- Biniyam

I am very happy to have finished reading this book. I must say, I did not expect the ending to be this way. There are some points that I think need to be addressed and further discussed. The first thing I would like to elaborate on is the death of Katerina. It is such a sad scene learning of how they all went on the street and were singing to collect money. It made me realize that I am fortunate enough to have parents who can provide me with anything I need and that I am blessed with the life I am given. I have also noticed that the funeral meal held is similar to an Ethiopian funeral meal. At an Ethiopian funeral meal, the family of the deceased dresses in all black and sits on a mattress and is greeted by all the people who come to pay respect to the person who passed away. It is a very depressing and sad scene that I do not wish to experience until I am old enough to control my emotions.
I actually felt bad for Katerina as she is made fun of during the meal. People that weren’t invited actually showed up and they had the guts to disrespect her. I could not believe the German woman who told Katerina that she must move out tonight. Katerina just lost her husband and forcing her to move out the house was just an action that I strongly do not support and actually despise. I hope that no body is treated the way katerina was treated at the funeral meal because it was inhumane and disrespectful.
At this meal, Sonya was accused of stealing one hundred rubles from Luzhin. At this point, Rasklinkov came to the rescue of Sonya. He was there when she needed him and he was able to provide her with comfort and safety. Rasklinkov at this point is the definition of a man. He stood by the woman he loved and would have defended her from anything that came as a problem. I hope Sonya realizes that he is the one for her and that they were meant to be together. I was proud at the actions of Rasklinkov and regardless of what he did I know there is a truly blessed heart inside of him.
Rasklinkov of course tells Sonya of the murder. I didn’t like this scene very much but since Sonya and Rasklinkov have become fond of each other, he trusted her and was able to tell her anything regarding the reason behind the murder. Sonya brings out the good in Rasklinkov. She even makes him confess his crime so that his punishment would be less. If I was in her shoes, I would never tell a person to confess because I don’t want to be responsible for what happens to that person after I do so. I hope that Rasklinkov serves his time and gets out to reunite with Sonya to form a happy family. I also hope that Sonya stays available until then considering the time Rasklinkov serves might be a while. We all need a person like Sonya. My parents are my Sonya. I love them to death and they bring out the positive things in me. I would never be the person that I am today if I wasn’t pushed by my parents to be a better person.
Another person that I admired and loved was Dunya. When Svidrigilov threatened to rape her and confess the truth about her brother’s murder she pulled out a weapon to protect herself. She is a strong woman and she is similar to Sonya in some cases. She is a proud woman who is honest and down to earth. I am sure that her and Sonya are going to get along very well in the future. I actually hated the character of Svidrigilov. He appeared to be a man of honesty and love but his real intentions were revealed and I hated him more than I hated Luzhin. He is a coward and an animal for attempting to abuse Dunya physically. The ending was very unexpected and amazing.
I loved this book regardless of how boring and time consuming it was, I loved reading it and being taken by the suspense. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who doesn’t mind to read a long book about a murder and suspense. I hope we read more books like this that get us to write as much that includes characters that we can relate to. It was a pleasure Dostoevsky.

Summer reading Assigment: Crime and Punishment Journal #3--Biniyam

I have currently finished reading parts three and four of this book, which is making its way up on my favorite list of books. I am very much captivated by its content and its suspense. I am very fond of the character called Rasklinkov. I am just waiting and expecting Rasklinkov to be captured or haunted by a ghost. I have decided to do my second journal a little different from my first. As I read parts three and four, I took down notes of statements or situations that I felt needed to be addressed. It appears to be consecutive because I took notes as I read along.
Pages 233-234
Rasklinkov shows his intelligence:
In these pages, Pulcheria Alexandrovna and Dunya are located in Rasklinkov’s place and actually show him the letter that Luzhin had sent to them in the morning. The reason that they did so was because one aspect of the letter requires that Rasklinkov does not show up to a dinner get together of Pulcheria, Dunya and Luzhin to further discuss the marriage preparations. After reading the letter twice, Rasklinkov states “Yes, precisely legal, business like…..Not so very illiterate, and not too literary either-a business style.” After reading the document, Rasklinkov was able to pick out problems with the letter. Luzhin actually tried to flaunt his intelligence on his visit to Petersburg when Rasklinkov was still felling ill. We find out that Rasklinkov might be the murderer but he is not going crazy and that he still possesses hit intelligence. I assume that he must have been a top student while he was still enrolled in the university studying law. I wonder how successful Rasklinkov would have been if he had only remained in the university.
Pages 259-260
Some people have the right to kill:
In these pages, Rasklinkov is having an intelligent conversation with Razumkin and Porfiry Petrovich about murder and an article that Rasklinkov had written for a newspaper titled “Weekly Disclosure.” Rasklinkov states that some people have the right to kill another person if that person is going to interfere with a discovery and he gave an example of Isaac Newton. I agree with this statement for several reasons. In today’s world, we depend on previous discoveries to help us discover cures for diseases, find better way of doing chores as well as explore the outer space. All of these advancements have been made due to contributions of geniuses such as Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton and Galileo Galilei. If these great people had a person who was holding them back from discovering new ideas and concepts, then I believe they do have the right to kill that person for the greater benefit of humankind. A loss of a single life is a small sacrifice for a better life for future generations. I am sure that Rasklinkov is going to justify the murder using this ideology. Rasklinkov is a brilliant person and I am sure the one roadblock he was facing from going back to the University and pursue his education was lack of money and the murder was a small price that needed to be paid in order for Rasklinkov to become more educated and help create works that benefit future generations.
Pages 276-278
The Dream:
On these pages, Rasklinkov has a strange dream of a murder. This murder occurs in a somewhat similar place to the pawnbroker’s house, where Rasklinkov actually committed the real murder. The method of killing in both situations is also similar. This dream made me question several aspects of this part of the book. Is it a possibility that Rasklinkov is being haunted by his dirty deed or is he just seeing a ghost? Rasklinkov wakes up from his nightmare and sees a man standing in front of him and this man introduced himself as Arkady Voinovich Svidrigailov. Who is this person and what is the connection between him and the dream that Rasklinkov just experienced? If I was in Rasklinkov place, I would be very terrified of the whole situation. If I just had a dream of a murder and I wake up to a mysterious man standing on my front doors, I would probably faint. However, Rasklinkov responded wit bravery and authority, as he demanded to know who the person was. At this point I question, is Rasklinkov going to have any more dreams of murder? If so, how is he going to respond to them?
Pages 281-289
Arkady’s offer:
Following the ending of part three, we get vivid and detailed information of who Arkady Voinovich Svidrigailov truly is. He is the husband of Marfa Petrona, at whose house Dunya was accused of disgracing her family name. Arkady came to Petersburg after the death of his wife with an offer to Dunya but since he could not speak to her in person, he decided to see Rasklinkov first. Arkady offers Dunya 10,000 rubles if she decides to dismiss the marriage. He also tells Rasklinkov of 3,000 rubles that were left to Dunya in Marfa Petrona’s will. Arkady keeps asking Rasklinkov to help him see Dunya. I understand why Rasklinkov does not want Arkady to actually see Dunya after the shame she had faced in his house. At this point, several aspects of the books have gone wrong. Rasklinkov is a murder, Luzhin is marrying Dunya for the wrong reasons and finally Rasklinkov is about to go mad. Thus, I consider this Arkady as the Christ like figure because he has a generous offer that will actually help Dunya and her family for a long time. I hope Rasklinkov actually helps Arkady so that he can also benefit from the rubles that Dunya will be receiving if the deal is met.
Pages 301-306
Marriage is CANCELLED:
In these pages, we enter a scene of a dinner including Rasklinkov, Razumkin, Dunya, Pulcheria and Luzhin. Though in his letter Luzhin had asked that Rasklinkov not be present, Rasklinkov decided that he actually wants to go. We encounter an equal amount of hatred between Rasklinkov and Luzhin. Rasklinkov confronts Luzhin about the letter that he had sent to Dunya and Pulcheria telling them of an event that took place the night before. Luzhin in turn confronts Rasklinkov of the welcome that he was given when he visited Rasklinkov during the time of his illness. After exchange of words, Rasklinkov tells Dunya that she was left 3,000 rubles by Marfa Petrona. Dunya calls off the marriage and Luzhin was told to exit the restaurant by both Rasklinkov and Razumkin. I am very pleased with this scene and I was actually happy to see that Razumkin now has a chance with Dunya, but then I was let down when on page 314, Dostoevsky states “In short from that evening on Razumkin became their son and brother.” I like romance and I was hoping for Luzhin to move out of the picture, and he did but then the book took an unexpected twist when Rasklinkov walks out on everybody. I am still left with one question though: when Luzhin walked out, he spoke “in short, many troubles lay ahead of him(Rasklinkov).” This is a quote that I predict is going to come back to haunt me later on in the book and what is the significance of it?
Pages 324-328
Story of Lazarus:
In these pages, we encounter a scene of Rasklinkov and Sonya. After leaving the dinner with Razumkin, Pulcheria and Dunya, Rasklinkov ended up knocking on Sonya’s door. After entering, he becomes gloomy and asks Sonya series of questions regarding the funeral for her father and the situation of the kids. One strange question came from Rasklinkov regarding a bible. He asks Sonya to read the story of Lazarus. We face a biblical allusion and it is a strange one. The story of Lazarus is of a man who was awakened from death by Jesus Christ. I really did not understand as to why this part of the bible was so significant. What I did understand was that Rasklinkov might actually be going mad. It is very obvious that Rasklinkov has a crush on Sonya and by his presence and his strange requests, he is scaring the poor girl. I really hated Rasklinkov in this part of the book because I felt bad for Sonya. She just lost a father in a terrible accident and a funeral is in preparation and she is now being tormented by Rasklinkov. I do not appreciate the fact that he is adding to the problems that Sonya faces. I just hope that Rasklinkov leaves Sonya alone because she is an innocent and poor girl who in my opinion deserves a man similar to Razumkin rather than Rasklinkov.
Pages 332-350
Porfiry Petrovich asks questions:
In these pages, Porfiry Petrovich has an encounter with Rasklinkov. He had previously asked Rasklinkov to come to his office for a discussion. While in Porfiry Petrovich’s office, Rasklinkov begins to worry that Porfiry knows the truth about the murders. Porfiry Petrovich tells Rasklinkov military stories, previous cases as well as rumors around town intended to pressure Rasklinkov into confessing the murder. These methods of interrogation does not work but it does manage to irritate Rasklinkov to a point where he is yelling, “I will not allow it” and banging Porfiry Petrovich’s desk with his fist. Porfiry succeeds in calming Rasklinkov down to a point where he tells him he has a surprise waiting in a back room. Before revealing what the surprise was on page 347, Porfiry Petrovich asks Rasklinkov “And what, sir, were you pleased to be doing in the murdered woman’s apartment…?” This was the point at which I was expecting the surprise in the closet was an eyewitness to the murder. Unfortunately, Porfiry Petrovich still does not open the back door as a group of people interrupts him along with a man named Nikolai who confesses to the murder of the woman. You would think that I was relieved that Rasklinkov is free once again but I actually questioned if Rasklinkov actually committed the murder. Is it a possibility that Rasklinkov is just imagining the murder and that he actually did not kill anyone at all? I hope this is the case because he is too brilliant to throw in jail to rot for a murder he was forced to commit.
This book is filled with twists and turns and I am actually looking forward to more puzzles and questions. I just hope it has a good ending, considering that the next time I will write a journal is after I finished reading it.

Summer reading Assigment: Crime and Punishment Journal #3--Biniyam

I have currently finished reading parts three and four of this book, which is making its way up on my favorite list of books. I am very much captivated by its content and its suspense. I am very fond of the character called Rasklinkov. I am just waiting and expecting Rasklinkov to be captured or haunted by a ghost. I have decided to do my second journal a little different from my first. As I read parts three and four, I took down notes of statements or situations that I felt needed to be addressed. It appears to be consecutive because I took notes as I read along.
Pages 233-234
Rasklinkov shows his intelligence:
In these pages, Pulcheria Alexandrovna and Dunya are located in Rasklinkov’s place and actually show him the letter that Luzhin had sent to them in the morning. The reason that they did so was because one aspect of the letter requires that Rasklinkov does not show up to a dinner get together of Pulcheria, Dunya and Luzhin to further discuss the marriage preparations. After reading the letter twice, Rasklinkov states “Yes, precisely legal, business like…..Not so very illiterate, and not too literary either-a business style.” After reading the document, Rasklinkov was able to pick out problems with the letter. Luzhin actually tried to flaunt his intelligence on his visit to Petersburg when Rasklinkov was still felling ill. We find out that Rasklinkov might be the murderer but he is not going crazy and that he still possesses hit intelligence. I assume that he must have been a top student while he was still enrolled in the university studying law. I wonder how successful Rasklinkov would have been if he had only remained in the university.
Pages 259-260
Some people have the right to kill:
In these pages, Rasklinkov is having an intelligent conversation with Razumkin and Porfiry Petrovich about murder and an article that Rasklinkov had written for a newspaper titled “Weekly Disclosure.” Rasklinkov states that some people have the right to kill another person if that person is going to interfere with a discovery and he gave an example of Isaac Newton. I agree with this statement for several reasons. In today’s world, we depend on previous discoveries to help us discover cures for diseases, find better way of doing chores as well as explore the outer space. All of these advancements have been made due to contributions of geniuses such as Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton and Galileo Galilei. If these great people had a person who was holding them back from discovering new ideas and concepts, then I believe they do have the right to kill that person for the greater benefit of humankind. A loss of a single life is a small sacrifice for a better life for future generations. I am sure that Rasklinkov is going to justify the murder using this ideology. Rasklinkov is a brilliant person and I am sure the one roadblock he was facing from going back to the University and pursue his education was lack of money and the murder was a small price that needed to be paid in order for Rasklinkov to become more educated and help create works that benefit future generations.
Pages 276-278
The Dream:
On these pages, Rasklinkov has a strange dream of a murder. This murder occurs in a somewhat similar place to the pawnbroker’s house, where Rasklinkov actually committed the real murder. The method of killing in both situations is also similar. This dream made me question several aspects of this part of the book. Is it a possibility that Rasklinkov is being haunted by his dirty deed or is he just seeing a ghost? Rasklinkov wakes up from his nightmare and sees a man standing in front of him and this man introduced himself as Arkady Voinovich Svidrigailov. Who is this person and what is the connection between him and the dream that Rasklinkov just experienced? If I was in Rasklinkov place, I would be very terrified of the whole situation. If I just had a dream of a murder and I wake up to a mysterious man standing on my front doors, I would probably faint. However, Rasklinkov responded wit bravery and authority, as he demanded to know who the person was. At this point I question, is Rasklinkov going to have any more dreams of murder? If so, how is he going to respond to them?
Pages 281-289
Arkady’s offer:
Following the ending of part three, we get vivid and detailed information of who Arkady Voinovich Svidrigailov truly is. He is the husband of Marfa Petrona, at whose house Dunya was accused of disgracing her family name. Arkady came to Petersburg after the death of his wife with an offer to Dunya but since he could not speak to her in person, he decided to see Rasklinkov first. Arkady offers Dunya 10,000 rubles if she decides to dismiss the marriage. He also tells Rasklinkov of 3,000 rubles that were left to Dunya in Marfa Petrona’s will. Arkady keeps asking Rasklinkov to help him see Dunya. I understand why Rasklinkov does not want Arkady to actually see Dunya after the shame she had faced in his house. At this point, several aspects of the books have gone wrong. Rasklinkov is a murder, Luzhin is marrying Dunya for the wrong reasons and finally Rasklinkov is about to go mad. Thus, I consider this Arkady as the Christ like figure because he has a generous offer that will actually help Dunya and her family for a long time. I hope Rasklinkov actually helps Arkady so that he can also benefit from the rubles that Dunya will be receiving if the deal is met.
Pages 301-306
Marriage is CANCELLED:
In these pages, we enter a scene of a dinner including Rasklinkov, Razumkin, Dunya, Pulcheria and Luzhin. Though in his letter Luzhin had asked that Rasklinkov not be present, Rasklinkov decided that he actually wants to go. We encounter an equal amount of hatred between Rasklinkov and Luzhin. Rasklinkov confronts Luzhin about the letter that he had sent to Dunya and Pulcheria telling them of an event that took place the night before. Luzhin in turn confronts Rasklinkov of the welcome that he was given when he visited Rasklinkov during the time of his illness. After exchange of words, Rasklinkov tells Dunya that she was left 3,000 rubles by Marfa Petrona. Dunya calls off the marriage and Luzhin was told to exit the restaurant by both Rasklinkov and Razumkin. I am very pleased with this scene and I was actually happy to see that Razumkin now has a chance with Dunya, but then I was let down when on page 314, Dostoevsky states “In short from that evening on Razumkin became their son and brother.” I like romance and I was hoping for Luzhin to move out of the picture, and he did but then the book took an unexpected twist when Rasklinkov walks out on everybody. I am still left with one question though: when Luzhin walked out, he spoke “in short, many troubles lay ahead of him(Rasklinkov).” This is a quote that I predict is going to come back to haunt me later on in the book and what is the significance of it?
Pages 324-328
Story of Lazarus:
In these pages, we encounter a scene of Rasklinkov and Sonya. After leaving the dinner with Razumkin, Pulcheria and Dunya, Rasklinkov ended up knocking on Sonya’s door. After entering, he becomes gloomy and asks Sonya series of questions regarding the funeral for her father and the situation of the kids. One strange question came from Rasklinkov regarding a bible. He asks Sonya to read the story of Lazarus. We face a biblical allusion and it is a strange one. The story of Lazarus is of a man who was awakened from death by Jesus Christ. I really did not understand as to why this part of the bible was so significant. What I did understand was that Rasklinkov might actually be going mad. It is very obvious that Rasklinkov has a crush on Sonya and by his presence and his strange requests, he is scaring the poor girl. I really hated Rasklinkov in this part of the book because I felt bad for Sonya. She just lost a father in a terrible accident and a funeral is in preparation and she is now being tormented by Rasklinkov. I do not appreciate the fact that he is adding to the problems that Sonya faces. I just hope that Rasklinkov leaves Sonya alone because she is an innocent and poor girl who in my opinion deserves a man similar to Razumkin rather than Rasklinkov.
Pages 332-350
Porfiry Petrovich asks questions:
In these pages, Porfiry Petrovich has an encounter with Rasklinkov. He had previously asked Rasklinkov to come to his office for a discussion. While in Porfiry Petrovich’s office, Rasklinkov begins to worry that Porfiry knows the truth about the murders. Porfiry Petrovich tells Rasklinkov military stories, previous cases as well as rumors around town intended to pressure Rasklinkov into confessing the murder. These methods of interrogation does not work but it does manage to irritate Rasklinkov to a point where he is yelling, “I will not allow it” and banging Porfiry Petrovich’s desk with his fist. Porfiry succeeds in calming Rasklinkov down to a point where he tells him he has a surprise waiting in a back room. Before revealing what the surprise was on page 347, Porfiry Petrovich asks Rasklinkov “And what, sir, were you pleased to be doing in the murdered woman’s apartment…?” This was the point at which I was expecting the surprise in the closet was an eyewitness to the murder. Unfortunately, Porfiry Petrovich still does not open the back door as a group of people interrupts him along with a man named Nikolai who confesses to the murder of the woman. You would think that I was relieved that Rasklinkov is free once again but I actually questioned if Rasklinkov actually committed the murder. Is it a possibility that Rasklinkov is just imagining the murder and that he actually did not kill anyone at all? I hope this is the case because he is too brilliant to throw in jail to rot for a murder he was forced to commit.
This book is filled with twists and turns and I am actually looking forward to more puzzles and questions. I just hope it has a good ending, considering that the next time I will write a journal is after I finished reading it.

Summer reading Assigment: Crime and Punishment Journal #1-- Biniyam

My predictions, derived from the look of this book are that it is is going to be long, boring and depressing. I saw that it had more than 500 pages and I already knew that I was going to have a hard time. Crime and Punishment is not a type of book I would pick up and read, considering the size of the book. It has been said over and over again, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” and it is a possibility that I am judging this book incorrectly but we only time will tell. My decision was to divide the book into three parts and then do separate journals for each. I currently finished reading the last pages of part two. I must say, I actually like this book. It might be gruesome and gloomy at times but it captivates my attention. There are several aspects that I would like to mention and elaborate on:
Rasklinkov is a hero: In the first part of this novel, it was revealed that Marmeladov’s daughter Sonya is forced into prostitution to support her family of approximately six people. The reason that Sonya began prostitution according to Marmeladov is due to lack of money. Similar to Marmeladov’s situation, Rasklinkov also lacks money and is in terrible debt to several people including his nagging proprietor. To help Rasklinkov with his situation, his sister Dunya became a maid and finally has agreed to marry a person whom we don’t even know whether she actually loves him or not. Dunya of course took a different approach that Sonya but both had similar goals in mind. The only difference between these two situations and the fact that makes Rasklinkov a hero is that he was willing to do something about his situation so he does not see his sister marry a person whom he deeply distastes. Though his actions were very cruel and inhumane, it was still an unavoidable evil. I have a sister of my own. If I was in Rasklinkov’s situation and my sister decides to marry a rich person just like Dunya, I would probably rob a bank but would not go as far as killing. To me, Rasklinkov is a hero because he was willing to risk his freedom to protect his sister from engaging in a marriage that was based on the wrong reasons. I do not know about you but I applaud his actions regardless of how sick they might sound.
The Murder: Rasklinkov decides to go through with the murder of the pawnbroker Alyona. This situation is crazy and disgusting. Murder is an evil action that I personally hate. I can never understand how much guts and push is necessary to cut the life of another man short. Rasklinkov had one thing on his mind when he entered the house on the night of the murder. The goal was to kill Alyona and take valuables and leave. Unfortunately, Alyona’s sister happened to arrive in the middle of the dirty deed. I blame destiny for the killing of Alyona’s sister rather than Rasklinkov although he was the one who threw down the axe. Alyona’s death was in my opinion was unavoidable. There was a part in the book that I found very significant and was the final push towards the murder and it was the scene where two men were talking in the tavern and Rasklinkov overhears them discussing the evil Alyona. This was very important because it doubled the reason for the murder. Not only would Rasklinkov get out of debt but he would also rid the world of such evil. I am sure the neighborhood is much better now that Alyona is out of the picture. I am assuming that everybody in the area is glad for such a deed though none of them had the desire to commit this evil deed.
Rasklinkov Cares: In part one of this novel, we are faced with a different version of Rasklinkov. After the meeting with Marmeladov in the tavern and after hearing of the situation with his family, Rasklinkov shows his sensitive and caring side by accepting the full responsibility of taking Marmeladov home and even gives 20 kopecks to the family. Though later on we do find out that Rasklinkov has a dark side to him, toward the end of chapter two in Part one, Dostoevsky gives us an opposite image of Rasklinkov. In my opinion, the reason Dostoevsky does this is so that in later parts there exists a conflict of characters when we recognize both sides to Rasklinkov. This method is very effective and actually got me to question if we all have two different sides.
Luzhin meets Rasklinkov: The scene where Luzhin meets Rasklinkov is a very captivating and amazing part. When it comes to letting a younger sister marry another man, an older brother is usually against it until he has a formal meeting with this man. We do not usually expect an older brother to be pleased when his sister is about to be married off especially when it is for the wrong reasons. I have a younger sister and if any man tries to propose to her, he must have my approval because I am not just going to watch my one and only sister marry a person that I do not think deserves her. As I was reading the beginning parts of this encounter, I knew what was going to happen. I predicted that Rasklinkov is not going to like Luzhin and just as I predicted, Rasklinkov distastes Luzhin. I actually believe that Rasklinkov’s actions were justified because Luzhin is probably marrying Dunya for the wrong reasons. I am not certain whether love exists between Luzhin and Dunya so therefore Rasklinkov did not jeopardize anything but rather played his role as a big brother.
This book is actually captivating me as I read it. There are certain scenes that I did not expect to happen such as the arrival of Dunya and Rasklinkov’s mother. I am expecting more details and more unexpected encounter of Rasklinkov with Luzhin.

Summer reading Assigment: Crime and Punishment Journal #3-- Justine

After finishing "Crime And Punishment", I am not very satisfied with the ending. With the suspenseful writing technique Dostoevsky uses I expected a jaw dropping

ending. The fact that Raskolnikov confess' about the murder completely takes away the mystery. It would have been better is instead of confessing about the crime, he actually got taken in by the cops by leaving some kind of evidence. A major characteristic Raskolnikov has is being nervous, but I never thought he'd read the climax of letting himself suffer. Im shocked.


I am also very upset that Raskolnikov fell in love with a prostitue. With the letters he recieved from his mother it seemed like she'd raised him better than falling in love with

a lady who has sex for money. The only part of the ending which I believed turned out interesting is that Dunya marries Razumikhin considering that is Raskolnikov's only friend left from college. All together the book didn't turn out to be as good as I expected it to be.

Summer reading Assigment: Crime and Punishment Journal #2-- Justine

I am aware that we have been asked to write our second journal based on the middle portion of the story, but I found the murder scene far too suspenseful to wait. I am so

curious to know why Raskolnikov would kill Alyona. Alyona was a stockbroker, therefor Raskolnikov could have possibly used her to get money if he was in a crisis. This leads me to believe that maybe somewhere along the line Raskolnikov did need help from Alyono and she turned him down.


Dostoevsky uses the literary device of foreshadowing before the murder takes place. The dream Raskolnikov has about the killing of the horse was before the killing of

Alyona and her sister. Once Raskolnikov kills Alyona we understand that he must be mentally unstable and suffer from some sort of mental illness. I connected this to the beginning of the story because Dostevsky made it clear how much of a nevous person Raskolnikov is when seeing people ot simpling taking a stroll down the street.


Symbolism is used in Part 2, when Raskolnikov has dreams of his landlady being beat. This shows metaphorically, that he is suffering on the inside by the crime he has

commited. We can see that he has a conscience and is aware of the bad deed. If I were in his place, I'd be nervous as well. This murder scecne deffinitly leaves me wanting more. My main question that I can't seem to find the answer to is "WHY" did he commit this murder.

Summer reading Assigment: Crime and Punishment Journal #1-- Justine

As I began reading, "Crime And Punishment", I found the tone to be very mysterious. The structure of the sentences such as leaving out letters in particular words is

something I noticed very quickly. Fyodor Dostoevsky left me anxious at this time. I wonder what the reason is that he did this. Did he simply forget the full names? Is there a secret message waiting to be found? My mind can only think of so many possibilities.


I also found drinking alcohol as to being a major concept in the story. This can be connected to current events in the world because till this day people relay on alcohol as

escape from a stressful life. The particular scene in the story, that drew me into the book involving alcoholic, is when Raskolnikov found himself conversing with a drunken man in the bar. The literary element, imagery, was greatly embellished in this scene.


So far, I am enjoying the book. I like how the author tries to be secretive and not give away every piece of information. It keeps me guessing, therefor my eyes linger from

page to page waiting for the next move to be made. In addition, when I read the letter that Raskolnokiv's mother sent him it deeply touched my heart. It reminded me how sad the world is when it comes to poverty. Having some people filthy rich and others wishing for the smallest amount of money to come their way is unfortunate.

Summer Reading assignment: Journal #3 A Streetcar Name Desire-Justine

"A Street Car Named Desire" did not end very differently than I could have expected it to. All throughout the play, there were times where crazy drama popped out of
nowhere and surprised me as a reader. For instance, finding out Blanche did suffer from a mental illness did not shock me at all. From the beginning all the way to the end I knew Blanche has problems. Although the crazy ending of the play didn't exactly shock me, I was still very surprised that Stanley rapes Blanche. I was surprised because Stella is such a loving wife who stood by her husband. All of these issues that occurred leads me to believe the moral of the play is not always to trust those who you believe are trustworthy, because at any moment anyone can switch who they are.

Summer reading Assigment: Crime and Punishment Journal #2-- Alyson

I wish I could understand Russian, because to me, if I could read the book in the way it was intended to be read, the language would probably be much more captivating. It’s like reading translated poetry; it just doesn’t read properly. I decided to look Raskolnikov’s character up, and I learned that “the name Raskolnikov comes from the Russian raskolnik meaning "schismatic".” (Thank you, Wikipedia!) Learning that tiny tidbit of information made me appreciate Dostoevsky’s cleverness and use of language, since it’s not as easily picked up on through a translation.


After the murders, Raskolnikov’s sick, depressed, heartless side seems to be showing up less and less, while his light-hearted, kind and generous side becomes more prevalent. I feel as if Dostoevsky is alluding to everyone’s personal fight against the devil, and throughout the entire novel so far, I picture Raskolnikov in that cliché, tug-of-war-like fight between the devil and angel on his shoulders. Even when he comes to Marmeladov’s rescue, I still feel as if he is doing a good deed solely to clear his conscious and look like less of a suspect in the murder case.

After being more than halfway done with the novel, I still feel no real sense of excitement or adventure, even though the story is about a murderer! By this point I shouldn’t want to put the book down, but it still feels like a chore, which is unfortunate because I wish I could appreciate such a classic.

Summer Reading assignment: Journal #2 A Streetcar Named Desire-Justine

Throughout the middle of the play, I am noticing a trend of the recurring involvement of situations involving sex, alcohol, and money. I believe these three things are very

symbolic and major themes. Alcohol is symbolic to one of Stanley's issues which is drinking too much and going after his wife Stella. Sex is important to the story line because sex is symbolic to Blanche's past and who she has became or pretends not to be. Lastly, money is very symbolic because Stanley thought Blanche would have money. Money, sex, and alcohol are all important factors.


As I read, "A Street Car Named Desire", the mood I feel is worried. For example, when we find out Stella is pregnant, I was feeling worried for the baby's future. With all the drama and lies taking place I could only predict the baby could wind up dying inside of Stella. I also worry about Stella because of the rough situation both her sister and husband put her through. Stella can choose to spend her life with her husband, Stanley, who wants to get rid of her and beats her when he's drunk. On the other hand, Stella can choose to spend time with her sister who she hasn't seen in a very long time who seems to have mental issues. Stella is playing "the middle man" throughout all of this.

Summer Reading assignment: Journal #3 A Streetcar Name Desire-Eriana

Now that I am well into the play, a lot of the beginning is finally making sense. Blanche is a very odd character she seems to be holding on to her youth, not wanting to realize that she is growing older. It makes me feel rather sad in her case because she is unwilling to live in reality. The tension between Stella and Blanche is rapidly increasing and the source of the issue is Stanley. The fact that Blanche doesn't understand why Stella is putting up with a "mad man" is causing a strain on their sisterly relationship. After the violence of a drunken poker night, Blanche is in utter shock of Stanley temper and behavior. I personally don't blame her, being in an abusive relationship is a horrible way to live life and Stella is just in denial.
My grasp of Williams message from the play at this point and time is that sisters have to have boundaries in which they should think wisely before crossing. Respecting those boundaries will allow a much normal relationship between those two. The plot structure seems to be a ticking time bomb. Almost as if anything can happen and can possibly lead to another explosive fight involving Stanley. The more I get to know about him the more I understand why he is growing tired of Blanche, especially after she calls him "ape-like." However, that does not justify his temper. My worry lies in the un born baby, and weather or not all of this stress will get to Stella. The writing style of Tennessee Williams strikes me very well because he is able to write all scenes nicely and it allows me to see the story in my mind with much ease. I'm looking forward to finishing this play.

Summer Reading assignment: Journal #2 A Streetcar Named Desire--Eriana

Now that I am well into the play, a lot of the beginning is finally making sense. Blanche is a very odd character she seems to be holding on to her youth, not wanting to realize that she is growing older. It makes me feel rather sad in her case because she is unwilling to live in reality. The tension between Stella and Blanche is rapidly increasing and the source of the issue is Stanley. The fact that Blanche doesn't understand why Stella is putting up with a "mad man" is causing a strain on their sisterly relationship. After the violence of a drunken poker night, Blanche is in utter shock of Stanley temper and behavior. I personally don't blame her, being in an abusive relationship is a horrible way to live life and Stella is just in denial.
My grasp of Williams message from the play at this point and time is that sisters have to have boundaries in which they should think wisely before crossing. Respecting those boundaries will allow a much normal relationship between those two. The plot structure seems to be a ticking time bomb. Almost as if anything can happen and can possibly lead to another explosive fight involving Stanley. The more I get to know about him the more I understand why he is growing tired of Blanche, especially after she calls him "ape-like." However that does not justify his temper. My worry lies in the un born baby, and weather or not all of this stress will get to Stella. The writing style of Tennessee Williams strikes me very well because he is able to write all scenes nicely and it allows me to see the story in my mind with much ease. I'm looking forward to finishing this play.

Summer Reading assignment: Journal #1 A Streetcar Name Desire-Eriana

1.
Having already read "A StreetCar Named Desire" previously, I found it refreshing to read the play by Tennessee Williams at my own pace. In addition I began to discover details that allowed me to view the play in a way I wasn't able to before. Towards the beginning of the play I noticed almost immediately the New Orleans accent that wasn't present in the dialog. The arrival of Stella's older sister Blanche rose my suspicion as to what type of character she would present herself to be. At this moment I can only assume that Blanche has no idea on the type of lifestyle her sister Stella may have picked up. My prediction is that Blanche will not receive a warm welcome and that her presence might just cause a rift between Stella and her husband Stanley.
Towards the end of scene two the announcement of Stella being pregnant seems to throw Blanche off into a different mood. Its at these moments where I stop and think that maybe Tennessee Williams is trying to secretly drop hints that Blanche may be mentally unbalanced. In addition it is pretty apparent that Stanley does not trust Blanche at all. The mood of the play seems to be jumping from dark and mysterious to dramatic and cheerful. The surroundings of the character is described in a weird way. If it weren't for the movie I would have a hard time imagining the apartment that they all shared. At this point of the play I can say that I am very interested to see all of the important plot points I may have missed the first time around. Especially the very stressful relationship between Stanley, Stella and Blanche.

Summer Reading assignment: Journal #1 A Streetcar Name Desire-Justine

As I began reading "A Street Car Named Desire", I enjoyed the southern language because it explains the diversity we have here in America. So far, this play is very

interesting and has a lot of drama. For instance, when Blanche shows up at Stella's house uninvited. This occurrence shows Blanche may care for herself more than others. In addition this can mean that Blanche may have had a shaky past with her sister because of the way she arrived unexpected. I also believe this may be foreshadowing that Blanche will do something wrong further in the book.


Also, the more I read into Scene 2, the more I question who Blanche really is and her intentions. For example, the fact that Stanley has some sort of wall built up between him and Blanche, gives the assumption Blanche is a bad person. On page 87 Blanche says, "Hello Stanley, .... new human being.". I found this to be an odd statement and it sounds as if Blanche is trying to get Stanley's attention in a sexual way or even trying to poke fun at him. If this is true, this is not right considering her sister is Stanley's husband. All together, so far this play leaves my mind ready to find out what's going to happen next.

I will be away from my desk until Wednesday

Dear students,

I am writing to notify you that I will be away from my desk until Wednesday morning. Please feel free to read and comment as you would like, however, I will not be able to post any comments until then. I look forward to seeing you all on Wednesday at noon.

Sincerely,

Ms. Tramantano

Summer reading assignment: Journal #3 Crime and Punishment-- Josh

Well, the ending of Crime & Punishment was exactly what the rest of the book was, boring. Raskolnikov got arrested after confessing to a double homicide (who would have guessed that?) and he fell in love with Marmeladov’s prostitute daughter Sonya. Big whoop. I am so disappointed with this book I cannot even begin to explain it. As Rema said, I really hope Ms. Tramantano doesn’t hate me for that comment, but I really have never been so bored reading a book as famous as Crime & Punishment. Yet, now that I am finished with the book I am relieved to say I understand Raskolnikov’s character slightly more than I did previously (500 pages ago). While he still is one of the murkiest and in my opinion, least developed characters I have ever come across in my numerous years of reading, I will admit I felt a little bit of compassion for him towards the end of the book. Rema once again put it very well in her third and final post about this book, as to how we can now compare the minds and emotions of Raskolnikov and Blanche DeBois from A Streetcar Named Desire. I agree with Rema when she claims that Raskolnikov was truly insane, and quite frankly an idiot whose conscious got the better of him. How can a man who leaves money for a woman so desperately in need eventually live with himself after killing two women for virtually no purpose whatsoever.

Now that I have finished this book, I am very, very happy to say I would not recommend it just about anybody. While I’m sure as this coming school year goes on and we dive more into these two works my opinions will change, but as for now I am very disappointed with Crime & Punishment, and on the other hand, I am very impressed by A Streetcar Named Desire. I would be interested in what other people feel about this book (although as I have read many people feel the same way I do). If anyone could also divulge a little into their feelings about Raskolnikov and maybe how they compared this book to Streetcar as well, I’d be very interested too.

Summer reading Assigment: Crime and Punishment Journal #2-- Josh

Two-thirds completed and I have come to the conclusion that reading Crime and Punishment has become just that, punishment. The dreary, boring, mindlessness of this book has made me almost as insane as the main character. After Raskolnikov commits the double homicide, I was looking forward to maybe something of the least bit exciting or entertaining. I was wrong. I really don’t have much to comment on this book, other than my sheer dissatisfaction for it. The romance I can somewhat see developing between Sonya and Raskolnikov seems pretty pointless in my opinion, and it is once again another reason I am not enjoying this book. The characteristics of Raskolnikov, his self-loathing yet pitiful nature are very confusing and are unlike any character I have seen before. This is a book full of death and unhappiness and unlike A Streetcar Named Desire, is very difficult to comprehend and in turn enjoy. The ending truly cannot come soon enough in possibly one of the most un-interesting books I have ever read.

As much as I have thoroughly NOT enjoyed this book, there is one positive I can take out of it, and that is how I can compare it to other works of literature. After reading A Streetcar Named Desire and then beginning to read Crime & Punishment I have been trying to find a connection between the two works of literature. So far, I have not found and significant similarities, except for the potential outbursts of anger and frustration that both Raskolnikov and Stanley seem to hold within them. Other than that, I find no positive factors.

Summer reading Assigment: Crime and Punishment Journal #1-- Justin

As I started reading the first part of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s, Crime And Punishment, I wondered why Dostoevsky mentioned all these issues and events that don’t seem relevant to the story line. I completely understand the plot, but when he goes into detail in certain scenes, I’m puzzled.
As the story begins, the main character, Raskolnikov, finds himself in a tavern talking to a drunken man by the name of Marmeladov. There, Marmeladov is telling a story about his wife and daughter. He mentions how his wife used to be beaten and how his daughter “lives on a yellow pass” (in other words, she’s a prostitute). What I can’t comprehend is what Marmeladov’s personal life relates to Raskolnikov. Could this scene be connected to something that happens later in the book?
I also found myself confused about the dream Raskolnikov has. In his dream, a horse is abused to the point where it’s going to die. Why does he have a dream about something so gory and gruesome? As I’m reading these two scenes, I wonder if this is where Raskolnikov shapes his mind to become a person that in reality, he may not be.
Lastly, as I was reading, I stumbled upon a line that I couldn’t interpret. On page 42, it reads, “And that’s how it always is with these beautiful, Schilleresque souls till the last moment they dress a man up in peacock’s feathers”. What does Dostoevsky mean when he says this?

Summer Reading assignment: Journal #3 A Streetcar Named Desire-- Justin

After finishing the play for the second time, I felt as though Williams did a great job with the play. He wrote it in such a fashion that led you to predict what was going to happen next. Towards the end, I had the feeling that something was going to happen to Blanche. I could see that she needed help. The “Varsouviana” playing in her head all the time, and in scene ten, when she was wearing the dress along with the tiara on her head, made her seem as though she was insane. It was also obvious that Stanley and Blanche were going to get into some kind of a fight. However, I was surprised that Stanley had the urge to rape. Not once, while reading the play, did it cross my mind that Stanley felt enough anger to rape a person, especially Blanche.
All and all, Tennessee Williams was very clear throughout the play. However, I have a question about the last line he writes. After the doctors leave to take Blanche to the hospital, Stella cries for Blanche and Stanley cries for Stella. Then, Steve says, “This game is seven-card stud”, and the play ends. What was Williams’ reasoning for ending the play with the start of a new game of poker? I don’t understand how this pertains to the rest of the play. To me, the last line of a novel or a play usually relates somehow to a situation happening in that moment. It seems very vague to end a play with a poker game when one of the main characters just left to go to a mental facility. If I were Tennessee Williams, I would’ve given Stanley or Stella the last line because of the situation they’re in. It’s not Steve who’s dealing with a conflict; it’s Stanley and Stella.

Summer Reading assignment: Journal #2 A Streetcar Named Desire--Justin

Journal # 2
As I continued reading, I started seeing two different themes taking place in the play: love and deception. The theme of love is seen through the strong connection Blanche and Mitch share. The way they interact with each other leads me to believe that they could be in love. The theme of deception is seen through Blanche’s background. Mitch believes that he knows her for who she is when in fact he has no idea that she’s not the girl she says she is.
Mitch is the type of guy who is very kind, courteous, and most likely able to fall in love. He lives at home with his sick mother whom he loves and cares for. Mitch feels as though he has to fulfill one of his mother’s last wishes, which is to start winding down and start a family (although his mother isn’t present in the play, we can say that this is her wish based on what Mitch has been saying about her). Once he met Blanche, he felt as though he could fulfill it. Little did he know, however, that there is more to Blanche than what he’s been told.
As I stated in my first journal, Blanche is irresponsible and self-centered. She has a history for lying. For example, she claims that she’s never been in Laurel when in fact she’s well known there for her act at the Flamingo Hotel in Laurel. Also, she claims that she resigned from her job as a teacher. Instead, she was fired for being involved with a seventeen year old boy.
If these two characters are so far apart from each other, then why is there such a strong connection between the two of them? Could it be their desire to be in an interment relationship? Also, if Mitch were to find out the truth about Blanche, what would happen?

Summer reading assignment: Journal #2 Crime and Punishment-- Briana

I would like to begin by saying that I am relieved that I am done with this book. Now, onto analyzing. I have to admit that the ending was slightly disappointing. I was expecting Dostoevsky to do something a little less ordinary. Yet, I can still see why many would call this book a classic. It is simple, very forthright and portrays the lives of many modest people who struggle with their lives. If that isn't a typical classic, I don't know what is.
Raskolnikov was punished and sentenced to prison in Siberia. From the beginning of the story to the end, he has changed. However, this change was a result of the traumatic outlook he endured after murdering the two women. Suppose he never killed them in the first place. He would more than likely never have changed. He would still have an arrogant outlook on life, but since he did commit the murders, his punishment was what he deserved: a life of depression, derangement and even dillusion. The punishment he put on himself was his own fault. My outlook on him is that he actually could have prevented the whole situation.

Summer Reading assignment: Journal #1 A Streetcar Name Desire-Justin

Like many other students in the class, this too is my second time reading Tennessee Williams’ most-outstanding play, A streetcar Named Desire. Reading it reminds me of all the discussions we had in my 11th Grade English class. Whether it was a debate about Blanche being considered the antagonist in the play, or about questioning Stanley’s attitude, the play still intrigues me with some of the same feelings I had the first time. However, this time, I feel a little more sympathy for the characters.
As I read through the first few scenes of the play, I found myself, once again, unhappy with Blanche. I still envision her as the same irresponsible, self-centered liar as she first appeared. She seems to think that everything is her fault. The only way she can cope with this is by drinking her way out of thinking about it. But what can she really do? She just lost the plantation in Belle Reve, her family’s most-prized possession. The way she lets her drinking get out of hand as well as letting her emotions cloud her thoughts leads me to believe that she is sick. At the end of scene one when Stanley brings up Blanche’s marriage, she “sinks down”, almost as if what’s on her mind is too painful to discuss. I think that she’s held on to so much of her past over the years that it’s become difficult for her to discuss it.

Summer reading assignment: Journal #2 Crime and Punishment--Briana

Crime & Punishment journal #2


As I ventured deeper into the story I realized how much I didn’t care for this book, the murder scene was definatly the peak of my interest. I felt the dialogue to be boring and the tone very melancholy, considering much of this portion of the story was about Raskolnikov making the decision to confess. Soon after he decides he is, he’s faced with the death of Marmeladov a man he had met at the tavern early in the story. Shortly after his death Raskolnikov is able to grasp the fact that he is in love with his daughter Sonya Marmeladov. Dostoevsky illustrates Sonya as a warm-hearted, loving, strong woman. She is kind, understanding and loves her family so much that she goes to the extent of prostituting herself. It seems as if nothing can break her.
Although Raskolnikov knows little about Sonya, it gives him the possibility of hope and he begins to trust her enough to open up and admit to the crime he committed. I have to say, I was a tad bit surprised that she had taken it as well as she did. Sonya was surprisingly very compassionate to the matter, HER only request was he turn himself into the police, which he already had in mind. But I still had to think to myself, was Raskolnikov capable of turning himself in? I mean from the title of the book alone one assumes the main character will be punished. But I wasn’t a 100% sure he was going to go through with it, I Still had a lingering feeling that he may do one of two things, A. take the easy was out AND flee, or committee suicide or B. have an individual who knows him turn him in.

Summer Reading assignment: Journal #1 Crime and Punishment-- Samuel

The very beginning of Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky was a bit slow. But as I read it began to pick up momentum and quickly. Katerina Ivanovna and her family was the first scene in which I became very interested in the book. It was like a car accident that you could not look away from. She has three children of her own that she beats if they cry from hunger. I mean honestly, she calls Sonya useless, but I didn’t read about Katerina bringing home the bacon. Sonya’s father, Marmeladov is on the same level of stupidity and cruelty. He overheard his wife forcing Sonya into prostitution and continued to drink away the money instead of saving his daughter from a life of humiliation. That is ridiculous, but I guess poverty is as powerful and agent for corruption and evil as extreme affluence.
Raskolnikov also seems to be extremely influenced by his own poverty. At heart, I think he is, at the very least a decent man. He left money behind at the Marmeladov’s house. He also tried to save a sixteen year old girl from some pervert, and even gave money to a cop to get her home safely, who turns out to be a “crook” (I wanted to say something else) and eventually leaves the girl to the stalkers desire. Originally, I thought Raskolnikov was only thinking about killing the pawnbroker because he was being pushed to the extremes due to his need for money…but it also seems to be the result of his sense of destiny he had gotten after overhearing to two men talk foully of the pawnbroker.
However, I have to keep reminding myself that even though the book is centered on him, Raskolnikov is not the protagonist….he’s the murderer, which would make him the antagonist, if there was a protagonist to have a conflict with. I just think it is important to keep in mind that he did not have to kill the woman. He had options, he was going to get help from his family, and could have even gone to his old friend from the university. If anything at all, it is his extreme paranoia that will get him in trouble, but it could possibly save him some as well.

Summer Reading assignment: Journal #2 Crime and Punishment-- Samuel

Well, there are two points that are really confusing for me in Crime and Punishment. The first conundrum I am facing is how a prostitute able to be a religious Christian. It just doesn’t make sense. Isn’t prostitution considered a large sin under the bible? I’m just curious how Sonya lives the way she does, with these opposing “virtues”. The second question I have is why Nikolai would confess to the crime. From my understanding it was “virtuous” for him to take the blame for another. But that means the actual murderer gets to roam free, so how is that “virtuous”? Maybe I am confused for no reason, so hopefully someone could clear this up for me?
Was it just me experiencing déjà vu? I’m pretty sure Katerina is a lot like Blanche from A Streetcar Named Desire. If you take a look at the two characters, they are somewhat similar. Both of them try to elevate themselves in status amongst others. Take a look at Katerina. She claims to be from a wealthy family, even an aristocratic one. Blanche used to have money, but lost all her wealth. At the memorial, Katerina insults her guests because she thinks she is above them….even though she practically has nothing. Take a look at my journals on A Streetcar Named Desire, and you will see why Blanche has absolutely no justification in degrading others. Both these characters are similar in the fact that they think they are above others, but in

Summer Reading assignment: Journal #3 Crime and Punishment-- Samuel

Raskolnikov is a very interesting character. From the very beginning of the book he was alone and avoided people. At first I had thought he killed for the money, but from my understanding of the book and a little research, it was to prove he was more than just a commoner. I found it a bit weird, but after mulling it over for a while I think I understand. By murdering and maintaining control over himself and his emotions, he would prove that he wasn’t ordinary. But eventually he confessed, which I did not expect, until Sonya had helped coax him into it.
The story overall was really depressing. Raskolnikov had dreamt a memory of a mare being beaten to death. Then he kills the pawnbroker and her sister. Sonya’s father and stepmother die. Basically people are dying all around. But I think it ended on a somewhat happier note or at least a peaceful one. Raskolnikov is in jail; serving a labor sentence in Serbia and will soon be with his love, Sonya.
Raskolnikov thought unusually high of himself which led to his situation. He had thought that he was so far above others that he could kill without remorse, which is a really extreme concept. And yet the guilt ravaged him, changing him which had kept me intrigued throughout the entire book. Unfortunately, the ending was good but I wish it was more exciting….or at least left something to the imagination