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

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

A Streetcar Named Desire is definitely a one-time read for me. I liked the play, but it was much better the first time due to the element of surprise. As I began to re-read the play, memories of my former opinions came back to me. Blanche was my least favorite character, Stanley was my favorite, and everyone else was just a “someone”. But keep in mind that I was not that far into the play, so I didn’t even suspect that Stanley would hit his wife or rape Blanche. Also, I had no idea that Blanche was so… irritating.
I had originally thought Stanley was a pretty cool character. He is from Poland and at least somewhat educated and clever, considering he knows about the Napoleonic code, knows how to get under Blanche’s skin. He has a job, a soon-to-be family and his own home. But when he hit his wife, I became kind of confused. Here was my favorite character so far, and he was being a complete idiot. Maybe he should have given up beer, because he was drunk once again when he raped Blanch.
Blanch was my least favorite character. At first I really had no opinion of her. But then it was discovered that she was a self-centered, lying whore, literally. That being said, she is the character that made this play what it is. The only reason why it was interesting was because of Blanche and her failing sanity and the tension between her and Stanley. Her personality and attitude had kept me intrigued till the very end, even though she annoying.

Summer Reading Assignment Journal #2: A Streetcar Named Desire-- Samuel

In scene seven of A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, Stanley had done his own investigation on Blanche and the truth was surprising and extremely humorous. The fact that she slept around so much that her house was labeled off-limits to nearby soldiers had me putting down the book and shaking my head in disapproval with a smirk on my face. She was even kicked out of a low-class hotel, the Flamingo and caught sleeping with a student while she was a teacher. I understand having a sex life, but this was past the point-of-no-return. She basically became a tourist attraction that people are warned not to visit which is a little bit too.
I also realized that since Blanche had come to the Kowalski home soon after being kicked out of the Flamingo, which means she must have lost Bella Reeve a while back. In the beginning of the play, I had gotten the feeling that Blanche had lost Bella Reeve and had no choice but to come visit her sister. However, it seems that it is just another scheme of hers to gain her surrounding presence’s attention.
Honestly, Stella should wizen up. I understand that it is her sister, but she has even experienced her dramatic behavior. And if Stanley had people he didn’t even know, from other towns, confirm the stories, then those are pretty serious accusations that Stella brushed off. But she should also realize that the true nature of her husband is slowly being revealed to her. He is probably more animalistic and violent than she has ever known or expected. Blanche could possibly end up being Stella’s savior, if Stella would only leave him.
It seems that as the play continues Blanche’s mental insanity increases. It’s most probably due to her constant confrontation with Stanley. Stanley hasn’t made her life any easier, and by causing her to become emotionally unstable, she has been forced to make herself feel better by lying to herself and the people around her.
I also noticed that it is possible that Stanley and Blanche foil (a literary technique) each other. Stanley lives a settled realistic life. He is very down to earth and his character and personality are very durable, as in not easily rattled b other’s actions. Contrary to Stanley, Blanch has lived a nomadic life ever since Bella Reeve was “lost”. Also, she lives in a fantasy, one she tries to create with lies. In addition, she is a very fragile character which is evident during her birthday scene, when she bursts into tears after Stanley’s birthday surprise.

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

After reading A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams for the second time, I am firmly convinced that Blanche is the only person responsible for her misfortune, besides the whole rape incident. If we take a look at her past, Blanche had facilitated the death of her husband. If she was so terribly in love with him, why would she reveal that she knew about his secret homosexuality in such a vulgar way? Her exact words were “I saw! I know! You disgust me…” and at a party nevertheless. If I was going to reveal a secret of that caliber, I would not have done it at a dance. Apparently, switching from a lot of fun to extreme despair causes people to do drastic things. I point this out because this seems to be the moment that her insanity stems from, considering she always hears the music and the gun shot from this moment.
From the beginning of the play to the end, Blanche takes on the persona of someone sophisticated and classy, but executes it poorly, which in-turn makes her look like an overzealous drama queen. For instance, Blanche shows off by speaking in French and speaks as if she was a profound philosopher. Her inner philosopher comes out when she mentions to Stanley, “A woman's charm is fifty percent illusion.” I found this to be especially ironic considering that she lies about so much of her life, like being an alcoholic, a virgin, how she lost Bella Reeve, her rich friend that she was going to go on a cruise with and so on.
And to top it off she is a hypocrite. Blanche is surprised to find Stella living in an apartment when she arrives, yet she has nothing herself, except for a suitcase which is filled with a fancy dress and a tiara and other items that are practically useless in her position, and still she criticizes Stella. Then when she tells Stella about loosing Bella Reeve, she tries to play the “guilt card”, claiming that Stella had left her to try to hold the place together alone, yet she barely explains how she lost Bella Reeve while at the same time continuing to put the blame on Stella.
In my opinion, and I’m sure in many others Blanche is a character that is easily disliked do to her qualities that I have previously mentioned. Still, I think her mental status wasn’t severe enough, that she could not have forced herself to live a normal life. All she would have to do was keep the music inside her head, ignore it and not act like a spoiled princess.
I hate to admit it, but I was glad to see Blanche taken to a mental institute. In fact it might serve her well to be under the care of doctors considering that she was destroying her own life. I did feel sympathy for her when she got raped, but during the rest of the play I enjoyed the hatred she faced. Stanley giving Blanche a one-way ticket back to Laurel as a birthday present was my favorite part. I just hope that Stella, the true victim of the play, wises up soon and leaves Stanley and this time for good (but I doubt it will ever happen, since she trusts him more than her own sister. Then again, look who her sister is).