"Good Times" Page 277, Poem 209

Good Times, by Lucille Clifton comes across in a very simple manner.  The poem lacks the double meanings or finesse that many authors would use, and the use of simple diction adds to the simplicity of the poem, and the overall simplicity of the message.  The poem describes a family that has completed several uncomplicated tasks and how they react to it.  "My Daddy has paid the rent / and the insurance man is gone"(1-2).  This utterly straightforward task seems like child's-play to many, but in this context it is cause for celebration.  The simple diction in the quote again reinforces the simplicity of the message.

Another device found throughout the poem is the repetition of the phrase, "good times"(7). This repetition, in addition to the simple diction, stresses that despite the straightforwardness of paying the rent, there is good reason to celebrate, and this point is reinforced when the author says, "and everybody is drunk / and dancing in the kitchen / and singing in the kitchen"(11-13).  The repetition of the phrase "good times" exemplifies just how important this particular event is to the family, and again fortifies the simplicity of the poem.

I enjoyed reading this poem, because of the differences it presents in our daily lives compared with the lives of others.  The fact that this family is paying rent shows that they do not even own their own home, while the majority of us have a home and call definitely call it ours.  This event is cause for such rejoicing in the family the one would think the family had just one the lottery.  These differences provide food for thought and present a very interesting piece of literature.

"Little Lamb" Page 274, Poem 204

The Lamb, by William Blake, is characterized by frequent rhetorical questions. "Little Lamb, who made thee?" (1) appears multiple times throughout the poem, and the repetition serves to emphasize the importance of this question and chooses a direction for the poem to continue. Blake goes on to describe some of the characteristics of the lamb that the "maker" gave it.  The stanza is ended with two more rhetorical questions that set the topic for the next stanza.  "Dost thou know who made thee?" (2) is another rhetorical question that appears more than once and restates the original rhetorical question. The rhetorical questions are all placed within the first stanza, and it leads the reader to believe that the questions will be answered in the second stanza.

The second stanza is characterized by repetition.  "Little Lamb, I'll tell thee," (11) is an example of this repetition, and it adds a certain joyful and excited tone to the work.  This device gives the impression that finding out one's maker is exciting, and not at all worthy of apprehension.  The author then reveals the maker to be God, because the Bible often refers to God as "The Lamb" and it tells of the nativity scene, which is also referenced in the poem. "Little Lamb, God bless thee"(19). This line is repeated twice at the end of the poem, and the repetition creates a peaceful and comforting tone with which to end the poem.

I enjoyed the simplicity and forward nature of this poem and its optimistic tone. Excessive analysis is not necessary, and the simplicity of the poem compounds well with the simplicity of the message.

The Handmaid's Tale

The Handmaid's Tale, another dystopian novel, is characterized by frequent Biblical allusions.  Many of these allusions can be traced back to the book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible. Of the many allusions throughout the work, the most prominent is that of Rachel and Leah.  In the Bible, this is a story about two sisters who are married to the same man, Jacob. Leah is fertile, while Rachel is thought to be infertile.  Both compete in bearing children for their husband by using their "handmaids" as proxies and taking possession of the child right after birth.  In The Handmaid's Tale, the allusion to Rachel and Leah appears as the title of the indoctrination building in the society.  In the Rachel and Leah Center, new Handmaid's are informed of what their new purpose for existence is. The allusion to Rachel and Leah establishes the role of women in the society: to be like Leah, and bear children.

"Ordinary, said Aunt Lydia, is what you are used to. This may not seem ordinary to you now, but after a time it will. It will become ordinary." I like this quote because it sums up the society of Gilead and the novel well. This quote reflects the power of a totalitarian state like Gilead to transform a natural revulsion and horror to something into indifference and familiarity.  This quote also expresses the idea that the society of Gilead may not ever be accepted as correct, but the people in it will eventually forget what a different world would be like.

As a whole, I find this book to be an engaging piece of literature, but from personal opinion I did not enjoy it. The society itself is repulsive and lacks freedom. Also, the consistent deeper meaning of seemingly unimportant lines and passages quickly becomes boring to analyze.  To be clear, this is not a book I in my free time by choice.

We by Yevgeny Zamyatin

The novel We, by Yevgeny Zamyatin, is set in a dystopian society.  The theme of a dystopian society characterizes the work as a whole and creates the conflict with which the protagonist must grapple.  Complete obedience and conformity throughout the society is enforced by the Benefactor, the Green Wall, and The Table. D-503 ironically finds these restrictions and enforcers beautiful, and as is commonplace in dystopian novels, an outside force begins to make him realize the truth of his existence in the society.

The dystopian society is what makes D-503 the character he is. The Table makes everyone do the same thing at the same time, and D-503 finds this conformity perfect and normal. The society is what D-503 loves, and when I-330 begins to fiddle with his emotions, D-503 begins to grapple with this new conflict, which is the overall plot of the novel. The theme of a dystopian society characterizes the book as a whole and its characters.

"A human being is like a novel: until the last page you don't know how it will end. Or it wouldn't be worth reading..."  This quote struck me as very profound when I first read it, and the more you read it the more it makes sense.  Not only is it applicable to the novel itself, it is also very applicable to your own life.  In regards to We, it shows that everyone's emotions are subject to change, and it is always interesting to see how the story, or character, ends. D-503, for example went through so many emotional fluctuations that the reader had to be curious about how the story would play out. This quote is very applicable to the book and holds great truth about people themselves.

In regards to the book as a whole, I like We.  The story is engaging and thought provoking, and also has unexpected plot twists.  I also like how it was written, from the perspective of D-503, and it was written in such a way that you feel connected to D-503.  The only downside to the book is the detachment of sentences.  D-503's emotional fluctuations get so extreme that often he does not even finish his sentences, making the book hard to understand at parts. However, in the grand scheme of things, this style chosen by Yevgeny Zamyatin is crucial to the novel as a whole and to the reader understanding it.  Besides that, I definitely enjoyed Yevgeny Zamyatin's We.