Both of these stories continue to look at families, and as usual there is some clear dysfunction.
Fall of the House of Usher online text
"I Stand Here Ironing" is in your textbook, pages 415-420.
Perhaps the first thing that struck me about this story is the fact parents so often learn about parenting through trial and error. I found myself sympathizing with the mother even though it was clear I might have done some things differently. Having said that, do you blame Emily's mother or is she a victim? If she is to be blamed, blamed for what? If she is a victim, what is she a victim of?
This story is so much about the mother/daughter relationship. Certainly some mothers are close with their daughters, some are not, some are in competition (thwarting the "natural" process of nurturing), some are trying to be friends (a particular problem these days--I think of the film Mean Girls), some are just trying to understand a daughter who is very different. Clearly this mother does not understand what makes her daughter tick and gives us a background of her difficult upbringing, which she clearly seems to feel guilty about. Is this story about guilt? I remember someone once saying that guilt was a purely selfish emotion, meaning that the mother might be more focused on her own pain rather than Emily's. I'm not sure. What do you think?
There is also a number of times that "beauty" is mentioned. How are our ideas about beauty passed down from our mothers? Why is this often dangerous? Poverty is also an important issue in this story? Clearly the mother had difficulty supporting her family. Would you have made similar choices? Were there other alternatives given the circumstances?
How has Emily evolved despite her difficult upbringing? Is this realistic? How has Emily been shaped by her moving around, the institution, her alienation from the rest of the family?
Also, do you agree with the mother's decision not to visit the school for a conference? What are her reasons? Are they sound? What do you think the teacher wants to discuss? How involved in a child's life should a teacher be?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Clary
I certainly do not blame EMilys mother, I think that it must of have been very difficult to have a child so young and then have the father leave. It was probably very difficult to have her sent away those time, but necessary in some ways. I feel like with the first child you always try to do everytihng by the books, you try to do everytihng right, and wit hthe rest, it happens as it goes, but also you have more expierience. That is what seemed to happen. THe mother semed to raelly want to do everytihng perfect with EMily, but had trouble becuase she had no money to take care of her.
I found that Fall of the House of Usher contained unclear dysfunction.
Post a Comment