Ron Joyce

“A symbol is a person, object, action, place, or event that, in addition to its literal meaning, suggests a more complex meaning or range of meanings.” (Kirszner and Madell 403) Not only are symbols used frequently in literature, but also used in our every day lives. I never realized how many symbols I encounter on a daily basis. When I look down and see my engagement ring, it is a symbol of the relationship between my fiancé and I and a symbol of his promise to marry me. When I’m driving and…

It Might be Schizophrenia By Andres Malagon The short story, “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner, is an amazing, suspenseful story about Emily Grierson; she is the main character in the story. She is a lonely, troubled and eccentric lady who lives in the same old house where she was born and raised. Emily has been living in this house and taking care of her father all her life. However, when her father died, she decided not to leave her old house and began to develop a series of behaviors…

Is Hard to Find, The theme of fear is present throughout these stories. The ideology of fear are shown in these two stories and they connect to how fear is used to control people. Fear is seen today and was seen in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Both Joyce Carol Oates and Flannery O’Connor emphasized this throughout their stories. In Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? Arnold Friend exists as a character who is surrounded by multiple people in his daily life. He chooses Connie out of…

William Faulkner’s short story, “A Rose for Emily,” is a Southern Gothic tale published in 1930, and set in the fictional city of Jefferson, Mississippi. Emily Grierson, first introduced in the story by the occurrence of her tragic death, is characterized throughout the story by the narrator’s recollection of her quirky mannerisms. Tobe, Emily’s personal cook, gardener, and housekeeper, is the only person to regularly see her and the house. Homer Barron, who becomes important later in the story,…

We have two stories of girls just doing their best to fit in, Susie from the movie, “The Lovely Bones” directed by Peter Jackson written by Fran Walsh, Peter Jackson, Philippa Boyens (All three screenplay), and Alice Sebold(Novel) and Connie from Joyce Carol Oates’ “Where are you going, where have you been?”. These girls are lured to the clutches of dangerous men that seemed harmless enough. They trusted them because they were “a man from our neighborhood” (The Lovely Bones) she knew or because…

Yalmar Toruno 10/09/14 ENC1102-807078 722 Arnold Friend Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? Written by Joyce Carol Oates in 1966, it is a creepy story about a fifteen-year-old girl named Connie. She is good-looking, and is always worried about her appearance. Her mother is always on her case on how conceded she is and that she should be more like her older sister June, but she still thought her mother liked her more because she was prettier. June is twenty-four, and works as a secretary at…

Emotions can lead to despair, for instance, “A Rose for Emily” demonstrates the desperation found when sharing human connection. The writing occurs during the era of the American Revolution and the fall of embraced Southern roots; therefore, “by creating the character of Emily Grierson, a southern woman tortured by the traditional patriarchy of her environment and forbidden love, Faulkner expresses his pity and love for his birthplace, as well as nostalgia for the past” (Hsu, Wang 87). This…

Monologue Assignment A 25 year old woman stands at the foot of a grave during a funeral, reading her older brother’s name engraved on the tombstone. Camelia: Aberthol William Faulkner. Never really sounded quite right. Hah, I remember the way I used to clench my teeth every time I heard that name. Looks up, acknowledging surrounding family and friends. Blankly looks back down at grave. Camelia: Well I guess that doesn’t matter anymore, does it? Just like nothing ever mattered to you. You know…

filled with the attempts to find sense of being and individuality. The search to find oneself is to find oneself is often accompanied with challenges and frustrations. This is present in the short story, "Where Are You Going Where Have You Been?," by Joyce Carol Oates. Oates shows how easily influenced one can be growing up. The story strongly depicts the themes of fantasy vs reality and the search for independence during adolescence. Both themes work hand-in-hand as the main character, Connie…

The short stories, My Papa’s Waltz by Theodore Roethke, My Last Duchess by Robert Browning, and Ozymandias by Percy B. Shelley, all incorporate characters who promote the plot. While there are noticeable differences between each poem, the similarities stand. Differences include variances in plot, types of characters, and unique writing style integrated by the authors. Similarities that unite the three poems involve the various characters having a role to further the generality of the plot. 4…