The Importance of Being Earnest

     In the play, The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, Jack Worthing's physical journey from Hertfordshire to London and back again, transforms into a complex situation with vivid reflections of the Victorian time period. The protagonist is known to be "Jack" in Hertfordshire, but is ironically known to be "Ernest" in London. His journey from place to place complicates the relationships he develops with people like Algernon Moncrieff. Jack's double life parallels with the meaning of the work as a whole. The hypocrisy of the Victorian time period is shown with Jack's choice of name: Ernest. Not only is he completely lying about his background and lifestyle while in London, he is falling into the typical pomposity that is the Victorian period. The title clearly recognizes that Ernest is supposed to represent a person who is serious and honest, the complete opposite of Jack and Algernon. However, in this era, the only thing of importance was impressions.
     The complications occur when confronted by Gwendolen and Cecily. Jack and Algernon both adopted the name "Ernest" in the process of trying to flirt with Gwendolen and Cecily. The smug girls only appreciated the name "Ernest". Not only do they only care about shallow appearances, they were actually in possession of a diaries with fictional engagements and arguments between their fiances and themselves. "Yes, but it usually chronicles the things that have never happened, and couldn’t possibly have happened" (Wilde 22). Cecily's statement toward her diary easily wraps up the ridiculous standards of the time period. It conveys the idea that a young girl must make up their life's stories in order to be entertaining to others. This event ties back into Jack's physical journey between London and Hertforshire. He felt as though he was not up to society's standards and therefore creating a fictional character with a more enthusiastic lifestyle just like Gwendolen and Cecily felt the need to do.
     However, the real hypocrisy occurs toward the end of the work when Jack finds out that he actually has been telling the truth about his name and imaginary brother. At this point in the novel, it is obvious that there is no real intellect going on with these characters. They are merely pawns in their society. They all do not comprehend that there is more to life than appearances. The concept of this story was evident from the beginning of the work throughout the conclusion. Jack's physical journey from Hertfordshire to London created an abundance of superficial struggles that reflect the Victorian time period flawlessly.

Sound and Sense

A Light Exists in Spring

Page 281

Poem Number 214

In this poem, imagery is used to portray the “light” of spring controlling the transition of seasons. “A color stands abroad on solitary fields” (5-6). This line depicts the transition between winter and spring by having the fields be bare while the “light” lay upon them. The “solitary fields” resulted from the unforgiving winter and the “color” standing abroad is a comparison to the arrival of spring.

The emotional tone in this poem provides an abundance of information to the entire meaning. “That science cannot overtake but human nature feels” (7-8). With this line, it is evident that the poem is portraying that spring is something that one has to feel and live through as opposed to dissecting it with science reasoning. The tone is able to express that spring should be recognized with light and suspense as opposed to a dreaded approach.

My interpretation of this poem is that it emphasizes the beauty of spring by making a comparison to light. I think spring is interpreted as holding suspense and value that no other time of the year compares to. Spring is known as a season of things being reborn. At the end of the poem, it says “it passes, and we stay- a quality of loss” which implies that spring is a growing and developing time for the majority of people.

The Lipstick on the Mirror

Page 283-284

Poem Number 217

In this poem, allusions are used to portray the sinister “Wicked Queen” that the poem refers to. The “Wicked Queen” is a reference to Snow White’s antagonist. The phrase “Who is fairest of them all” is also an allusion to Snow White’s plot where the sadistic queen betrayed Snow White because of her personal appearance in the mirror.

Repetition of the phrases “Wicked Queen” and “Mirror” emphasis the main points of this poem. The mirror is used to portray the horrid consequences that can arise from one being overly obsessed with physical appearances. The “Wicked Queen” is repeated to emphasis how horrid one can become after being absorbed in superficial aspects.

My interpretation of this poem is that it reflects on the pressures of society toward physical appearances. “What is the Wicked Queen wearing tonight? Where did she buy her adorable shoes? How large are her sapphires? How are Her pearls?” With the incorporation of these questions, it announces that the pressure amongst this lady is overbearing. I believe that this instance parallels our own society. “Girls throughout the realm would lap it up, gazing in their lesser mirrors…” (6-8). With this line, the poem introduces the envious attitude girls hold for someone who is viewed as having it all. “Were the envy of women half her age, whose compact mirrors would whisper: Crone, you’d seem chiseled of the same Parian, with a milder soap, a better dentifrice”. This poem informs the reader of the way society has built its values with the base being physical appearance.

The Handmaid's Tale by Maragret Atwood

A. Symbol: Red.

The color red is a consistent significant symbol that appears throughout The Handmaid's Tale. Red is the specific color of the cloaks that the handmaid's are obligated to wear. This color is strictly reserved for being a handmaid which implies that red is a symbol of reproduction, because that is the purpose of the handmaids, and the blood of the menstrual cycle. For instance, the marthas do not wear red because their role is to cook and clean and not reproduce. The color red is also a prominent allusion used by Margaret Atwood. In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Pyrnne wears a scarlet letter to symbolize her affair with Arthur Dimmesdale. The color red stood for Hester's sin against her husband, culture, and beliefs. The color red in the Handmaid's Tale relates to this allusion because the handmaids are forced to endure the ceremony every month even though the commanders are married and the handmaids themselves, like Offred, were married in their old lives. The ceremony is committing adultery and the color red on the handmaid's outfits symbolizes their role in the crime.

B. "Back on the earth, my mother, part of the crowd now, and I can't see her anymore" (120).

This quote was significant to me and this novel because it sets the tone for how Offred will forever see her mother. She was so used to viewing her mother as a strong and independent woman who burned pornography and embarrassed Offred with her feminist opinions. However, times changed, and Offred is now forced to picture her mother working in the colonies and blending in with "the crowd". This is a somber moment for Offred to tackle. It is a moment of realization of the horrors of Gilead. When Atwood says "... and I can't see her anymore", this symbolizes the moment Offred had when realizing that she will likely never contact her mother again and no longer can reach her if needed.

C. Personally, I thought this novel was very well-written and brought forth a very pertinent point. However, I am disgusted by Gilead's practices and values. I feel as though this book should be very well-known in our society because it is a warning that portrays the terrors of having females being "protected" and males holding a powerful dominance. Traditionalists should take this novel into consideration because it literally applies the traditional roles of the female gender to a futuristic society. Atwood uses Serena Joy as a "has been" traditionalist who is now forced to endure the consequences of her choices. Atwood uses exemplary allusions and metaphors like the pen, the faith pillow, and Offred's mother to amplify her feministic views. Atwood uses her literary techniques to force readers to comprehend that practicing this type of society is treacherous and should be avoided at all costs.