Medea Journal 2

Journal 2:

The chorus in Medea acts as the sympathizer for Medea in her time of grief. They build her up and share in her sorrows like little children to do older siblings whom they want to fit in with. "Oh, my poor Medea--Into a sea-race of sorrows" (Medea 44). The chorus backs Medea up in order to emphasize the amount of pain and suffering that has fallen upon Medea. Medea is the prominent character in the story as well as the most tragic character. In order to emphasize this aspect Sophocles allows them to be a background to the main character to clarify and fill in the gaps for the audience. While Oedipus refers to the chorus as a crowd of people or the people present, Medea refers to the chorus as her friends, her loyal comrades who will back her up and support her or give her advise. This is shown at the beginning of Oedipus when he speaks to all of the people praying at the temple instead of confiding to. He just informs or generalizes his words.

Media Journal 1

Journal 1:

Sophocles evokes fear in the audience by allowing some things to be left open. He does not reveal everything at once which gives his plays some mystery and suspense. He uses the nurse in Media to foreshadow quite a lot of events in the story but only allows her to give a little bit of insight so that the audience in not sure what will happen in the story which brings about fear. "She hates her sons. Takes no pleasure in their sight. I dread to think of what is hatching in her mind" (Media 34). This quote foreshadows the wrath that will take place from Media to those she loves but does not reveal everything. The effect that Sophocles has in creating this suspense is that it gives the audience both excitement and fear. The fear is also evoked by the connection that the audience feels with the reality that the tragic events in Sophocles' plays can also occur in their own lives.

Sophocles evokes pity in the audience by stressing the amount of pain and suffering that falls upon the characters. He uses phrases and specific word choice to allow the audience to really feel the grief that the character feels in the play. When Media encounters the nurse, her words of anguish cry out to the audience. "Oh, what misery! Oh, what pain! Cursed sons, and a mother for cursin! Death take you all -- you and your father: The whole house wither" (Media 37). This quote depicts the amount of pain and suffering that Media feels now that Jason has deserted her. Husbands leaving their wives were common enough in those days that pity from maybe a first-hand experience could be felt from many members of the audience. This allows the readers to really get into the play and to relate to the characters.

Oedipus Journal 4

Journal 4:

"You are my great example, you, your life your destiny" (Oedipus 233). This reocurring image of destiny in one's life was a great part of Greek culture. The Greeks believed that destiny and fate controlled what ultimately happened to one's life. This cultural belief played a huge role in Sophecles' plays as well. The characters in the play go to the oracle, one who can predict one's destiny, to learn of their future and how to avoid fate if possible. The author uses this image to allow the viewers of the play to better connect to the plot and the characters. The mutual understanding allows the play to be not only better understood but also more enjoyable. "... you were born for pain" (Oedipus 232). This quote demonstrates the importance of fate in the lives of the Greeks and even in Sophocles' play. It reveals how they believed that fate was determined even before one's birth and that nothing can prevent it which allows the author to make a very interesting plot and also connect it to the lives of the readers.

Oedipus Journal 3

Journal 3:

The role of the gods is very prominent throughout this section and the rest of the play. They are always present and are prayed to for every problem. Jocasta prays to Apollo to take pity and help Oedipus. She is beside herself and when mortals are helpless and don't know what to do, they pray to the gods for support and help. The gods have power that they can use for both good and evil. In order to stay in their favor, mortals must sacrifice offerings and pray to them for help. The gods are jealous and don't like to be ignored or put down. The connection between mortals and the gods suggest how low the people actually are and how utterly helpless they are without the help of the gods.

Sophocles uses metaphors to help the reader understand the play and deeper meanings of the play better and to also allow the reader to connect with the plot. The symbols are used to help the reader to identify the themes and the important pieces to the play. They provide a deeper understanding of the play.

The characters believe that the gods have the ultimate say in life and can change circumstances for better or for worse. They believe that the gods are very powerful and much more capable of doing the right things and making the right choices. The people pray to the gods for wisdom, and all the other virtues.

Oedipus Journal 2

Journal 2: 

Oedipus demonstrates deficient qualities of a leader. Not only does he act irrationally, without thinking about his decisions or asking for help, but he also acts out of anger and the passions built up inside of him. "You - here? You have the gall to show your face before the palace gates?" (595). Oedipus does not even think about whom he is accusing or the consequences of his words. He acts in such an emotional manner that it is hard to really take him seriously and think of him as a calm and collected role model. In the beginning of the story, Oedipus seems to be a caring and thoughtful man who thought things through to such an extent that one might think of him as an excellent king who is taking care of his people. As the story continued and Oedipus began to reveal his emotional and irrational way of dealing with problems, as seen through his interactions with Teiresias and Creon, which causes one to think that he is not so worthy a leader as previously implied. Creon and Teiresias both seem very calm and wise, thinking things through and using their judgment for the benefit of the people and not themselves. They both speak about things that need to be addressed but also leave things do not need to be revealed under the shadows. They use discernment. 

Oedipus Journal 1

p. 159

Oedipus approaches the altar, where his people are gathered in prayer for the plague and proclaims how he will fix the problem himself.

p. 160

The priest describes who has gathered and then relays the devastation upon the land from the plague.

p. 161

The priest speaks about Oedipus's heroism and glory, implores him for his help and then proclaims how he can act as their hero again.

p. 162

Oedipus states a few words of self proclamations and then reveals that he has sent his brother-in-law to see the oracle to find an answer to the plague and then Creon arrives.

p. 163

Creon is welcomed and Oedipus pushes him to announce the news for all to hear.

p. 164

Creon announces that in order to free the city from the plague, Apollo commands that the former leader, Laius, was killed and that the murders must be killed also.

p. 165

The two men wonder how to find these killers and Creon is about to reveal a clue.

p. 166

Thieves killed Laius and the Sphinx had convinced the people to forget the incident.

p. 167

Oedipus rises to the challenge himself and then gives orders to both the priests and guards.

p. 168

The chorus welcomes the gods, asks them what happened and then invites them to come down.

p. 169

The chorus relays the devastating circumstances and implores for help.

p. 170

They beseech the different gods to use their different powers to help their circumstances.

Journal 3 Dystopian

DYSTOPIAN JOURNAL 3

The novel warns us that if we do not begin to communicate between us as a man and a woman, a distance will be created that turns pleasure into a duty if our society fails to change. The absence of pleasure in sexuality will stifle women’s rights and limit their ability to speak publicly about their inner conflicts. Without the communication of sex, not only are women’s rights stifled but love and commitment cease to exist in relationships and eventually cease to exist in society. If our society does not have sexual relations and real passion and emotion, we as people will become disconnected to one another and very alone. We will no longer be able to share our feelings of love even if we want to. The only alternatives that the author gives us are to begin to speak out against society with our feelings and perspectives on the subject of sex. If women feel oppressed by men or by the government, they should speak out or nothing will be accomplished. Those with issues must speak up and take risks to raise awareness for others to do the same. The author's vision is powerful but unrealistic. The reality is that our society speaks up about sexuality so much that when one is feeling sexually oppressed, it tends to be brushed aside and forgotten or not addressed in an appropriate manner. Our society has come to take sex too lightly.

Sexuality. Almost everyone feels it's presence, but how many people actually talk about it? Margaret Atwood's book The Handmaid's Tale brings light onto this struggle. Women in the society are expected to be modest, and therefore are forbidden from engaging in any other sexual contact other than with their Commander, and they must dress in clothes which cover their entire bodies. To add to this, the women are not expected to speak about sex either. In fact, they are not expected to speak at all. The women are not only sexually oppressed, but mentally oppressed as well. Margaret Atwood's use of profanity, graphic images, and tone towards sex creates an uncomfortable environment for the reader, showing that society does not publicly address sexuality. This lack of attention towards sexuality restricts women's ability to express their opinions freely on the subject.
During the Ceremony, Offred thinks about what her Commander does to her. She refuses to call it making love because she feels it an inappropriate term in describing what happens in every Ceremony. "Below it the Commander is fucking" (Atwood 94). Most books do not use profanity out of fear of offending the reader, but Atwood does here. Her use of profanity intends to offend the reader and make them feel uncomfortable. The lack of comfort comes from talking about sex, but there should not be a lack of comfort about the natural act. Atwood shows through this how society lacks to address sexuality. Offred also only thinks these thoughts in her head, but never out loud. She is not able to speak out in any way against her Commander, and she only thinks against him sexually. This shows how her ability to express her opinions on sexuality are restricted.
Margaret Atwood uses graphic images to relay the lack of attention given to one's sexuality. She reveals this throughout the book. After taking her daily walk, Offred tries to show off her sexuality to the guards. "I hope they get hard at the sight of us and have to rub themselves against the painted barriers, surreptitiously" (Atwood 22). Atwood describes the desire for a public relationship in a gruesome manner. Instead of describing Offred's desire for the guards to long for her in a simple way Atwood uses gory and graphic images to set an uncomfortable setting for the reader. The discomfort created by the sexual references reveals that the society does not discuss sexuality as much as it should thus limiting how much the women can emotionally reveal to the public. Because Offred hopes that they internally break the rules of wanting a woman, Atwood shows the reader how rebellious the Handmaids feel. They feel imprisoned and used.
Margaret Atwood uses various techniques to make the reader feel uncomfortable about sexuality showing the lack of communication about sex. The absence of pleasure in sexuality stifles women’s rights and limits their ability to speak publicly about their inner conflicts.Without sexuality publicly addressed, the women of the society become sexually oppressed and sex goes from pleasurable to a duty.

ROUGH DRAFT!

ROUGH DRAFT!!!!! FOR JOHN

Sexuality. Almost everyone feels it's presence, but how many people actually talk about it? Margaret Atwood's book The Handmaid's Tale brings light onto this struggle. Women in the society are expected to be modest, and therefore are forbidden from engaging in any other sexual contact other than with their Commander, and they must dress in clothes which cover their entire bodies. To add to this, the women are not expected to speak about sex either. In fact, they are not expected to speak at all. The women are not only sexually oppressed, but mentally oppressed as well. Margaret Atwood's use of profanity, graphic images, and tone towards sex creates an uncomfortable environment for the reader, showing that society does not publicly address sexuality. This lack of attention towards sexuality restricts women's ability to express their opinions freely on the subject.
During the Ceremony, Offred thinks about what her Commander does to her. She refuses to call it making love because she feels it an inappropriate term in describing what happens in every Ceremony. "Below it the Commander is fucking" (Atwood 94). Most books do not use profanity out of fear of offending the reader, but Atwood does here. Her use of profanity intends to offend the reader and make them feel uncomfortable. The lack of comfort comes from talking about sex, but there should not be a lack of comfort about the natural act. Atwood shows through this how society lacks to address sexuality. Offred also only thinks these thoughts in her head, but never out loud. She is not able to speak out in any way against her Commander, and she only thinks against him sexually. This shows how her ability to express her opinions on sexuality are restricted.
Margaret Atwood uses graphic images to relay the lack of attention given to one's sexuality. She reveals this throughout the book. After taking her daily walk, Offred tries to show off her sexuality to the guards. "I hope they get hard at the sight of us and have to rub themselves against the painted barriers, surreptitiously" (Atwood 22). Atwood describes the desire for a public relationship in a gruesome manner. Instead of describing Offred's desire for the guards to long for her in a simple way Atwood uses gory and graphic images to set an uncomfortable setting for the reader. The discomfort created by the sexual references reveals that the society does not discuss sexuality as much as it should thus limiting how much the women can emotionally reveal to the public. Because Offred hopes that they internally break the rules of wanting a woman, Atwood shows the reader how rebellious the Handmaids feel. They feel imprisoned and used.
Margaret Atwood uses various techniques to make the reader feel uncomfortable about sexuality showing the lack of communication about sex. The absence of pleasure in sexuality stifles women’s rights and limits their ability to speak publicly about their inner conflicts.