Alex Beller
9/23/08
814
On the surface, "Battle Royal" is a story which tells of a young African-American individual caught in an extremely bizarre and terrifying circumstance, in which he is brought to a meeting of influential white people to make a speech, and ends up being part of a Battle Royal between himself and other young black men. This Royal serves as entertainment for the white folk, whose actions continue to disgust the reader throughout the story.
The white men's treatment of the black men is comparable to how someone might treat lesser creatures, but the narrator endures, all the time considering how his grandfather, on his dying bed, stated how he wants his descendants to treat white people in what he calls, "our war," (627). His grandfather's wishes were to, "Live with your head in the lion's mouth. I want you to overcome 'em with yeses, undermine 'em with grins, agree 'em to death and destruction, let 'em swoller you till they vomit or bust wide open," (627). The Narrator, whose name we do not seem to learn, is puzzled by this throughout his life, until the Battle Royal, after which it seems he has begun to understand, or at least experienced his grandfather's advice: please the white man, but only to get ahead, for you and him are still enemies.
During the evening the black men were subjected to several different pressures and abuses. While only brought to the event to fight in a large group as entertainment, they were forced to watch a naked white woman dance, which though to some might not sound so bad, puts them, being in the late 40's, in a very dangerous position in terms of looking at her or caught being "attracted." Once the uncomfortable sexual experience passed, the men were blindfolded and told to fight, continuing the testosterone satisfying rage that was the evening's entertainment. The Narrator was pressured to fight, even though brought in to be an honored speaker, which illustrates the blatant racism in the group of white men, for if an honored white speaker were to come to this meeting, he would be treated with respect, not asked to take part in a blind boxing match, or anything of the sort. During this physical abuse, verbal abuses also began, as things were shouted like, "let me at that big nigger!" or "Uppercut him! Kill Him! Kill that big boy!" (531). These added to the stress of the situation, during which the narrator was dominated by the nine other boys, who had teamed up and made a plan against him. After that session of physical abuse is completed, coins are thrown onto the carpet as tips for all the fighters, yet when the fighter's try to gather up the coins, the mat on which the coins lie electrocute the men. Physical torture in the search for entertainment is what these white men stooped to. Yet even the electrocution does not end the abuse, for after he fights, and is repeatedly electrocuted, the narrator, referred to only once as, "Sammy" is ignored and disrespected during his speech (534). Quite a day for a young lad. Yet through the abuses the narrator finally delivers his speech, after which he receives his scholarship. This moment is key to the entire story, for it demonstrates two points. The first of which is that the white men, saying that, "someday he'll lead his people in the proper paths" (535), didn’t think of the narrator the same as they did the other black boys, yet they treated him the same. The other was that his grandfather was right. Being the "yes man" would lead to recognition from the white man, but one still can't lose sight of the first point, that they will still treat you inhumanely.
A ladder of social class is something that can be seen in societies from the caste system of old, to American society today. After reading "Battle Royal," one must stop and consider the actions of every group in the story, and their place on the ladder because of it. The white men were vulgar, mean, abusive, and in complete control of society. The narrator had, "overcome 'em with yeses," (527), and he was moving up (had just received a scholarship). The people at the bottom of this chain of respect and power were the young black men, trying simply to earn some money. In terms of the levels of respect I personally would give each group, I say that society should be turned upside down.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
http://www.apfreshonline.com/pages_aboutUs_SL.asp?display=all&return_location=pages_myAP_WS#locations
Yes, that is a map and a list of every single A & P in existence. The self description that can be found on their website is also very telling, "A&P stores in Metro New York are delighting customers with aisle after aisle of outstanding products, including the finest array of fruits, vegetables, deli, and other fresh foods available anywhere."
Myself never having been inside an A&P, I can't confirm or deny the truth of that description, but the tone it gives off meshes quite well with the atmosphere of the A&P portrayed in A&P, by John Updike. Personally, this is one of the stories I have found most enjoyable this year, not only because of its humorous moments, but because of how easy it is to relate to the main character's thoughts and feelings.
Humor in this piece is vital to its "survival" as a short story, because that's what keeps it from people simply reading about a kind of creepy, slightly judgmental teenager who seemingly quits his job despite the fact that he will regret it. An example of this can be found in the very first paragraph, "I ring it up again and the customer starts giving me hell. She's one of these Cash-register-watchers, WITCH about fifty with rouge on her cheekbones and no eyebrows, and I know it made her day to trip me up." Seriously: hahahaha. What also helps retain the humor's value is the fact that the boy is Sammy is a young 19, and his friend Stokesie is only 22, allowing for their immaturity to run free.
Another interesting feature of this story is Sammy's description of the girls. When thinking about the one later labeled, "Queenie," the girl seemingly in charge, he justifies her entering the A&P with a "prim," face, for, "Walking into the A&P with your straps down, I suppose that's the only kind of face you can have."
I understand the boy's fascination with these girls. It comes mostly from the strict environmental contrast. At the beach, there would be nothing that special about these girls to make them stand out. Yet, here, in the stuffy environment of the A&P, with a bunch of "sheep," customers and the occasional cash-register-watcher, any female with a bit of skin showing would probably have the focus of the entire store. So it is only natural, after working register for possibly many straight hours, that our boy Sammy is tired, on edge, and in need of some excitement that isn't someone yelling at him.
Lastly, there is a quitting scene. In the last sentence, Sammy recognizes how hard the world will become after quitting, yet he still goes through with it, even when his boss Lengel urges him not to. But the best part of this scene, (let's go back to the humor!) is when Sammy describes how the customers react to his public quitting after Lengel speaks to the girls walking around HIS store in bikinis. "A couple customers that had been heading for my slot begin to knock against each other, like scared pigs in a chute. Hahaha. I love Updike's style.
Alex Beller
9/21/08
521
Myself never having been inside an A&P, I can't confirm or deny the truth of that description, but the tone it gives off meshes quite well with the atmosphere of the A&P portrayed in A&P, by John Updike. Personally, this is one of the stories I have found most enjoyable this year, not only because of its humorous moments, but because of how easy it is to relate to the main character's thoughts and feelings.
Humor in this piece is vital to its "survival" as a short story, because that's what keeps it from people simply reading about a kind of creepy, slightly judgmental teenager who seemingly quits his job despite the fact that he will regret it. An example of this can be found in the very first paragraph, "I ring it up again and the customer starts giving me hell. She's one of these Cash-register-watchers, WITCH about fifty with rouge on her cheekbones and no eyebrows, and I know it made her day to trip me up." Seriously: hahahaha. What also helps retain the humor's value is the fact that the boy is Sammy is a young 19, and his friend Stokesie is only 22, allowing for their immaturity to run free.
Another interesting feature of this story is Sammy's description of the girls. When thinking about the one later labeled, "Queenie," the girl seemingly in charge, he justifies her entering the A&P with a "prim," face, for, "Walking into the A&P with your straps down, I suppose that's the only kind of face you can have."
I understand the boy's fascination with these girls. It comes mostly from the strict environmental contrast. At the beach, there would be nothing that special about these girls to make them stand out. Yet, here, in the stuffy environment of the A&P, with a bunch of "sheep," customers and the occasional cash-register-watcher, any female with a bit of skin showing would probably have the focus of the entire store. So it is only natural, after working register for possibly many straight hours, that our boy Sammy is tired, on edge, and in need of some excitement that isn't someone yelling at him.
Lastly, there is a quitting scene. In the last sentence, Sammy recognizes how hard the world will become after quitting, yet he still goes through with it, even when his boss Lengel urges him not to. But the best part of this scene, (let's go back to the humor!) is when Sammy describes how the customers react to his public quitting after Lengel speaks to the girls walking around HIS store in bikinis. "A couple customers that had been heading for my slot begin to knock against each other, like scared pigs in a chute. Hahaha. I love Updike's style.
Alex Beller
9/21/08
521
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Parents argue over who should take their kids to the toilet.
That's how it actually starts.
Interpreter of Maladies. From the first sentence one could form a conjecture that this story is about the maladies that can be associated with intense diarrhea. Luckily, for the classes around the world that read this story, assorted difficult poop experiences are not what make up the central plot. Instead, it delves into the complex emotions over that attraction offered by someone who you can relate to.
Jhumpa Lahiri, who I'm sure never got any crap in school for that name, weaves together a story in which Mr. Kapasi, a simpleminded tour guide from the heart of India, becomes quite intoxicated with the mother of one of the families in which he is guiding. TO say the least, any sort of relationship between them would brake the holy bond of tour guide and tourist. But O how he pines for her! And this "pining" is born mostly from her lack of connection to her husband and her interest in Mr. Kapasi. Mr. Kapasi, also uninterested in his wife, (both were matches made in Indian tradition) finds the witty and disconnected, even if slightly plump Mrs. Das to be something he covets.
My personal favorite scene was the Monkeys in the Trees. These goofy critters were fun... up until the point where they tried to eat the little boy. At that point the scene becomes not so funny as the little boy, who gave the monkey the stick in the first place, begins to be beaten by the very same monkey whom he gave the stick to. Ah, is there a greater tragedy then that of betrayal? I think not.
I would compare it to, perhaps, a father teaching his young son the basics of the great game of baseball. And the son, once handed the bat, starts beating his father with it, instead of trying to hit the ball. Tragic, to say the least.
Lastly, perhaps the most interesting interaction in this story, is that between Mrs. Das and Mr. Kapasi, which I personally have labeled, "The Great Confession." Here Mrs. Das spills her innermost feelings, secrets, and desires, to this nobody, this weekend tour guide, this Mr. Kapasi, only a translator in a doctor's office. It's intense, to say the least.
As i reflect on what I consider to be a fairly intense read, I can't stop myself from thinking, "though Mr. Kapasi's interest and feelings for Mrs. Das seem genuine and believable, the sudden exposure of Mrs. Das's feelings seems forced and not very believable. And that really ruined the story for me, because up until that point I had been thoroughly enjoying it.
Interpreter of Maladies. From the first sentence one could form a conjecture that this story is about the maladies that can be associated with intense diarrhea. Luckily, for the classes around the world that read this story, assorted difficult poop experiences are not what make up the central plot. Instead, it delves into the complex emotions over that attraction offered by someone who you can relate to.
Jhumpa Lahiri, who I'm sure never got any crap in school for that name, weaves together a story in which Mr. Kapasi, a simpleminded tour guide from the heart of India, becomes quite intoxicated with the mother of one of the families in which he is guiding. TO say the least, any sort of relationship between them would brake the holy bond of tour guide and tourist. But O how he pines for her! And this "pining" is born mostly from her lack of connection to her husband and her interest in Mr. Kapasi. Mr. Kapasi, also uninterested in his wife, (both were matches made in Indian tradition) finds the witty and disconnected, even if slightly plump Mrs. Das to be something he covets.
My personal favorite scene was the Monkeys in the Trees. These goofy critters were fun... up until the point where they tried to eat the little boy. At that point the scene becomes not so funny as the little boy, who gave the monkey the stick in the first place, begins to be beaten by the very same monkey whom he gave the stick to. Ah, is there a greater tragedy then that of betrayal? I think not.
I would compare it to, perhaps, a father teaching his young son the basics of the great game of baseball. And the son, once handed the bat, starts beating his father with it, instead of trying to hit the ball. Tragic, to say the least.
Lastly, perhaps the most interesting interaction in this story, is that between Mrs. Das and Mr. Kapasi, which I personally have labeled, "The Great Confession." Here Mrs. Das spills her innermost feelings, secrets, and desires, to this nobody, this weekend tour guide, this Mr. Kapasi, only a translator in a doctor's office. It's intense, to say the least.
As i reflect on what I consider to be a fairly intense read, I can't stop myself from thinking, "though Mr. Kapasi's interest and feelings for Mrs. Das seem genuine and believable, the sudden exposure of Mrs. Das's feelings seems forced and not very believable. And that really ruined the story for me, because up until that point I had been thoroughly enjoying it.
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