The odour of Chrysanthemums

Most of the time people don't see the half full of the glass, just the empty side. In this short story by D.H.Lawrence, Elizabeth realted these beautiful flowers to particular situations of her life, marriage, birth and unhapyness. Therefore, the flowers in the story symbolized what she wanted from life and what she got. Maybe if she realized before that not everything in life is easy or honey, she would appreciate better what she had.

In relation with the rocking-horse winner, there are several elements that are similar in both stories. First, the absent presence of the father; death and money. In the first story, the family suffered because there wasn't enough money in the house to afford their expensive tastes. In the odour of chrysanthemums, the family was poor and didn't have enough sources to cover their needs. But at the end death changed everything, Elizabeth learned that her vision of the world was wrong and she was in time to start changing it, while in the rocking-horse winner they felt sorry for the deateh of the little boy, but it didn't seem that they learned something from that event. Sometimes people never learn or understand the lessons.

The Rocking-Horse Winner

This short story by D. H. Lawrence presents a variety of themes that reflect the society of that time. However, the one which I think is the main one is ambition. People in this not-ending searching for more fame, money, truth, knowledge and so on forget about the real things that matter, for example health and love. At the end of the day it would not matter how much money a person has if he/she is with a terminal disease or if is lonely in a huge mansion. It is shocking how life can pass in front of our eyes and nobody see it until is too late, fortunately this is just a generalization.

There are clear examples in the story that reflect how strong the desperation for more was in Paul’s family. One is the constant whispering that children heard all the time “there must be more money”. The second one and more impressive was when the mother received the letter for the layer telling her that she will receive one thousand pound per birthday for 5 years. Instead of being happy, she got serious and went straight to the lawyer’s office to ask for all the money at once. What happened with that money, D.H.Lawrence left it to our imagination.

Ambition can destroy people’s life and it does respect age and condition. For example, Paul died trying to get luck for his family. Although, he was naïve in believing that luck would fix the problem in his family. In that sense, this story is similar to the one by Graham Greene “The Japanese gentlemen” because the lady who pursued a writer carrier believed of everything her publisher told her, like that her novel would be a success.

On the other hand, a big difference is how the stories are narrated. In the Japanese gentleman the author was analyzing the different situations that occurred in the restaurant. But in the rocking-horse winner, the author was getting into characters mind and thoughts, therefore it was easier to understood why some situation, like the conversation about the unlucky sense in the family that the mother had with boy Paul, happened in certain moments.

However, both stories have the strong presence of ambition and keeping appearance at all costs.

Graham Greene: The Invisible Japanese Gentlemen

1. Describe the characters.

The young woman: She had thin blonde hair and how she spoke showed that she studied in one of the best school of London.
Her fiancé: He was doomed and easy to control by others.
The narrator (author): He was a reflective person who analyzed different situation from what people said and expressed physically.
The Japanese gentlemen: They spoke their tongue; they were always with a smile in their faces and doing a lot of bows.

2. What do you think about the comments made by the author in the story?

The author made several comments about how naive upper class people can be in some aspects, especially the young woman who believed in everything her publisher told her and she would become a novelists.
On the other hand, his comments were the main trend of the story without it would be difficult to understand the relation between the Japanese gentlemen and the girl with her fiancé. They come from different cultures and speak different languages. Although it is not clear what the Japanese were talking they seemed relaxed and enjoying that moment in the restaurant. However, the couple was kind of discussing about marriage, dates, what she would write for her next novel and he was talking about how his uncle offered him a job with him. No matter the topic, the situation was delicate because of the topics they were discussing. But, what the author remarked the most was how the young woman truly believed she was a writer and that her novel “The Chelsea Set” would a success just because her publisher told her so.

3. What role does the author play in the story? How do the observations made by the author influence the story? The reader? The characters?

His observations help the reader to understand a bit better the different events that are happening in the restaurant. He also interpreted and described the conversations and actions that occurred in the place.
His comments gave life to the characters and made the reader more aware of the conversation between the couple and what the Japanese were doing.

4. What role do the Japanese Gentlemen play in the story?

They are contrasts. The author was sit right in the middle of the two tables. Therefore, he could compare what each table was doing, how their behavior was and what their goals were. Although the Japanese gentlemen were speaking about goals, they seemed to have a great time, but the couple was talking about weeding dates, dreams and ideas for another book. Also, the Japanese people behaved in a more relaxed way than the other table where everyone seemed very “polite”.

FRANKENSTEIN AND GOD

In Frankenstein it is possible to find different themes that can be applied in every century. This is a transversal novel that covers different contexts. However, the Prometheus aspects presented in this book by Mary Shelley makes the reader wonder if we can have access to the power of God; although, the consequences of the creations can lead into fatalities.

Throughout time human beings have tried to play the role of God by transforming nature. For example, clone experiments. Nevertheless, life conditions have been modified in order to reinvent life from what is known. Scientifics have created, in the lasts years, pills and machines to cover some of the natural human functions; for example sleeping pills. In addition, the power to constantly innovative in every knowledge field does not correspond to everyone, only powerful people and countries have the facilities to create. However, this rivalry with the power of God is guided by the eager of knowledge and power that most of humankind has.

In terms of creation, Victor Frankenstein is the clearest example of the consequences of playing a role that was not made for humans. From the point of view of the novel when a person decided to alter nature the result is not less than a monster. Then the question would be, who is the monster the creator or the creature? Because the creature is its creator’s reflect. Thereafter, the creation and destruction of life is a dangerous game that Victor Frankenstein played. Unfortunately, the chances of winning are not less than zero. The same happens with wars, there is not a winner or a loser because the lost in terms of lives and economical costs, can condemned even to the greatest country.

Even so, did monster Frankenstein born as a monster? He came to life with a blank mind. He was naïve and innocent. Thus, once he was abandon by Victor Frankenstein he was educated by streets. After he lived the rejection of society, he became a person full with hate and anger. Subsequently, he was the only character in the novel that actually had a justification to do the things he did. Indeed, society has not changed a lot since Mary Shelley’s time. Until now society condemned people who are different from it is moral, physical and mentally accepted. In Frankenstein the creation was punished because he looked different. Then, who is the monster?
The fact that the creation decided to take vengeance against his creator can be consider an example of how technology can turned into danger for people if it is misused. That is another point that has an example nowadays. Spaceships were created to take men out into the space. Thus, not all the trips were successful. CHALLENGER tragedy is the example. In consequence, the reason why humankind has not have God’s unlimited power is because we lose control easily once we have access to a little portion of power.

Another aspect of Mary Shelley’s book is the substitution of women from their role as life creators. The fact that Scientifics in the novel and nowadays are looking for new ways of conception, excluding women’s role on it, is also presenting how big is the desire of independence from what was established for nature. At the beginning of times God created man and woman to multiply. Subsequently, to not follow this order will have consequences in how the creature will act and look. Every time external issues affect the natural process of pregnancy, the fetus is the one receiving the impacts.

On the other hand, there are some creations that can take people to other realities and give pleasure. For example art. Artistic works also reflect what its authors were feeling in a certain moment of their life. In that sense, artists are gods because they create from their spirits and imagination. Indeed, not all what has been created by human beings is bad; vaccines are a good example of positive creations.

In conclusion there is an order and reason to everything in this world. Although can be understandable why humans want to be the owners of life control. Ambition is a powerful sin that nobody can control, but to recognize where the limits are makes people greater than trying to reach qualities that were not thought for humans.

Words: 718

Reference

- Frankenstein- Analysis of Society http://www.cyberessays.com/English/183.htm

- 'The author is become a creator-God' (Herder). The deification of creativity in relation to 'Frankenstein'. http://www.kimwoodbridge.com/maryshel/bushi.shtml

Charles Dickens

In the short story and in the movie it is possible to see how fragile can the human strength can be. Everything can make wonder what is real or not. This could happen when the signs are misinterpreted; also because human beings are use to see what is more convenient to see.
Dickens always tries to make the reader aware of human and social issues: death is one of them as well as poverty, power and social responsibility.

Through his stories it is possible to picture how lonely we are in this world and how it is possible to see in Oliver Twist and the short story, the only person you can trust is you because the world sooner or later is going to leave alone. Therefore, no matter how advance technology become it will only brings more responsibilities and debts. So, progress does not mean safety.

Frankenstein & God

From the point of view of the book, human beings play the role of God because they are not afraid of the consequences. Therefore, artists can be considered like gods because they are able to create new worlds from their imagination. In addition, all artistic production is similar, in a way, with the creator. In that sense, that characteristic belongs to God who created us similar to him.

The fact that creations are a mirror of the creator makes us wonder, who is the monster? In consequence, if we take this to God, he also could be a monster. He gave us free will to decide what is good or evil. Therefore, we have destroyed almost everything we have touched with wars, hate and eager of power.

So, from the point of view of the BOOK, could God be also evil? That is a question that at this moment I do not have an answer to.