Extra Credit Blog

After reading “Sissy” we are challenged with the idea of gender roles and the major separation of them. A boy, William, is nicknamed Sissy and completely broke the “rules” of what it is to be a little boy and girl. There are many comparisons and contrasts between this story and The Wide, Wide World.

Within The Wide, Wide World we are presented a perfect little girl named Ellen who meets all of the criteria imaginable. This story set out guidelines for how little girls should be raised and within “Sissy” we see a little boy with admirable characteristics just like Ellen’s. “How careful Ellen was about that toast! The bread must not be cut too thick, nor too thin; the fire must, if possible, burn clear and bright, and she herself held the bread on a fork, just at the right distance from the coals to get nicely browned without burning” (Warner 5). The diction used to describe how much Ellen loves to do little chores for her mother, whom she loves dearly, is incredibly similar to the joy the little boy Willie, or Sissy, receives from making his lover clothing. “Sissy went to work with a will, and soon was in the mysteries of flouncing, tucking, ruffling, &c. ‘Snip! Snip! Snip!’ went the cheerful scissors” (Kellogg 139). Both children take great joy, as children should during this time, in doing chores for their loved ones. The challenge here is that Sissy is a little boy and not a little girl yet he takes great enjoyment in his women’s domestic duties. “True he always sat cross-legged when sewing, and whistled around and around his knitting, and fisted his bread instead of kneading it with his palms” (Kellogg 113). The comparisons between the chores Ellen performs and Sissy are very similar and they both take such great joy in doing work for the ones they love.

Gender roles are something that we have seen throughout children’s literature and progressively the line between women’s work and men’s work has been crossed but in Sissy it is blown way out of the water. In both stories the authors are clearly showing the way to raise children because they turned out exactly the way any parent would want their child to. Even though Sissy partakes in tasks women do, which is part of the social commentary the author is challenging, the boys in school still respect and almost admire him. “And so the name Sissy, given to the boy in ill-nature and decision, came to be the lovingly pronounced. He seemed to have a wonderful nature in sympathy with both boys and girls” (Kellogg 114). This passage shows that Sissy is a blend of both genders. Both novels present the idea of the ideal child and how to raise them but Sissy complicates the general perspective thinking of the differences between male and female children and their duties in this new American society.

All about Luck

The idea of luck became prominent in a few of the stories we have read this semester such as Ragged Dick and The Luck of Roaring Camp. As we have seen throughout this course the ideas of the “American Dream” and creating new American individuals has a major influence on what was written for children and secretly hidden for adults. Within The Luck of Roaring Camp we are presented with ideas about the American baby and the idea of luck playing a huge part in turning around lives.

Bret Harte presents us with the idea of the American dream in his story and the idea of being able to succeed with luck. “No, probably not, but you may rise in some other way. A good many distinguished men have once been poor boys. There’s hope for you, Dick, if you’ll try” (394). Working hard is the moral to the story for Dick. Dick was a truthful, earnest, and hard working boy who was given hope that if he continues on this path and really tries that he will succeed in life. As we all know sometimes working hard just is not enough and it does not take us to the places we deserve to be at. From a completely different perspective we see the men from Roaring Camp succeeding with the idea of luck. This story was in the time of the Gold Rush, which was all about luck and striking big. I loved this story because it put a little twist on luck and changes the meaning to the baby being a source of potential and luck. This baby functions as a source of hope the minute it is brought into the lives of these men. “The men had suddenly awakened to the fact that there were beauty and significance in these trifles which they had so long trodden carelessly beneath their feet” (538). I liked this story so much because it shows luck in so many different ways that doesn’t just include making money. These men are lucky because they are being awakened to the beauty of life and being ultimately transformed for the better. “Profanity was tacitly given up” (537). Not only were these men becoming enlightened of the world and nature but they started to clean up their own behavior. The baby was used as a symbol for luck and gave these men luck in a number of ways.

The Yellow Wallpaper

Truthfully the first time I read this story I finished it and went what did I just read. Even though I have read this story numerous times today in class was the first time I ever put together that she could be, and in my opinion is, dead the entire story. As a reader we have the opportunity to be engaged and drawn into stories especially ones like “The Yellow Wallpaper” because it is a first person narrative. The idea of insanity always has intrigued me and is a topic that will inevitably draw the reader in whether they would like to be or not. Short stories offer us a new way of reading and as we approach the 20^th century we enjoy these engaging pieces of literature. As the reader we must alter our reading habits when encountering a short story versus a long drawn-out novel because as we all saw today, every single word counts. Throughout this short story we must make connections that our author is making a very strong social commentary on the treatment of women during this time and the role of husbands.

Gilman is introducing the idea of post-partum depression and uses this and the husband, John, to make a double commentary on marriage and the medical industry. If we do not read incredibly carefully it is easy to miss the social commentary on John as a husband because as she intended he is not made out to be a bad character. “He said I was his darling and his comfort and all he had, and that I must take care of myself for his sake, and keep well” (510). John is presented as the loving husband and father of their new child but when we look closer we are able to see that husbands miss part of their job, and that is to listen. “My darling,’ said he, ‘I beg of you, for my sake and for our child’s sake, as well as for your own, that you will never for one instant let that idea enter your mind! There is nothing so dangerous, so fascinating, to a temperament like yours. It is a false and foolish fancy. Can you not trust me as a physician when I tell you so?” (511). Using John as physician and husband Gilman is able to play off both of these to show that the treatments given to women during this time were not helping and that they were not listened to even though it is their own minds and bodies that are being affected. “If a physician of high standing, and one’s own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression—a slight hysterical tendency—what is one to do?” (505). This quote is directly showing the issue of husband and doctors because what is she to do other than listen to people that “know” better than she?

If we do not read carefully we will miss what the author is trying to portray to us. I am not the kind of person that can read a short story once or even see a movie once and fully understand it. Think about a long story versus one like “The Yellow Wallpaper;” how can you not read more carefully when there are ten pages instead of six hundred? The author of short stories must pack all of the clues and details possible into something that is not drawn out with pages of detail to explain one aspect of a character, plot, setting, or more. Gilman does a beautiful job of incorporating a variety of issues into such a short story with a twist at the end that was unseen to me until today.

Does gender really matter?

In many circumstances the gender of the author of the novel will affect the way that the story, characters, meaning, and more will be perceived. Personally there have only been a few novels that I have read where the gender of the author completely affected my outlook and ideas. For some readers the gender of the author is essential but I only agree with this in certain cases. Concerning, Little Lord Fauntleroy, I do not consider the gender of the author necessary or essential to understanding the story or to understanding the characters in the correct light.

Within Children’s literature the ultimate goal was to create guidelines for children to grow up in this new American society even though the basic foundations for children’s literature were challenged all of the time. This novel presents a young boy and the perfect model for a young boy along with the right way for husbands to treat their wives. It is a tale presenting a number of morals and I believe that both men and women would agree on the positive influences the text is trying to create. “His greatest charm was this cheerful, fearless, quaint little way of making friends with people. I think it arose from his having a very confiding nature, and a king little heart that sympathized with every one, and wished to make every one as comfortable as he liked to be himself” (446). The qualities of Ceddie throughout the text are qualities that men and women would want children to obtain throughout their lives. Both men and women authors pay specific attention to details and write novels about morals. “He was above doing anything mean or dishonorable. He would not steal, or cheat, or impose upon younger boys, but was frank and straightforward, manly and self-reliant. His nature was a noble one, and had saved him from all mean faults” (Alger, 342). This short passage from Ragged Dick is one of many where there are detailed descriptions and contain a view of good morals for young children to have and the author could easily be male or female and make no difference. “The way in which the red legs flew and flashed up and down, the shrieks of the boys, the wild efforts of Billy Williams, whose brown legs were not to be despised, as they followed closely in the rear of the red legs, made him feel some excitement” (475). I think this is another passage within our story that shows specific detail but the gender of the author is not necessarily important.

Overall I think the gender of the author and its importance when reading a novel really depends. For some it may be vital and for others it may not make a difference and in this case I do not believe it did. There are definitely a number of novels that I have read that could not have been written if it were instead by a male. Within Little Lord Fauntleroy, I believe the author was creating a character for children and adults to love and identify with in some ways, which the author accomplished regardless of the gender.

Tom Sawyer

Tom Sawyer is an awesome character created by Mark Twain, which was created to draw us in exactly like he does every sentence of this novel. Within class we discussed a variety of challenges this novel brings and a particular favorite of mine was the idea of satire against adults acting like children. Using children as a rhetoric device enables Mark Twain to make comments about the behavior of adults and how it correlates so closely with the behavior of children. We discussed how Adults adore this novel because they are nostalgic for their childhood, it is funny, uses satire to discuss society and it uses children to do this. Tom Sawyer is a novel that allows people to tap into ideas of their past.

“He had been months winning her; she had confessed hardly a week ago; he had been the happiest and the proudest boy in the world only seven short days, and here in one instant of time she had gone out of his heart like a casual stranger whose visit is done. He worshiped this new angel with furtive eye, till he saw that she had discovered him; then he pretended he did not know she was present, and began to “show off” in all sorts of absurd boyish ways, in order to win her admiration” (418). On a side note this was so hilarious and definitely one of my favorite passages throughout the parts of the novel we have read. This is the first time we are presented blatantly with a young boy crushing on girls and to see the interactions of playfulness and flirting between them. Within this passage we also see my two favorite words within this novel, “show off”. Within the second part of our reading on one page it said these words six times. The idea of adult behavior compared to children’s is put into an incredibly hilarious light. Adults are supposed to be grown, gentlemen, women, confident, independent, hard working, and a plethora of other adjectives. As Twain loves to point out adults are attempting to teach their children to grow up in the right environment and in the correct way when they act exactly as they do. On page 434 there are a number of examples one after the other pointing out all different types of adults and how they all resort to childish ways, especially when they want to gain attention. “The young lady teachers “showed off”- bending sweetly over pupils that were lately being boxed, lifting pretty warning fingers at bad little boys and patting good ones lovingly” (434). I love how Twain has used the words pretty to again further make fun of this idea of adult women who are supposed to be motherly and loving and mature while they are still trying to impress everyone just as little girls do who want to be called “good little girls”. “The little girls “showed off” in various ways, and the little boys, “showed off” with such diligence that the air was thick with paper wads and the murmur of scufflings. And above it all the great man sat and beamed a majestic judicial smile upon all the house, and warmed himself in the sun of his own grandeur-for he was “showing off,” too” (434).

All of these passages to me describe what Tom Sawyer is all about. He is the example of the worst little boy who works hard for nothing in his life and gets away with everything by compromising his ways. This book is written for adults to return to their past and to present to their children to hope that they have some of the same experiences growing up so they too can some daylook back and miss the past. Nostalgia is something that happens every day for everyone even if they don’t’ know it and this novel taps into this idea. It also allowed Mark Twain to make some incredibly funny jokes about adult life and the perceived notions people have. Just because we grow old doesn’t mean we stop playing and stop acting as a child. No matter what we do as we grow older we still retain an inner child that pops out when we least expect it.

Ragged Dick

Ragged Dick is awesome and a completely new spin on children’s literature because it is the “guide book” for little boys instead of little girls. The criteria for being a good little boy and a good little girl are completely different on the independence and appearance side of things. For one, Dick, our little hero boy, is hilarious. Lets compare this with Ellen, who throws temper tantrums like Gerty and is not very funny at all. Within Ragged Dick we are given a glance at what is important in a boys life as he grows up to become a man in American society at this time.

Ellen, Gerty, and even our lighthearted Capitola were never expected to work or to be good workers. Within Ragged Dick we are immersed into a world where young boys are required to do work to make their living and provide solely for themselves. “Being an enterprising young man, he thought he saw a chance for a speculation, and determined to avail himself of it” (360). Dick does not have a choice of taking every piece of business he can and he has learned throughout his years as a vagabond boy living in the streets to be enthusiastic, ambitious, outgoing, and ultimately hard working. “That boy,” soliloquized Dick, as Johnny took his departure, “aint got no ambition. I’ll bet he won’t get five shines to-day. I’m glad I aint like him. I couldn’t go to the theatre, nor buy no cigars, nor get half as much as I wanted to eat” (351). This passage shows a variety of things pertaining to the differences of young girls and boys. Girls would never be allowed to have a “night life” or to smoke cigars while Ragged Dick does all of these things at such an early age. It also shows how important ambition is in the world Dick lives in because without there will be no income, meaning no food, shelter, or clothing. No matter what situation our characters were in they were provided for and did not have to work. I have mentioned Dicks faults and defects because I want it understood, to begin with, that I don’t consider him a model boy. But there were some good points about him nevertheless. He was above doing anything mean or dishonorable. He would not steal, or cheat, or impose upon younger boys, but was frank and straight-forward, manly and self-reliant. His nature was a noble one, and had saved him from all mean faults” (342). I love how the author laid out that Dick is not perfect but that is why we will like him and that the stand out amazing qualities his does have override all the other ones, such as appearance.

Our author immediately points out that yes Dick is our hero but he does have some faults, like his attire and need to not be clean. “He had no particular dislike to dirt, and did not think it necessary to remove several dark streaks on his face and hands” (336). This novel completely contradicts the previous novels we have read where the girls appearance is incredibly important. When Capitola was found dressing as a boy it was against the law and her Old Hurricane had her dressed nicely immediately. Ragged Dick gives us a completely new and exciting story of a young funny boy that shows how important ambitions and good morals are. Being a hard worker and having good morals rises above the materialistic things we have seen in literature pertaining to little girls.

"If you are not already mad, you will be."

It’s amazing how quickly Louisa May Alcotts story, A Whisper in the Dark, can draw you into the narrative. Playing off of gothic tradition this text introduces suspense, horror, insanity, and sexual themes that parallel women’s freedom in a larger sense. Sybil is a beautiful girl with an attitude who is imprisoned in a private insane asylum by her uncle who desires control of her property. The introduction of insanity has the potential to alter our reader reception of the message and I think it can challenge our previous ideas about the important mother/daughter relationship in nineteenth-century society/fiction.

The introduction of the concept of insanity changes the text because how can you trust opinions and ideas of what is going on in the “real” world if the person describing them is unstable. It makes it hard to trust everything said throughout the text because we do not know if things are actually “what they seem”. The text is completely altered also because it is from first person narrative and this person relating the entire story, as we know it, is going insane inside a little locked up room. “To me this room possessed an irresistible fascination. I could not keep away from it by day, I dreamed of it by night, it haunted me continually, and soon become a sort of monomania, which I condemned, yet could not control, till at length I found myself pacing to and fro as those invisible feet paced overhead” (234). Alcott uses the condition that Sybil is put into by her uncle and Dr. Karnac to create the effect of what is real becoming imaginary. Even though Sybil is going insane I questioned the truth of her accounts of life but I did not completely give up the trust I had in her as a character. “You came here for your own pleasure, but shall stay for mine, till I tame you as I see you must be tamed” (212). I did not realize how crucial some parts of the text were in foreshadowing the future until I re-read it. It is made obvious from the beginning of the text that her uncle was going to take control and for once she was not going to be able to have her way. “My uncle stopped laughing, his hand tightened its grasp, for a moment his cold eye glittered and a grim look settled round the mouth, giving to his whole face a ruthless expression that entirely altered it. I felt perfectly powerless. All my little arts had failed, and for the first time I was mastered. Yet only physically; my spirit was rebellious still” (212). I think this passage from the text is specifically important because the Uncle’s and doctors goal after Sybil is admitted to the insane house is to kill and crush her spirit. “Both were apply gratified, and I, poor victim, was given up to be experimented upon, till by subtle means I was driven to the insanity which would give my uncle full control of my fortune and my fate” (240). Even though our main character was going “insane” and it was hard to understand the real world from her point of view only we are shown at the end that she was not mad in the beginning.

Pertaining to the mother/daughter relationship I believe it is just hidden but is still just as strong as any other relationship we have seen. Sybil still longs for her mother and makes that obvious through the text. “My eyes filled as I looked, and a strong desire seized me to know what had defaced this little picture of the mother whom I never knew” (221). Mothers and daughters have a connection and even though her mother is not present it is made obvious that the love and care is still there. “I believed her dead, yet I had seen her, knew where her solitary grave was made, and still carried in my bosom the warning she had sent me, prompted by the unerring instinct of a mother’s heart” (240).

Overall the narrative provides us with a very short view of the “world” in which the characters of the novel are living in because it’s only one persons opinions and beliefs. I think that we are able to trust Sybil because of her character before her controlling Uncle took her life away. I do believe that this story shows the strong relationship between mothers and daughter and the “motherly” instinct overall.