Lovely Literature

Othello is definitely the protagonist in the play named after him. He is the hero type who has everything going for him-- the woman, the job, the fancy lifestyle. Unfortunately he has the fatal flaw of jealousy and he begins to distrust people because of word of mouth. On the other hand, Iago is the antagonist who is trying to bring down Othello and his wife because he believes Othello once slept with his wife Emilia and he is upset because Othello chose Cassio as his lieutenant instead of Iago who has more experience (I.i.35-37). Iago is the bad guy, the person that no one likes because he goes to great lengths to make life terrible and screwed up for Othello even though there is no proof that he ever slept with Emilia. Iago also suffers from the same jealousy problem as Othello. When it comes to foil characters, Iago and Cassio foil one another. Iago's planning and deceit show how terrible of a man he is and that he would do anything to get his way. Cassio on the other hand is simple a victim in this story. He is pressured to drink by Iago even though he claims he is not a drinker and then he ends up getting in a fight with Roderigo (II.iii.129-134). Then Iago tells Montano that "drink rocks his cradle" and he gets like this every night in order to get to sleep even thought this is a complete lie (II.iii.110-113). Finally, the minor characters move this story along because they are the messengers or accomplices of Iago even if they do not realize it. They do his will and his bidding because they believe him to be an honest man, but he is actually so deceiving that they do not notice his treachery.

I'm just as compelled with Bartleby as the lawyer is!! By the way, it really bothers me when they don't give us the name of the narrator when it is in first person. That's TWO stories in this section! Oh well...

Bartleby had a huge impact on the lawyer because he chose to tell the story about him and not about all the other scriveners he has employed in the past. The other three employees were important to show foil characterization and comic relief, but Bartleby was THE story. Heck, it was even named after him! The lawyer says he is not used to people ignoring his instruction or denying his instruction. This intrigues him when Bartleby uses his passive aggresive attitude and skirts his way around saying he doesn't actually want to do anymore work than is required of him. The lawyer is so impacted by him that he moves his own office rather than ban Bartleby or call the police on him. It would have been easy for him to call the police on him, but he was much too interested in Bartleby to let him go away. Even in prison he was connected with him and wanted to know more about him even though Bartleby just ignored him. Bartleby has a past that he will not speak of and that is what keeps the lawyer and the reader so intrigued.

I just love sleep deprived weeks :] My sincerest thanks to you, Theater.

"Everyday Use" by Alice Walker is a short story that takes a look at African American heritage and the changes that go along with it. The four major characters are the mother,the narrator speaking in first person, her daughter Dee, the rebellious child always causing problems or complaing, Maggie, the slower child who was the main burn victim in a tragic fire, and Hakim, Dee's crazy husband who has converted her to different beliefs.

Taking a look at their past, the mother speaks about Maggie being "ashamed of the burn scars down her arms and legs" and of the tragic fire that destroyed their original home. Maggie is the "not very bright" daughter who does not speak much and seems to have a mental handicap. She foils her older sister Dee who is outgoing, wild, confident, and demanding of what she wants. Dee's character is always moving with the times, whether it is with fashion changes or with popular religion changes. She becomes very involved in her "new love of her heritage" and renounces her original name to become Wangero with some other nonsense attached to the name. Her new husband is right on board with this culture crazy fad as well.

Dee also foils her mother who is very reserved and does not speak out against her daughter. Dee seems to have been the child that would sort of be the death of her mother. The mother never disciplines her daughter nor does she praise her. More or less, she sits back and lets Dee take her course of action, despite how crazy it is. The mother is not a character who does not know how to get things done. There is no mention of a husband which implies that she had to raise her daughters mostly by herself. She has that capability though because of her independent nature and her "big-boned [structure and] rough man-working hands." The characters of Dee, the mother, and Maggie are contrasting so they better bring out the true nature of one another.

Characters, characters, characters!

There are not twenty main characters in this book, but there are many that are mentioned fleetingly with a bit of a story with them.

"Do you still love me Jake?"
"Yes," I said.
"Because I'm a goner...I'm a goner. I'm mad about the Romero boy. I'm in love with him, I think." [page 187].

The bull-fighting Romero foils the protagonist Jake Barnes.
Here's a little breakdown of both characters that I have come up with.