The Humor of Lot 49

The first time I attempted to read The Crying of Lot 49 it did not go so well. I was forced to read the first two chapters twice. It was quite frustrating because I didn’t comprehend the humor in it. After reading further into the novel and understanding, the characters I started to catch onto the whit of Oedipa and fully realize the oddities she was put through. The humor in the book was probably my favorite part. It is a different type of humor though because it’s not “in your face humor”, this humor grows as you read and it makes you become more attached to the characters. I also thought the word WASTE was an interesting part of the novel.
I particularly enjoyed the part when Oedipa is pulled into the deaf/mute dance at the hotel. I thought it was so funny when she was talking about how she was just waiting to have a collision with another couple and how each person had a different tune in their head. Another part that was amusing was when Oedipa was talking with Mucho’s boss and he was telling her that Mucho has changed. The line when she says, “pray, has he been, Ringo Starr?” I think this really shows Oed’s character and how she sticks up to her husband’s boss.
The word WASTE has a few meanings that are relevant to the novel. I believe that the most important meaning is that wasteful nature that human beings possess. It is shown throughout the book that people waste so many things and are not appreciative of what they have. All of those poor people who attempted suicide had such a hard time while other was concerned with much less important facets of their lives. Overall, I did not really enjoy the plot of the book, but I did like the characters and the humor it brought to the reader.

mother in laws

The Brooch by Faulkner exposed a relationship between three members of a family. The relationship between the mother and the son showed a controlling mother who didn’t let her son date much of anything, let alone leave the house. The other relationship I found interesting was the mother and daughter in law relationship. I feel as if this is a relationship that is dreaded by all new wives who are anxious to meet their mother in laws and their new family.
The relationship between Howard and his mother is a strange one. It gets particularly strange when she moves to Charlottesville to live near him while he was in college. I am surprised he didn’t die of embarrassment when that occurred. I couldn’t tell whether this relationship between son and mother could have been sexual or not. I lean towards the “not”, because the reader can tell the mother really cares for her son and I cannot see her physically abusing him. I can see her mentally abusing him though. All the years he is made to take care of her and given no freedom to grow and build relations with females.
Amy and her mother in law also have a very complex relationship. I feel as if the brooch is curse. I don’t think it was given to Amy as a blessing of love, I think it was given to her in order to have the mother in law on her mind the entire time she was wearing it. My favorite line of the short story is when Amy says, “I’m scared of your mother.” I think this is a great line and prefaces the entire relationship they will have together. Howard is now not only tortured by his mother, but by his wife.

Queens

There Was a Queen written by Faulkner kept me interested the entire time. It was attention-grabbing to see a world of women living together because of their lost husbands and grandfathers and other male kin. The only male that is left is Narcissa’s son Bory. This story accurately displays the ongoing battles females have not only with men, but with other females. The generality of the male and female relationship is delved into as well as the relationship that a mother and a son can possess.
Throughout the story there were plenty of times the old woman would make strange and off toned remarks to Narcissa. For example, when Narcissa is trying to tell her about the letters she interrupts her and says, “If it’s marriage, I told you. I told you five years ago that I wouldn’t blame you.” Throughout the next few paragraphs the old woman continues to tell her niece that she would not blame her. The assumption that a man must and will make a woman happy is absurd. This seems like a very cold hearted thing for a relative to say to their kin.
It is also said by the old woman and by Elnora that Narcissa will “never be a Sartoris.” This battle between the household is ridiculous, how could a woman treat a member of their family with such rude remarks. This story represents a struggle that women faced back then and are still facing in the present day. If the war between females does not stop, and we do not support one another, progress will not continue.

Married and Lonely

While reading “The Young Housewife” Williams captured my imagination. It was one of the easiest poems that I read, but it has a deep subject matter that makes it all the more interesting. I actually saw this beautiful woman walking around her house after she has just woken up in the morning. The first thing that came to my mind was the loneliness the housewife was feeling. When Williams writes “moves about in negligee behind the wooden walls of her husbands house”, it shows that she is possibly a prisoner in her own home. It insinuates that she has had no freedom to make her house her own and add her own feminine touch to it.
The next line that caught my attention spoke of her walking out to the curb. I feel as if this showed she was only allowed out to perform meaningless tasks, and that a strange man saw her doing these tasks and felt her lonesomeness. Lastly, the fallen leaf could mean many things in the young housewife’s life. Because it is a “fallen leaf” it makes us believe she has been mentally injured in some way.
As I was looking at the website I came across a comment by Rachel Blau Duplessis. She addressed the fallen leaf metaphor as well as the “wooden walls of her husbands house” and I agree with her statements. She says, “This "leaf" metaphor also follows from "the wooden walls of her husband’s house," sympathetic lines suggesting her mild imprisonment and the husband’s clumsy stolidity.” Both of these lines as well as the rest of the poem really express a hollow loneliness that was captured greatly by William Carlos Williams.