A Different Perspective on "A Dog's Tale"

Upon reading Mark Twain’s short story, A Dog’s Tale, for the first time, the story may seem like a tragic tale about a dog who loses her puppy to a mean owner. However, upon closer analysis, a much more complex and socially controversial meaning comes out of A Dog’s Tale. In the article by Gay S. Herzberg, “A Dog’s Tale: An Expanded View”, Herzberg argues that A Dog’s Tale is actually a critical piece of work, “Condemning the misuse of language, the cold-bloodedness of science, and the evils of slavery.” In his article on A Dog’s Tale, Herzberg’s main argument is that in A Dog’s Tale, Twain subtly presents his views on language, science, and slavery; three subjects that were extremely important to him. Herzberg’s analysis also does a good job at relating an old story to a younger readership by elaborating on the themes of Mark Twain’s short story and relating them to relative issues today.


 Language is obviously a motif of A Dog’s Tale, however in his article, Herzberg argues that it is actually central to the meaning as well. Herzberg spends the first paragraph of his article reflecting on Twain’s twisting of language to mean different things in his story. Herzberg points out that language is used as a “social weapon”, because Aileen's mother uses it to impress and intimidate her fellow dogs. Herzberg also notes that although language is used as social weapon in this story, by changing the meanings of words merely to impress other dogs, Twain leads the reader to believe that language is actually useless or “gone to the dogs.” In his first paragraph, Herzberg makes his claim that by showing the abuse of language by the dogs, Twain is actually voicing his belief that language as a whole has fallen to misuse and under-appreciation. Language is important to Twain because language is the tool that Twain uses to communicate with his audience. By having the dogs speak words so that the meaning is lost, Twain is subtly showing that language as a whole has less meaning than it used to because of gross misuse. Although Twain does hold language to be extremely important, one of the most obvious themes of the story is not the abuse of language, but the abuse of Aileen’s puppy by the scientist.


 The scientist in A Dog’s Tale is certainly viewed by the reader to be the antagonist in the story. Herzberg, in his article and analysis of A Dog’s Tale, argues that in his story, Twain is sharply criticizing some of the harsh and cruel methods of science. Mr. Gray (the scientist) represents the scientific world, placing ethics and equity aside for the sake of progress. Herzberg claims that Mr. Gray considers logic and reason to be more important than compassion and emotion and therefore feels no compassion for Aileen’s little puppy that he killed. Twain is painting a picture of the scientific world through his description of Mr. Gray, claiming that science is primarily concerned with proving theories and outdoing other scientists and in the name of progress, actually harms and kills many innocent animals. Herzberg argues that Twain is reminding the reader, through the character of Mr. Gray, that although scientific advancement can save humans, it can also do great harm to animals. Herzberg’s claim that Twain is using Mr. Gray as a representation for the scientific world is easy to pull out of the story, however Herzberg’s next claim, that the dog’s represent slaves, requires a more in-depth analysis of the text.


 After explaining the misuse of language and the cruelty of the scientist, Herzberg goes even deeper into his analysis of A Dog’s Tale. Herzberg claims that A Dog’s Tale is also a parody of slavery, stating that the same story of separation that Aileen and her mother experienced could have been written about a slave family. Herzberg compares the dog’s “unquestioning resignation to fate” to that of a 19th century slave. Herzberg also goes on to explain that Aileen served her new owners loyally, without question and was “pathetically grateful” for attention. He compares Aileen’s willingness to serve to that of a slave, claiming that Twain was probably making a point about slavery. Herzberg also includes a quote taken from A Dog’s Tale in which Aileen’s mother says, “we were sent into this world for a wise and good purpose, and must do our duties without repining, take our life as we might find it, live it for the best good of others, and never mind about the results; they were not our affair”. Herzberg considers the attitude of Aileen and her mother to be much like that of a slave, such as serving for no reward and putting others before self. Herzberg’s claim that A Dog’s Tale is a parody of slavery brings new meaning to the story by giving it a deeper meaning that is more relevant to a young readership than just simply a story of a dog and her puppy.


 In his article, “A Dog’s Tale: An Expanded View”, Gay Herzberg argues that Mark Twain uses the story, A Dog’s Tale, as a way to express his views on language, science, and slavery. Herzberg states that although A Dog’s Tale may at first appear to be yet another bash against mankind for the way that we treat animals, the story is actually a critical work with deeper meanings and more complex themes than one may originally understand. Herzberg, in his analysis of A Dog’s Tale, brings to the surface some of the subtle themes of the short story and in doing so, helps young readers to relate to the interesting and relevant topics presented by Mark Twain. “A Dog’s Tale: An Expanded View” is therefore an important analysis of one of Mark Twain’s least well-known works.

Works Cited

Herzberg, Gay S. “A Dog’s Tale: An Expanded View.” Mark Twain Journal Winter 1977-1978: 20. Print.

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Cite: Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University

"What Fools We Were!"

“The premise on which Woolf  bases her story is that these young women know as little about the social, political and artistic achievements of men as most men know about those of women. The society they now create among themselves will both expose and challenge [the men].” In “What Fools We Were!” by Susan Dick, Dick suggests that Virginia Woolf’s short story, A Society was a counterargument to a anti-feminist article called Our Women: Chapters on Sex Discord. Dick uses background on Woolf and plot summary to conclude that “ A Society” was written with a pro-feminist outlook, but ended up supporting the opposite argument due to Woolf’s fear of a uproar from the male audience.

Susan Dick first introduces “A Society” by giving some background information on the story. Due to the author’s wishes, Virginia Woolf’s short story “A Society” was not published alongside her other short stories after her death. Dick suggests that Woolf didn’t want to republish her work because her short story didn’t implement her usual narrative technique and she had already explored feminist views in her previous works.  Woolf always explores the lives of women “within the historical and cultural context which shapes their lives and which, through the course of the narrative most come to see more clearly.” Dick also points out that“ A Society has affinities with the fable and the novel of ideas. It also resembles some of Woolf’s own essays in which fictional situations serve as the occasion for the discussion of ideas.” Woolf felt that this short story reiterated ideas and themes she had already wrote about. In the beginning of “What Fools We Were!” Dick provides the audience with background information and brings up the pattern of feminism in “A Society”. 

           Establishing that “A Society” is a feminist short story, Dick continues her claim by proposing it was written in counter argument to Arnold Bennett’s book Our Women: Chapters on the Sex Discord. In her counterargument located in New Statesmen disagrees with Bennett’s point that women are “intellectually inferior to men.”  Woolf argues that Sappho was a female Greek poet who’s skills couldn’t be challenged by any other male poet. In the short story, Woolf continues her former argument by using, “The group of young women who form themselves into a society ‘for asking questions’.” One of most hypocritical characters in the society is Cassandra, who agrees with all the requirements, but backs out on her word in the end. The fact that Woolf told “A Society” from the point of view of Cassandra, shows that Woolf was afraid to voice her true feelings. Cassandra forces “readers to draw their own conclusions about discoveries the society makes.” rather than stating what she truly means. Dick declares that even though “A Society” is a short story with feminist themes, Woolf is still afraid of backlash from the public and attempts to hide her true purpose behind her short story. 

    After giving the background information, Dick approaches “A Society” by summarizing the plot and making conclusions. “While sitting one day after tea begin as usual to praise men, these young women are about to begin questioning the “usual” assumptions of their society. In doing so they unknowingly enacting the process through which new societies evolve.” After this meeting, the women decide to go into the world of men and figure out exactly what it is men do with their time and their intellects. Each of the women come back with their hilarious experiences as “men” and come close to concluding men as a waste of time and energy to raise. However, Cassandra, the main character who’s point of view is most apparent to the audience soon reveals that she is pregnant with child and the women, “hear men in the street…this passage associates Castalia’s concern for her daughter’s future and her denunciation of the fruits of men’s intellect with the war and its aftermath.” At which point the women decide to disband the society. Dick claims that that while reading the story, the audience is pushed to believe the feminist themes; however, at the last minute Woolf pulls a twist which leaves the audience confused and unable to agree with one idea or another. However, because of the background information on Woolf, we now know that Woolf was trying to put across the feminist ideals, but was unable to due to fear of public backlash. 

          Dick suggests that although this short story is often seen as a feminist story, Woolf’s usage of names detracts from the message of the story. “The suggestion that a matriarchal society could evolve to replace the bellicose patriarchal one is supplemented in the story by the richly allusive names Woolf gives her characters…the names suggests a long female tradition of which these women are a vital part.” For example: “Cassandra’s name clearly seems an ironic allusion to the prophetess who was condemned by Apollo to tell the truth and not be believed…Cassandra which presents a bitter and impassioned portrait of the restricted life of a young woman in the middle of the previous century.” Dick explores Cassandra’s hypocrisy by describing the meaning Woolf gives to her name. Woolf is also to have said that “Thus though women have every reason to hope that the intellect of the male sex is steadily diminishing it would be unwise until they have more evidence than the great war and the great peace to announce it as a fact.” In ‘A Society’, Woolf brings up the point of women being more intelligent than men but doesn’t support it in fear of too much heat from the public. 

“The compelling links between the societies of women envisioned in ‘A Society’ and 3 Guineas bring to mind the observation Woolf makes that ‘we think back through our mothers if we are women.” According to Dick, Woolf wanted to get her feminist opinions across and believed that feminism was a topical and important right to fight for. However, Woolf makes a complete 180 degree turn at the end of “A Society” which Dick attributes to her fear of public outrage. 

Cite:  Dick , Susan . "What Fools We Were!." 20th Century Literature. 33.1 (1987): 51-66.       Web. 26 Sep. 2011. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/441332>.

A Poetic Prose

“I felt this beauty rather strangely. It was not desire, nor ecstasy, nor enjoyment...but a painful though pleasant sadness. It was a sadness vague and undefined as a dream.” Like this perplexing quotation, in which beauty is the source of sadness rather than celebration, Anton Chekhov’s short story, “The Beauties,” develops a poetic view on everyday life when he notices two gorgeous women. Radislav Lapushin analyzes Chekhov’s artistic language and its effects in his scholarly book, “Dew on the Grass”: The Poetics of Inbetweeness in Chekhov. According to Lapushin, Chekhov uses symbolism of nature, conflicting dual worlds, emotional confrontations, and beauty’s magical effects to create some of the most poetic prose ever written and to provide a new perspective on love.
        

Chekhov achieves his poetic flow through repeating symbolism of dust and clouds. Lapushin observes that the dust and wind of the story serve as a “biblical connotation of primordial natural elements.” Thus, dust starts and ends all life, and the wind from the book of Ecclesiastes is associated with an everlasting redundancy. In addition, there are “the clouds of golden chaff,” which are raised up from the wind made by the beautiful Armenian girl, therefore surrounding her and connected to her beauty. “Clouds of smoke” also appear in the story for the purpose of shifting the setting from one of nature in the Armenian village to one of industry in the train station. Furthermore, the wind serves as a similar transformative symbol, in that it can either blow “clouds of dust” or blow away “all the impressions of the day with their dust and dreariness.” Yet, an important note should be made that wind has the power to destroy the beauty of a woman by being able to “scatter the capricious beauty like the pollen of a flower” (Lapushin 129-131). With a use of the wind and dust as symbols, Chekhov creates a circular movement of setting shifts, creation, and demolition.          

          These said symbols of wind and dust help to ease the shift in setting from a rural village to a modernized train station. This shift did not happen instantly; however, the narrator, in between the two worlds, grows from a schoolboy to a university student. Lapushin interprets this as not only the scenery changing, but the weather turns from dry heat to a “damp” evening. Also different are the types of beauties. The first is more classical in nature, compared to “images of swiftness and motion.” While the second is a “butterfly” beauty, standing in one position, but simultaneously moving her body continuously. However, these separate worlds remain connected through adverbial descriptions. In the first section, the horses run “reluctantly, as if with effort,” and passengers in the second section moved “sluggishly and reluctantly” back to their train cars (Lapushin 133-134). Consequently, the two different worlds are separated by several distinct differences, but they also correlated through repeated adverbs.
         

          Another correlation between the two worlds is the sadness brought upon by the attractive women. The image of the train conductor exemplifies the causal relationship between beauty and anguish as the result of a lost past. Lapushin offers that with the conductor’s confrontation of the beautiful woman at the train station also comes an encounter with his ideal self. Due to this esteemed meeting, his “ordinary” face becomes one “of tenderness and of the deepest sadness.” In addition, the conductor seems to almost be having “an instant spiritual resurrection” through Chekhov’s use of the verbs “see,” “repent,” and “feel.” Moreover, Chekhov chooses to end the passage with the phrase “as far away as heaven,” denoting a meaningful, even religious, experience undergone by the conductor (Lapushin 140-1). The conductor’s abrupt contact with his ideal “I” causes the narrator to be “sticking out my head and looking back” towards the end of the story, when the train is leaving the girl on the platform. This act by the narrator demonstrates his desperate attempt at “trying to hold together a crumbling world” (Lapushin 144).

 

           The source of the beauty that affects the narrator and the conductor so is continually questioned throughout the short story, whether it be natural or magical. Lapushin considers the Armenian girl’s father to be a repeated image of a demonic sorcerer in Gogol’s novella “A Terrible Revenge.” Similar characteristics include a hunch, a deformed nose, and a general mark of monstrosity. Yet, the father seems more humorous than demonic in his depiction. Furthermore, the Armenian girl’s features are described as “bewitching.” Therefore, the grandfather’s reaction to the first girl is described as if a spell was being cast. The narrator also loses control of his senses and talks of a “peculiar air, proud and happy, ” and feels a sadness “undefined, vague as a dream.” In addition, the second girl is described as having a “whole secret and magic of her beauty” (Lapushin 136-7). Through the allusion to Gogol, a whole new interpretation of Chekhov’s words can be made to one concerning magic, which illuminates his deceptively poetic abilities.

Anton Chekhov continues to be studied by both young and mature readers alike because of his accomplished prose. On the surface, “The Beauties” seems to be about a male narrator glorifying the beauty of two women. Yet, if one digs deeper into the passage, one will find symbols in a cycle, unexpected allusions, and themes consisting of dual worlds and lost pasts. Through these tools, the story becomes more relateable to the audience on a deeper level than just young love. By reading Chekhov, readers truly experience the epitome of poetic writing and an unparalleled example of prose. And from this accomplished writing, comes a broader implication of the effects of beauty, which are not always simply observed, but felt with real conviction.

 

Works Cited

Lapushin, Radislav. "Dew on the Grass": The Poetics of Inbetweeness in Chekhov. New

         York: Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., 2010. 126-144. Print.

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[Laura Richards] and her closest brother, Henry, avid readers and "constant playmates," spent much of their time "hunting elephants and rhinoceroses (which other persons did not see) in the garden" and having "wonderful adventures under the dining room table." (Estes 314)  Laura E. Richards grew up during the gilded age and World War II, yet she somehow has a fairytale childhood and this juxtaposition is reflected in her writings. She has a rich background of interaction with children and youth that allows her writing to be highly relatable.  This is highly evident in The Green Satin Gown because of the style of writing she establishes.  Laura Richards is widely known as the first prominent American writer of nonsense verse for children.  The tense war time environment allowed young adults to seek refuge within her writing.  In addition, her ideal childhood played a major role in formulating fairy-tale children’s stories.  In The Green Satin Gown the authors perspective of being surrounded by children her entire life, social and political environment juxtaposed with her easy style, and her ideal childhood create a short story that is truly relevant to young people.

Laura Richards was surrounded by children growing up, which gives her a unique perspective into the minds of young people.  This view allows her to write in a way that youth can understand and relate to on a deeper level.  Laura Richards was one of six children, and her father was an educator at a school for the blind (Estes 313).  She was surrounded by children and the imagination and purity of their minds that she fed off of in order to create truly unique and light stories.  These stories have the ability to transport young readers to another world of learning and creativity.

Non-sense verse is a very unique style of writing that has an extremely light tone that often rhymes and is targeted towards children.  This carefree verse stands in stark contrast to the social and political atmosphere of the world when she was writing these stories.  She wrote many of her stories during the challenging times of the gilded age and World War II.  These periods in history where extremely difficult and tense, yet her writing is the exact opposite.  In a way, her stories non-sense verse brought some much needed light into a time of war and economic hardship.

Laura Richards spent most of her childhood in "a delightful old house set in a lovely garden in a suburb of Boston that her mother named Green Peace” (Estes 314). This beautiful setting and even the name of her home sets a fairytale scene of her childhood that is translated into all of her works.  In addition, later in life she falls in love, goes on a honeymoon to Europe and eventually returns to Green Peace, her childhood home.  This sequence of events appear very dream-like and unlikely to happen, yet they are a part of her life.  This positivity and fantasy influences her works and allows them to transport a young reader in to a fantasy of their own.

In The Green Satin Gown the authors perspective of being surrounded by children her entire life, social and political environment juxtaposed with her easy style, and her ideal childhood create a short story that is truly relevant to young people.  In the early years of her life she is instantly surrounded by young people, including her five brothers and sisters.  Laura Richards writes during a time of political turmoil and tension, yet her stories are light and fantastic written in a non-sense verse style.  She also grows up in a beautiful house and spends long days playing with her brother, this fairytale childhood is conveyed through her stories.

Works Cited

Estes, Glenn E. American Writers for Children before 1900. Vol. 42. Detroit: Gale Research, 1985. Print.

An Academic Battlefield

CCAC North Library
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Richard Harding Davis wrote during a time period in America where literary criticism was split in two; these divided lines affected the ways in which one saw Davis’ work, for one group praised Davis’ idealistic writing, while the other criticized him for oversimplifying literature. An academic “battlefield” characterized the era between 1880 and 1920 (Osborn 92). All analytical forms were attacked and questioned, which created a divide between the idealists and cynics. This carried over into literature, and specifically, to the writing of Richard Harding Davis. He held the reputation of writing realistic literature advocating ethics and morality. Davis came to represent a symbol of the time period for both criticisms, although the connotations of these representations contrasted between realistic, even traditional, and immature.  

            American impressionists and realists fully supported Davis for his literary work. His writing came off as impeccably moral, sophisticated, and brilliant (Osborn 85). To them, this seemed to promise a revolution on “American crudeness” (Osborn 85). Davis wrote of foreign culture often and even showed a particular interest in European literary forms. His writing contrasted between the different social classes while upholding moral standards. This can be seen in “A Question of Latitude,” when he shows the Congo through Everett’s eyes. This point of view exposes the violence and immorality embedded in African society, something Everett had not witnessed due to his wealthier background. This indirectly creates a contrast between the lower class of the Congo and the higher class of the West. Everett enters this new environment educated and idealistic to serve the underprivileged. Davis’ advocates appreciate his literature because he opens up new cultures and exposes them in a realistic and inoffensive. He never delves into complex matters, leaving that interpretation up to the reader. For this explicit reason, Davis’ writing is attacked by another group of critics who find that Davis simplifies such concepts which produce innocent and inexperienced writing.

            On the other side of literary criticism, cynics balked at Davis’ gentlemanly code, attention to manners, and smiling attitude toward life. They argued that literature is not a source of entertainment, but rather, a means to teach ethics and current events to a mature audience. Instead, Davis wrote for an immature audience, one made up particularly of young women. Literary rebels saw Davis’ writing as directed toward the point of view of the wealthy, and he idealized this class as superb and gracious. While idealists praised his descriptions of social classes, these critics found his assumptions to be a “cramping prejudice” that did not adequately represent the classes (Osborn 91). In other words, Richard Harding Davis failed in writing effectively to portray his subjects and captivate his audience. He started with complex ideas but left them underdeveloped. For instance, he brought about the large question of violence in the Congo, yet has Everett simply turn the other way rather than face the issue just to survive to the next day. These actions leave the reader wanting to know more about this violence, and it is as if Davis wants to only see the good in the world rather than the entire picture. It is this “limited outlook” that has critics questioning why realists pioneer Davis as such a brilliant writer of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries (Osborn 91).

            Why was there such a stark contrast between the views of Richard Harding Davis’ work? The time period explains everything, for some needed an idealistic view of life, yet others chose to critique that view point in favor of a more realistic one. To some, Davis wrote everything they wanted to hear, and he even became a symbol of tradition worth preserving. On the other hand, his attackers saw him as a symbol of immaturity and outmoded American life. Davis was “too American,” meaning he had a “sunny innocence” toward his simple and inexperienced outlooks (Osborn 91). These contrasting viewpoints of Davis’ career provide insight into a larger picture of the great divide between two outlooks on life during a difficult time period.

Works Cited

Osborn, Scott C. "Richard Harding Davis: Critical Background." American Quarterly

            12.1 (1960): 84-92. JSTOR. Web. 23 Sept. 2011.

Citation Conventions

Because this is an academic blog, most of the ideas expressed will not be our own.  Citing our sources is important in order to give the source credit where credit is due, as well as to give credibility to the paper and to gain the reader’s trust. Citations help distinguish between the writer and the source’s ideas. Also, plagiarizing is a very serious crime, and therefore, citations help to avoid legal complications.

In our blog, we will use MLA formatting to cite our sources so we will avoid academic plagiarism

This is the site that we will use to cite our sources using MLA format:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/11/

We chose MLA formatting for our blog because it is the most widely accepted form of citation.  It applies to a variety of sources, which is necessary for our blog posts.

 Man's Best "Friend"

     For the past ten years, one of the most heated and dividing issues among political and social spheres has been the issue of animal rights. While some think that testing and harming animals for the greater good of human beings is torture and should be considered animal cruelty, others think that it is a necessary evil in order to save human lives. Despite the controversy surrounding this issue, Mark Twain’s short story, “A Dog’s Tale” provides an interesting perspective on whether or not it is really acceptable to take the life of an animal to save that of a human. Through Twain’s interesting use of structure and point of view that shape his story, young readers are drawn in and able to relate to his central claim, that animals are not test subjects or play toys, yet living, loving creatures. 

     Twain introduces the reader to the main character, Aileen Mavourneen, a dog, at the beginning of the story, also describing her parents, a St. Bernard and a Collie. The story is told from the point of view of Aileen, which lets the reader sympathize with what she says. By allowing the reader see the story through Aileen’s eyes, instead of an outside observer or omniscient narrator, it gives the reader a chance to see what a dog might think about some of the things that humans do. In this story, Twain is showing the reader, through the eyes of a dog, why it is harmful when humans put their own lives above those of dogs. When the baby’s crib catches on fire, Aileen remembers what her mother told her and she risks her own safety to save the child. She does this almost instinctively and considers it her duty. However, when the scientist wants to experiment in order to save human lives, he does not think twice about killing Aileen’s puppy in the name of science. Aileen does not mind risking her own safety but she is obviously deeply saddened by the death of her beloved puppy. Twain raises an important question at this point; he forces the reader to ask whether it is okay to sacrifice an animal’s life in order to save our own. This is a question relevant to many people today, in this time of heated debate over animal rights. Twain is making the claim that animals are capable of love, communication, and other human qualities and that it is wrong to simply kill them in the name of science. Obviously this is a hard claim to support, however by presenting the emotional and saddening story of Aileen and her puppy lost to science, Twain gets his point across that humans should not just look at animals as inferior beings, but rather as companions. His claim can certainly relate to readers of all age. The issue raised in this story is current to many young readers because the issue is not outdated or unconnected from the questions raised today about whether animal’s lives are less valuable than humans.

     Although it may seem, after reading this story, that Twain is making a clear point against the harm of animals for the betterment of humans, Twain’s main claim is actually less clear. In the beginning of the story, Aileen’s mother tells Aileen to be brave and to think of others before herself. This is what Aileen’s mother says when the two are being separated, “but she comforted me as well as she could, and said we were sent into this world for a wise and good purpose, and must do our duties without repining, take our life as we might find it, live it for the best good of others, and never mind about the results; they were not our affair. She said men who did like this would have a noble and beautiful reward by-and-by in another world, and although we animals would not go there, to do well and right without reward would give to our brief lives a worthiness and dignity which in itself would be a reward.” This quote from Aileen’s mother brings an interesting perspective into the story. Aileen’s mother is essentially telling her that although there will be no reward waiting for her in heaven, that Aileen should still live her life for the good of others. Is Aileen’s mother telling Aileen that her life is less important than that of a human? The question about whose life is more important, the dog’s life, or the human’s life that the scientist is supposedly saving by killing Aileen’s puppy, is a question that is certainly still a relevant issue. Young readers can take an interest in this story because it closely relates to one of the most heated debates today. Even Twain did not take a clear side on the issue, but yet left it up to the reader to decide which would have been best, possibly letting humans die or killing Aileen’s precious puppy. 

     Although Twain never clearly states his main claim anywhere in the story, it is quite easy to interpret what Twain is alluding to throughout the story. The structure of this story is quite important in identifying the theme. Twain spends the first third of the story talking about Aileen and her mother. Aileen’s mother is described by Aileen to be very intelligent, as she is always listening to what humans are saying and repeating the words back to her fellow dogs to make them ponder how she got such a large vocabulary. By starting off the story describing the relationship between Aileen and her mother, Twain convinces the reader that these dogs really do have human qualities, that they are intelligent, and that they do love each other. Later on in the story when Aileen has her puppy, the reader understands the love that Aileen has for her puppy is real because Twain showed the love that Aileen and her mother had for each other. When the scientist kills the puppy for testing purposes later in the story, he becomes the antagonist since the reader has already become connected with Aileen earlier in the story. In this way, Twain makes his point clear without ever clearly stating his claim. He does this through the use of structure and point of view. 

    This story of Aileen and her puppy strikes a chord with readers of a generation who were brought up during a time when animal rights are on the forefront of hot topics. Many people today only see the human perspective of the issue, however Twain gives us an animal’s perspective by introducing us to Aileen, who has some human qualities and is not just “another animal.” Aileen’s story certainly applies to today’s young readers because it makes one question whether or not it is moral to place ourselves over animals. 

Exploring the World of Men

“A Society” by Virginia Woolf 

          In “A Society” by Virginia Woolf, a group of women decides to create a society in which women try to enter the world of men. One of their reasons for doing this is, “"Why if men write such rubbish as this, should our mothers have wasted their youth in bringing them into the world?"” Woolf intended for this story to be a satire; she uses a lofty, silly rhetoric to make fun of what most people think women talk like while weaving in humor with a serious question: if literature can actually be appreciated by most audiences. Since this story is a satire, all of these universal topics are open to interpretation. For example, it does raise other similar questions such as, “How much of our young lives are we willing to use for a different cause?” or “Are our lives intended to help other people?” This short story is relevant to young readers because of the universal personalities of the characters, current theme of feminism, and the humorous rhetoric used by Woolf. 

          The characters are also very relatable to the modern audience. Most of the main characters are young, unmarried women but their personalities are universal. Poll, is the likely old maid of the group. She is described as “not a beauty” and “quite queer”. In the teenage world of cliques, there are always outsiders. Castalia, is the first girl to break the promise the girls make to each other: to not have a baby until the society reaches their final conclusion about men. Once again, in every clique there is always going to be one rule breaker. Clorinda is the leader of the group. She was the first to suggest the idea of the society as well as the promise they all make to each other. Every clique of teenagers has these three personality types: the rebel, the odd one out and the boss. Since the personalities of all the characters are so broad, it is easy for a youthful audience to be able to see these people in their everyday lives. Through the comprehensive characters, Woolf has managed to link her story with the lives of a contemporary audience. 

          Many people may argue that this is a feminist short story, especially since it was set in 1914. Although the feminist arguments are outdated I think the theme of feminism as well as seeking out the truth are still general themes for young adult readers. These women are very independent of their men. They try to figure things out for themselves, something college students are greatly encouraged to do in class. Secretly integrating into man’s society, the women try to find out whether it is a productive use to the world to bear “as many children as they should” as they were taught to by their previous generation of women. This theme of feminism is also another notion that many college students are still fighting for: equal pay, equal number of men and women in certain jobs etc. While reading this story, the audience can connect these themes with things they see in the newspaper or their everyday lives. 

          A lot of the jokes in this short story are still topical, especially for college students. Woolf spares no one in this short story and makes fun of anything she can. She made fun of poetry by calling it “verbose, sentimental foolery”. She also pokes at trials that are so boring that one of the women fell asleep during it while she was supposed to take notes. Woolf also makes fun at the foolishness of all the women especially when Poll exasperated at her father’s request to read an entire library exclaims, “Why, why did my father teach me how to read?” The foolishness of the characters can be so unreliable that it is humorous. Through the rhetoric, characters, themes and jokes, Woolf is able to connect with the modern young reader and succeeds in this witty, modern short story.

Journeying Through the Teenage Heart

           Throughout the centuries, romance stories remain the most penned genre in Western literary history, but they are also the least varied in overall structure. Generally, a male will meet a female and they will fall in love, and after a few obstacles, remain in love. However, the acclaimed Russian author Anton Chekhov breaks through the familiar romantic mold to create a completely original plot line in his short story, “The Beauties.” In this poignant tale of young love, the teenage male narrator cannot help but praise the attractive appearance of two separate women, yet he does so not through verbalization, but observation. Therefore, through the use of characterization and symbols, Chekhov’s short story “The Beauties” creates a universal situation that addresses the anguish of attraction, in which young readers from across the globe are able to relate.  

             Curiously, Chekhov reveals little information about the narrator, though not without a purpose. Since the narrator remains nameless, this lack of identification provides the reader the opportunity to place his or herself in the situation and personalize this story as if it were his or her own. In addition, the development of the narrator’s personality occurs not through his actions or dialogue, but through his thoughts, especially regarding beautiful women, whom he notices in great detail. For example, upon first glance at a teenage Armenian girl, he felt “all at once as though a wind were blowing over my soul and blowing away all the impressions of the day.” From this single quotation, much is revealed about the narrator: his romantic disposition, sentimental nature, and poetical spirit. And yet, despite these strong feelings, he fails to act upon them, never even speaking to the source of his glorious praise, thus revealing a meek side to his personality. Moreover, this teenage beauty strikes his heart in a peculiar way - by causing “a sadness vague and undefined as a dream.” Thus, the author feels unworthy of her love and attention, and by keeping his true feelings hidden from the woman for which he feels such strong emotions, he is left to rot in his own dejection. Though the feeling of being bombarded by a great beauty is one which is quite specific, the reader is able to connect with the narrator and internalize every feeling described, showing Chekhov's skill as a story-teller.

          These emotions felt so vigorously by the narrator are documented throughout the short story with the use of symbolism. Four symbols occur throughout the text: birds, the sun, whips/bells, and guards. The narrator compares both women to a bird; they are beautiful to watch, yet unattainable. This, in turn, creates a sense of despondency not only in the author, but in all those around because the girls never take any notice of such flattering attention and merely flutter away. The sun stays connected to this concept of physical attractiveness because “every one of them thinks it terribly beautiful, but no one knows or can say in what its beauty lies.” Furthermore, the sun gains prominence by becoming the focal point of the setting wherever a gorgeous girl awaits to be noticed. Before the Armenian girl appears, the narrator feels “the burning sun beating on them,” and before the boy encounters the beautiful girl at the train station, he notices that “the sun had not yet quite vanished.” And just like a sunset, the beauty of a girl cannot be everlasting. As if the continual sun is not enough foreshadowing of the sights to be held by the youthful boy, then horse whips and station bells also serve that purpose. In the Armenian village, a Little Russian cracks a whip on his horses while the narrator stares in admiration of the young girl. Similarly, at the train station, after spotting the attractive young girl, bells sound as if to call the narrator into action before the chance is lost forever. A guard also appears at the train station, but for an opposite purpose. Just as his title suggests, this man is the protector of the narrator’s heart, discouraging his love by noting that to be in love with such a pretty girl would be a “‘calamity.”’ These symbols collectively compile contrasting feelings of confusion when one is attracted to another. Should one take a risk and talk to the other, or keep hold of the heart’s emotions inside because the other is impossible to attract?

           Together, the symbols and characterization help to establish the theme into one of appreciating beauty, but also acting on these feelings of attraction. Perhaps the greatest lesson to learn from Chekhov’s “The Beauties,” is that beauty can be found anywhere and everywhere, whether in a small village or on a train station, and one must learn to verbalize his or her emotions in order to avoid later sadness. Of course, the amount of hesitation one feels is determined by one’s personality. So, if someone is particularly extroverted, then he or she may have no problem conveying emotions to another. Yet even if one opts not to speak of such vulnerability, no one can escape the intense powers of attraction, or the incredible pull of love. It empowers, scares, and alters everything about one’s life, just as the narrator and so many young adults have experienced. "The Beauties" describes the passion of youthful infatuation, yet also shows the reality of how difficult it is to communicate this feeling with others. This will never change, no matter what the century or culture, making Chekhov’s “The Beauties” a timeless classic that any young adult would enjoy.

Traveling with Imagination through a Story Past

From the beginning A Green Satin Gown by Laura Richards is easily relatable to today’s youth.  The story begins in present time, but is quickly whisked back in time as an elder shares a story of her past with a seventeen year old girl.  The relationship between the older generation and the younger is vital and often consists of the exchanging of stories from times long ago.  Almost all of today’s youth can remember an experience where they were told stories of a friend or family member past.  A Green Satin Gown is linked to modern youth due to the relatable connection that is established between the younger narrator and the older Madam Le Baron, the imaginative story-telling format, the mystery surrounding Madam Le Baron and use of sensory details that bring the story to life.

The story-telling format of the writing transports the reader into a different time and place.  This incorporates a great deal of imagination, which is deeply rooted in youth.  A youthful person has a mind that is mostly untainted by the realities of society, which allows for a great amount of creativity and imagination that can be associated with traveling through a story.  In addition the narrator says, “I had walked into a fairy tale, or else I was dreaming!”  This imagery of a fairy tale most youth can instantly connect with, through their own personal experiences of the imagination.  

Younger individuals often perceive adults as mysterious and as if they are in a whole different world.  The young girl and Miss Persis gaze at the house of Madam Le Baron everyday and the girl even imagines what Madam Le Baron looks like, “[she] could not help picturing to [her]self the great lady as about six feet tall, clad in purple velvet, and waving a peacock-feather fan”. One day Madam Le Baron has Miss Persis come pick up the young girl, but she doesn’t tell her why she needs her and appears to be a very secretive person.  Madam Le Baron lives in a beautiful mansion with maids, which further exaggerates the contrast between her and the young girl.  Adolescent readers are able to relate to the feelings surrounding the contrasting world of adults.  

Throughout the story specific sensory details that youth can attach to are repeated.  Phrases such as, “breathless”, “pink with excitement”, “cool, dimly lighted parlor”, and “there was a soft rustle, a smell of sandal-wood in the air” all include observations from sight, hearing, smelling and touching that youth often use to identify their own experiences.  For youthful individuals many experiences are new, and a reaction to this is to take in all of the small details in order to encompass the full vision and experience that is being encountered.  The authors use of these sensory details make the story directly relatable and understandable to modern young adults.

A Green Satin Gown is a story that youth living in the modern world can relate to due to the link between older and younger, story-telling format, the mystery built up around Madame Le Baron, and the sensory details used throughout the story.  The link between the teller of the story and the younger girl is a relationship that most youth can relate to.  The story transports the reader into a different world, which is easy for an imaginative youth to understand and follow.  The mystery built up about Madame Le Baron sparks curiosity that adolescence often feel concerning adult figures in their lives.  The repetition of sensory details pulls adolescent readers into the story and suddenly their imaginations transport them into another world.

New Beginnings

Beginning something new can be such an exciting feeling, but it can also be scary. Embarking on an adventure alone can be one of the most life-changing experiences. This feeling is one that almost all college freshmen are going through right now. The thought of a heavy course load, a roommate, a dorm, strange new faces, and a completely different lifestyle can seem daunting. On the other hand, these are all exciting elements of the college experience that once acclimated to, will be the best four years of our lives. Similarly, the protagonist, Everett, of A Question of Latitude, sets out alone to see the Congo and maybe even reform their people in the process. He plans to write a story about the people of the Congo, thinking that they will be accepting of his white presence, that they are a mundane group of people. He is quite culture shocked when he comes to find that the Congo is anything but mundane and accepting. He learns that these people are violent, enigmatic, and even cannibalistic. Upon entering the Congo, Everett feels excitement as well as uncertainty, for he knows nothing of what lies ahead. College freshman can relate to these same feelings, for while the Congo and college are two separate places, both are foreign and new in the same way. Both A Question of Latitude and freshman year are related in the ways that they see, approach, and adapt to a new environment, regardless of how different the environments may be.

            Everett and college students are the same in the way they approach new experiences. Both are overtaken by nerves and excitement. It is easy to compare these points of view, for both Everett and the college freshman are taking on adventure alone in a mass of strangers. They are nervous about the unexpected that lies ahead; likewise, they are excited by the unexpected that lies ahead. The thought of a fresh beginning is what fuels both characters to embark on their new adventure.

Everett enters the Congo naïve to the workings of this African culture. He is now independent and has one chance to make an impression. However, right from the beginning, he quickly realizes that his highbrow credentials that were substantial in the United States have no face value in this society. He is shocked to hear of the Congo’s cannibalistic tendencies, yet thinks he can undertake the position of reforming these people. Everett’s initial tone indicates just how naïve he is, and here, the reader can see that Everett is headed for more than he may have anticipated. It is easy for an outsider to analyze this situation, but for Everett, he sees this new culture as an opportunity for a new start, rather than the bizarre culture in front of him. College students do not enter a new university thinking that they can change the world, but we do come into the first year with a high school senior mentality or tone that quickly vanishes. New college students are also naïve to the lecture-style classes, laundry, setting our own schedule, making a whole new set of friends, keeping our dorm room clean, etc. This list continues for the numerous responsibilities that college students must undertake. We are used to knowing everything expected of us, and we are used to our familiar surroundings, as is Everett, whose first word to describe the Congo is “strange.” He witnesses the violence between blacks and whites firsthand, as well as the nonchalance toward such atrocities; he cannot comprehend why no one does anything to stop it. College students are also amazed by such aspects of college life. New environments excite and scare the outsiders experiencing them, but it is how one takes on this challenge of the unknown that affects the gains from the journey.

Adaptation is tricky, for it can require abandoning all previous belief to conform to something new. Everett acclimates to the harsher climate of the Congo. He reflects back to how he would have handled these situations at home. Instead of dialing 911 at a murder scene, he looks right through. He even engages in some of the violence himself, although he feels great shame. He constantly seems to be making life or death decisions, something he was not accustomed to in the United States. The college experience requires students to adjust to living on one’s own independently, which is harder for some. It takes months, even a semester, to get used to this new life. Just as Everett chose to look away from things he did not want to see in order to tolerate life in the Congo, college students give up certain comforts associated with home to get a college education.

The problem with adaptation is that it may or may not be beneficial in the end. It can create change for better or worse. In the case of Everett, he respects that he abandoned his previous morals to survive in the Congo. He makes the point that he has not forgotten these principles, but that he has put them aside for the time being. He acclimates to the lifestyle of living just to see to the next day. College forces adaptation on students. In most cases, college matures students and brings them into the real world, but there are times when college can send young adults down the wrong path. In this way, adaptation is all about how the specific person changes. Everett venturing out into the Congo can be compared with that of a college student’s first semester because they are both in new environments that will become familiar. Both instances stimulate nervous and thrilling emotions, yet it is hard to still feel comfortable and at ease. Any kind of adaptation to new surroundings follows this sequence, but the main goal is that one day soon the unfamiliar will become the familiar by gaining experience and knowledge along the way.