Six Story Analysis Essay Example

story would not succeed in a large, impersonal city. The community should be one that fosters collectivism instead of competition and is intimate enough to include someone considered a fool as a valuable member. Having grown up in a Chinese community, I can relate to the sense of mutualism that exists in an environment that promotes collectivity. Like many Asian communities, the one in which I grew up highly values harmonious relationships.

While not compromised for competition, the village in the story and mine have similar dynamics to the community of Romero. The "Cask of Amontillado" narrates a man's meticulous execution of revenge against Fortunato, whom Montresor deeply resents and plans to murder. Despite not being an ideal community, both villages face similar problems.

During a festive celebration, Montresor tricks Fortunato and leads him to the deepest part of his cellar where he buries him alive. The exact nature of Fortunato's wrongdoing is not revealed, only hinted at. This intentional omission by Poe only serves to further pique the reader's curiosity, as Montresor's revenge is depicted with extreme intensity. Montresor's sanity is in question.

The complexity of his plan exposes the mindset of a killer and unveils Montresor's deep offense towards Fortunato. Such meticulous planning can only stem from an unwavering motivation, like intense hatred. However, since the specifics of Fortunato's offense are withheld from us, it becomes difficult to fully empathize with Montresor's thirst for vengeance.

Reading through the subtlety in Poe's first paragraph, where Montresor claims to have "borne as best as [he] could..." Fortunato's "thousand injuries," we understand that Montresor endured insults and injuries to the best of his ability. He seeks revenge not out of

impulse, but for vindication. He murders Fortunato to punish the wrong that was done. Despite the cruelty of his revenge, we can sympathize with Montresor. I mention impulse because hatred is a powerful emotion that can drive people to actions they wouldn't normally consider. Like Montresor, I have felt the urge to retaliate against someone who offended me. It is a natural response for survival.

However, not everyone acts upon their hatred in the same way as Montresor, whether spontaneously or not. Our conscience prevents us from acting upon our desires for revenge, which often frighten us. We comprehend how emotions can engulf us and impair our judgment. We are aware of tales of crimes driven by passion and worry that we may be unable to handle our own hatred. Our vengeful fantasies manifest in the cruelest manner within our minds, and the potential consequences of our actions immobilize us.

The narrator of the story "Everyday Use" is the main character. She describes herself as a strong woman with rough hands, capable of killing and consuming animals with ease. Specifically, she recounts how she slaughtered a calf and preserved its meat in the cold. The narrator's description portrays her as someone accustomed to difficult labor, contrasting sharply with the glamorous women she sees on television and idolizes. Alice Walker uses this detailed account of her character's working abilities to highlight aspects of her life and economic standing.

The woman's poverty is evident through her hard labor, indicating her long-standing familiarity with this lifestyle. Additionally, her ability to raise her two daughters without a male partner demonstrates her strength and determination. Furthermore, society perceives her differently due to her

skin color, race, and physical attributes associated with hard labor. Being categorized as a laborer prevents her from aspiring to the same level of respect and status as the women she observes on television.

However, Maggie's anxiety towards her sister's visit is explained through her physical appearance. The burn scar on her arm reminds her of the contrast between herself and her sister. To Maggie, the scar just adds to her sense of being inferior to her stylish sister, who has "nicer hair and fuller figure." When Dee comes to their home, she brings with her a new name, an unconventional boyfriend, and a flashy dress. All of this represents what Dee's mother refers to as being stylish.

Dee's mother believes that being stylish means being different from who they are, which raises the question of whether being different is more important than embracing oneself. Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Young Good Man Brown" tells the story of a man's descent into the woods. The narrator explains how he reluctantly accompanies his wife on an errand in the woods, knowing that it involves evil. Once in the woods, he encounters a mysterious figure who leads him further into the darkness. This figure is similar to Dante's guide in "Inferno" - an almost diabolical character who is familiar with hell. Like Dante, Goodman Brown encounters people on his journey to the center of the woods, all of whom are familiar to him.

Goodman Brown is constantly surprised by the individuals he encounters in the darkness, engaging in conversation with the sinister figure accompanying him. Initially, he comes across Goody Cloyse, the woman who taught him catechism. Following her, he encounters the deacons

of the ecclesiastical council, as well as the devout men and women who gather at the communion table. Lastly, he finds his wife, Faith, standing beside him in front of a congregation of wickedness. This sequence of events illustrates Goodman Brown's gradual loss of faith in the inherent goodness of humanity. In the beginning, seeing the catechist and deacons in the evil woods does not convince him of mankind's wickedness. He remains determined to bring his wife back and conquer evil. However, upon witnessing his wife's presence in the woods, all hope for goodness on Earth vanishes within him. The scenes he witnesses in the forest become permanently imprinted in his memory, even if he manages to banish the nightmare. The danger he confronts is akin to Pandora's Box being opened, as the revelation remains irreparable.

Goodman Brown reaches a point of no return in which he sees the hypocrisy of those around him, leading to his complete hopelessness. He is unable to escape this state, and the world remains as dark and evil as the woods he has traversed. In the end, he spends his dying hours in despair, leaving no hope for those he leaves behind. Although the nightmare endured by Goodman Brown does not last long, its horrors continue to haunt him for the rest of his life.

The story "Who's Irish" portrays the struggles of an immigrant from China as she attempts to raise her Chinese-Irish granddaughter amidst a blend of cultures, beliefs, and traditions that often clash. The narrator confesses her difficulties with her daughter and Irish husband, which become even more complicated when her daughter asks her to babysit her unruly

granddaughter. As a mother, the narrator raises the child based on her own rules of discipline and manners.

Despite the narrator's more conservative views, her daughter and husband have a more liberal approach, allowing their daughter to freely express herself, leading the narrator to see her as being wild. The narrator attributes these differences to their Chinese and Irish backgrounds. However, as the story progresses, the narrator realizes that she will have to live with her Irish in-laws and they will need to embrace their combined Chinese and Irish identity under one roof. The conclusion of the story emphasizes the significance of diversity.

The concept of diversity often emphasizes disparities, divisions, and disagreements. It is often invoked to rationalize discrimination and the unwillingness to comprehend others. However, Gish Jen argues that diversity actually contains a sense of unity. The narrator's distinct "Chineseness" or her in-law's "Irishness" are inherent cultural traits that cannot be easily changed. Therefore, acceptance of our diversity is crucial for peaceful coexistence.

Despite the ridiculousness of living in someone else's home, the narrator must come to terms with the fact that she now belongs in an Irish household. Similarly, the Irish brothers, who continuously question when the narrator will leave their house, must accept and acknowledge the narrator's "Chineseness." Bess, the narrator's relative, appears to be the only one who understands the importance of acceptance as she welcomes the narrator's presence in her home. The story also challenges the overused and vague notion of diversity. Our perception of diversity is often limited to superficial characteristics such as skin color or table manners.

Diversity should be embraced and celebrated as it provides us with a unique perspective

on the world's many facets. The central protagonist in the story "The Necklace" is a woman who possesses imaginative thoughts. Mme. Loisel yearns for a life that diverges from her current circumstances. She believes that fate should place her among the extraordinarily wealthy, but unfortunately, her existence confines her to a modest dwelling with a clerk.

Loisel is unwilling to acknowledge that in her society, money dictates a person's social status. She mistakenly believes that it is not charm, eloquence, or physical attractiveness that differentiate women. From her thought process, we can observe the extent of her naivety as she fails to comprehend the actuality of her economic standing. She lives a detached life and allows her imagination, fueled by envy, to create an alternate reality.

The temptation of materialistic desires and the societal admiration for wealth alienates Mme. Loisel from her actual life. Consequently, when the chance arises for her to live her fantasy, Mme. Loisel grows desperate and pushes herself towards a conclusion that is even more wretched than the beginning of her tale.

The narrator states in the second paragraph that women are not affected by caste or rank, and instead beauty, grace, and charm are valued over family and birth. However, this statement fails to consider factors such as race and wealth, which do impact a woman's place in society. In certain societies, one's race determines their wealth and ability to obtain elegance, while education determines their wit. Although the story does not address these issues directly, it depicts how both women and men are constrained by social realities. Society determines criteria like beauty, natural refinement, charm, and elegance based on the preferences of

those in power. Mme.

Loisel lacks an understanding of the reality that those who have accumulated wealth are able to judge and categorize others according to their own perceptions.