The narrator of “Penmanship” is a man madly in love in the art of writing. It is through entering the enchanting world of pen and paper that he is able to face the complexities of reality like social cancer (corruption), violence (murder) and fiery emotions (love) with strength and confidence. He could feel “a twinge of sorrow” every time he mails a letter because he had voluntarily given away a part of himself. I think for him (and may I boldly include everybody else who writes) that every word is carefully chosen to project, be it hinted or open for others to see, the personality, character and experience that molded him into becoming who he is at the present of writing.
If he loves writing, why did he concentrate most of that love to only on a fountain pen? Why not for the reader? The paper? It was clear from the start that the old Parker Vacuumatic fountain pen is sort of a heirloom therefore I won’t question anymore why didn’t he trash it for a new one. If I were the narrator, I would also fall for the fountain pen because it is the one I always use to materialize the thoughts, ideas and emotions I wish to convey. Paper doesn’t matter since any surface would do. Meanwhile readers, although necessary are not important because he writes on his own volition meaning it would be for his satisfaction first. Having readers is just one way for him to share that satisfaction by making them feel privileged to be remembered and cared for.
The narrator’s encounter with Nora was a terrible one. She only used him and destroyed his writing principles in the process. She let his emotions for her grow so she can use it to get him to be an unsuspecting accomplice who will write the lies she weaved about herself for a certain Mark (probably an ex-lover) whom she wishes to in still guilt for leaving her. The deed totally upset him. The poor penman had his heart broken again into pieces and now with a sullied principle to go with. He was filled with “filthy hurt and “felt overcome with precious feelings”. The only way for him to release those pent-up emotions from the burdening lies he had absorbed is through his pen, which already felt heavy with words waiting anxiously to be written.
There are similarities with Jose Dalisay’s life and that of the narrator in “Penmanship”.
The poem told the story of a man who is inhibited by language, and has never quite had the ability to articulate his thoughts and feeling through words. It is said that his family members have tried
The narrator’s insecurities unfold when it takes him almost five pages just to demonstrate how close the friendship is between his wife and Robert. It is as though he is justifying his irrational behavior or perhaps questioning if his wife could be secretly in love with Robert. The narrator assumes this because his wife only writes poems if something really important happens to her. He recalls that his wife never forgot that instant when Robert "touched his fingers to every part of her face...
Passion: Nora’s passion is to be a real human and not be unreal towards herself, her family, or her husband. She wants to be accepted and human like the rest of the world, and she tries to figure a way to make this possible. “When (Nora) lived with Papa, he used to tell me everything, so that I never had any opinions but his. And if I did have any of my own, I kept them quiet, because he wouldn’t have like them.” Since childhood Nora has not been able to express her own feelings. She has bottled everything up inside, and she has a passion to open up and show her true self.
In the closing scenes, Nora witnesses the final indication that she is truly regarded as Torvald’s possession. Beforehand, Torvald stated that he would protect Nora at all costs. However, as soon as he discovers the possibility of his reputation being tainted, he instantly degrades her to a point of dehumanization. As a result, Nora comprehends that true love never existed in their marriage, “You don’t understand me. And I’ve never understood you either- until tonight. No, don’t interrupt. You can just listen to what I say. We’re closing out accounts” (Ibsen 1234). Through this scene, Ibsen effectively represents Nora’s final mental awakening. The author employs sharp and decisive diction to convey Nora’s transformation. She no longer amuses Torvald with her childish antics, but speaks with a matter of fact tone. Nora had become accustomed to “pretending” her whole life, and therefore had convinced herself that she was in a loving marriage. As Sabiha Huq, English professor at Khulna University, indicates, “Nora has admonished a life living through hypocrisy and falsehood” (par. 1). It becomes evident to Nora that her whole life she has been dependent on a male figure and has never accomplished anything for herself. Subsequently, Nora feels as though her life has been meaningless, “I went from Papa’s hands into yours… it seems as if I’d lived here like a beggar--just from hand to mouth. I’ve
So Nora throughout the story her personality and how she handles certain things through the story changes a lot. From being a happy person and having a very loving family with her husband Torvald, but as the story escalates the small lies during the story starts the beginning of a very tough road. From the lies from Torvald and doing things behind his back like breaking the law, and the blackmail threats. All the drama escalates to her ending up wanting to kill herself, but in the end she needed to be on her
The first paper of importance is the letter written by Krogstad toward the end of Act two explaining the conditions of his blackmail. This letter contains all the evidence incriminating Nora of her appalling forgery crime. Krogstad makes sure to base his accusation on factual information, confirmed by Nora herself, so his letter is one-hundred percent correct. Since she shows no desire to reveal any part of her history, the letter represents the only means through which the real actions of Nora are set to be revealed. Therefore as this letter sits ominously in the mailbox it symbolizes the truth surrounding Nora's past. Although, while this letter is a embodiment of the veracity concerning Nora's debts, Ibsen specifically included it to reveal two kinds of deception enacted by her. Her first ...
Nora, with the best of intentions, has caught herself and her family in a legal trap caused by her disregard of the law, when she forges her father’s signature on a bond. In her conversation she first discusses with Mrs. Linde “Yes, a wonderful thing!--But it is so terrible, Christine; it mustn't happen, not for all the world.” (II.66). The reader finds out later that the wonderful thing is also her romantic imaginings of her husband, Torvald, standing up and taking the blame for her actions shielding her from the consequences if what she has done ever comes to light.
It appears to me that pictures have been over-valued; held up by a blind admiration as ideal things, and almost as standards by which nature is to be judged rather than the reverse; and this false estimate has been sanctioned by the extravagant epithets that have been applied to painters, and "the divine," "the inspired," and so forth. Yet in reality, what are the most sublime productions of the pencil but selections of some of the forms of nature, and copies of a few of her evanescent effects, and this is the result, not of inspiration, but of long and patient study, under the instruction of much good sense…
A successful writer is he who is able to transmit ideas, emotions, and wisdom on to his readers. He is cable of stirring emotions and capturing the reader's attention with vivid descriptions and clever dialogues. The writer can even play with the meanings of words and fuse reality with fiction to achieve his goal of taking the reader on a wonderful journey. His tools are but words, yet the art of writing is found in the use of the language to create though-provoking pieces that defy the changing times. Between the lines, voices and images emerge. Not everyone can write effectively and invoke these voices. It is those few who can create certain psychological effects on the reader who can seize him (or her) with inspiring teachings, frightening thoughts, and playful games with the language. These people are true writers…
“I write because I love. I write for the survival of self, my children, my family, my community and for the Earth. I write to help keep our stories, our truths, our language alive”. (qtd. in Anthology 396.)
The woman in this play is a very happy mother, who does not objectify to be a stay home wife, her life is happy and although she was faced by many obstacles before, like incurring into debt to save her husband’s life, she is a happy woman as long as she possesses the love of her children and husband. Life for Nora seems as calm as it could possibly be, but soon after the promotion of her husband and the imminent consequences such promotion will bring to Krogstad, bring a new set of complication to her life. Soon her past mistakes come to haunt her. She committed forgery, by signing in place of her deceased father, which of course is taken as leverage by Krogstad, the owner of the note she signed, in order for him to conserve his
Although the greater picture is that reading is fundamental, the two authors have a few different messages that they seek to communicate to their audiences. “The Joy of Reading and Writing” depicts how reading serves as a mechanism to escape the preconceived notions that constrain several groups of people from establishing themselves and achieving success in their lifetimes. “Reading to Write,” on the other hand, offers a valuable advice to aspiring writers. The author suggests that one has to read, read, and read before he or she can become a writer. Moreover, he holds an interesting opinion concerning mediocre writing. He says, “Every book you pick has its own lesson or lessons, and quite often the bad books have more to teach than the good ones” (p.221). Although these two essays differ in their contents and messages, the authors use the same rhetorical mode to write their essays. Both are process analyses, meaning that they develop their main argument and provide justification for it step by step. By employing this technique, the two authors create essays that are thoughtful, well supported, and easy to understand. In addition, Alexie and King both add a little personal touch to their writings as they include personal anecdotes. This has the effect of providing support for their arguments. Although the two essays have fairly different messages, the authors make use of anecdotes and structure their writing in a somewhat similar
...es Art an inner power struggle. Subsequently, Art becomes resentful. Art’s resentment towards Vladek does not allow him to emotionally mature. Yet through writing Art forgives his father and becomes a man.
During the time in which the play took place society frowned upon women asserting themselves. Women were supposed to play a role in which they supported their husbands, took care of their children, and made sure everything was perfect around the house. Work, politics, and decisions were left to the males. Nora's first break from social norms was when she broke the law and decided to borrow money to pay for her husband's treatment. By doing this, she not only broke the law but she stepped away from the role society had placed on her of being ...
Nora lives in a dream world, a child fantasy, where everything is perfect, and everything makes sense. She thinks that the world would never condemn a woman who tries to save her husband's life or protect a dying father. When confronted by Krogstad, who tells her it is against the law to sign someone else's signature, she responds: " This I refuse to believe. A daughter hasn't a right to protect her dying father from anxiety and care? A wife hasn't a right to save her husband's life? I don't know much about laws, but I'm sure that somewhere in the books these things are allowed." Nora simply does not understand the ways of the world, and the final realization that she is in real danger of risking hers and her husband's reputation, and worse, makes her snap out of the childish dream she had been living.