Ractatif

Donna Peters                                                                                      September 19, 2014

Professor Rachel Corona                                                                     

English 102

Reading Response to the story “Ractatif”

Question: From the clue provided by the narrator, how do you figure out the race and class backgrounds of the two main characters Twyla and Roberta? Why do you think Toni Morrison presented this the way she did?

            The clues provided by the writer at the outset of the story provides a clear view that Twyla was of black descend and Roberta white. Later in the story I experienced extreme difficulties distinguishing the difference between both girls, their race and background. However, close to the middle and closing of the story the narrator subtly revealed the character’s identities, Twyla is indeed black and Roberta white. I’m convince that Toni Morrison presented the story in this format to spark her reader’s interest and to also stimulate their analytic skills.

            This story proven to be one of the most suspense and interesting story that I've read. From start to finish I was captivated and intrigue by the manner in which Toni Morrison introduce the race, class and background of the two main characters, Twyla and Roberta. She skillfully narrated their pieces in such a format that it was somewhat clear to me in paragraph 2 that Twyla was black and Roberta white. In lines 13-15 paragraph 2 ,Twyla mention that her mother often told her that “they never wash their hair and often smell funny, Roberta sure did smell funny”. Actually, the premier portion of this statement was quite strange to me, but the second portion is familiar. among African Americans about Caucasian. This statement lead me to their true identity initially. But, as I read along, I was left in suspense and confusions trying to distinction between both them both. Until, somewhere between the middle and ending of the story the peculiarity between them both was confirmed.  Notice line 142 when they dine at the café , Twyla asked Roberta why she didn't pay much attention to her when at Howard Johnson’s. Roberta’s excuse was, “Oh Twyla you know how it was: black-white… Back then this would not be a normal excuse from an African American woman for not conversing with a white individual in the public, but on the reverse. 

The Narrator Toni Morrison was very particular, in presenting the story in this format. No doubt to attract the reader’s interest and to also stimulate their analytical skills.

Donna Peters                                                                                      

Professor Rachel Corona                                                                     

English 102

            The tell-tale Heart is a ghastly story which characterized an unknown narrator who insists on his sanity after murdering an old man.

            What character does the narrator say prove his sanity is subtly portrayed throughout the story. The narrator started off by admitting to having a disease, but insisted that he was not mad. He verbalize his action in such clear, cunning and precise manner for which he stated a madmen would not be able to detail. To him his disease caused him to feel and experience some form of nervousness, but nothing resembles madness. The narrator admits or confess to horrible crime with a rational precision of killing the old man, but never admit to being psychotic. Nevertheless, his behaviors reflected that of a person with mental issues, when he made mentioned of hearing all thing in heaven and in earth and many things in hell. This does suggest hallucination and dilution to a vast magnitude.

The narrator insisted from the beginning that he was not crazy, by verbalizing clearly his action in such accuracy that a mad man would not be able to do, a midst the fact he sometime felt nervous. He admit that he has a disease, but it did not make him insane. His disease has sharpened his senses, ‘not dull or destroyed it”. Above all, He pointed to the fact that he was quite healthy by showing no sign of aggression and calmly tell the whole story in such accuracy and detail.  All he did the design of the story from beginning to the end points out the level of madness of the narrator. His pattern of behavior throughout the story depict a mental illness, as he disclosed a deep psychological confusion. His behavior reflect a form of paranormal motivation when he stated that “object there was none, passion there was none, I loved that old man…” Yet in spite of this affection he says that the idea of murder “haunted me day and night”.  This process of thinking is also evident to convict him of madness, when confessed to the killing due to hearing the still beating heart of the old man’s corpse. The evidence of him describing that he didn't have any contention with the old man, but with his eye, hence, he compared it to a vulture’s eye and refers to it an “evil eye.” This was motivating factor that drove him make kill the old man. He said, “I made up my mind to take the life of the old man and thus rid myself of the eye forever”. The description of how he outlined the plot to carefully and cautiously execute his plan is evident of a sociopaths behavior. 

Hill like White Elephants

"Hill Like White Elephant"

Donna Peters

Prof. Raquel Corona

Question 1. 
Point of view include what character see. Notice each"look" What does each person in the story look at, and what each person seem to understand or feel? Is there anything in the story that non of these people would be able to see or know? How do the different kind of observation add to the effect of the story.

The story spoke of three characters an American man, his girlfriend and a woman who was the bar tender. However, there were two main characters that engage in an interesting discussion outside a bar as they await a train to Madrid. Both individuals had different view point obtaining a solution to their problem. Hence, a conflict ensued. The problem's solution was long in views; they had a difficult decision to make.

It appears that the man and his girlfriend had a family matter that was they were pregnant. They man advised was that she should have an abortion. His dispute was that the abortion was just a simple procedure and nothing major,but the girl did not see it in his light. She appeared afraid perhaps looking at the perspective of the child she might abort. As a result, she was not willing to go with the procedure, despite the successful ratio among those she knew had done it in the pass. It appeared they were really in love with each other, but the pregnancy has some what place a constrain on the relationship; for this reason having the abortion would restore things to normal the man disputed. Nevertheless, the decision was hers.

The conflict ensued as they waited, drinking and viewing the scenery around them; As they sat down at the table the girl looked across the hill at the dry side of the valley. The hill and dry valley could be compared to their present situation with no real solution in view. It was a real difficult decisions for her to make has she struggled to fulfilled the man's wished or to follow her gut feelings. On the man part  the pregnancy was to him like a white elephant. The fact is there was too much at stake and none was able to see the future. Just the present situation as it present itself.