Need some help understanding the pieces that will show up on our Modern Selections test? Read on for some important information and analysis!Shooting an ElephantThis piece by George Orwell follows Orwell on a day in his life stationed as a peace officer in the nation of Burma. Back in Orwell's time, Britain had colonized a number of territories and countries across the globe, especially in the near and far East. Britain's true purpose for this type of colonization, called Imperialism, was to increase their power through trade, settlement, and cultural indoctrination. The people who resided in their colonies would often suffer harsh treatment, unfair taxes, and the regular erasure of their cultural identity.
However, back home in Britain, Imperialism was seen as something benevolent. Colonizers were seen as "civilizing" the native peoples and bringing culture and structure to their previously undeveloped territory. This, of course, was untrue. Many of the territories that Britain colonized already had their own culture and social structure, but Britain sought to replace it with their own.
Orwell truly was stationed in Burma, but the credibility of the specific events in this short story has never been determined. Orwell states his experience in Burma is miserable, firstly because he disagrees with Imperialism, and secondly because the Burmese people treat him terribly by mocking him and making his job difficult.
These two conflicting feelings are, as Orwell says, a common symptom of people stuck in the Imperialist system. Simply, Orwell is stating that Imperialism causes people to split into two conflicting parts - one that feels human and another that simply feels angry.
One day, Orwell is called on to take care of an elephant that has broken loose from its owner in a fit of "must," or a surge of animal hormones, and is on a rampage in the village. Orwell goes to investigate but knows there probably isn't much he can do. As he draws closer to the scene, he becomes frustrated that people seem to be less and less clear about what has happened. This is a reference to the breakdown of communication that often occurred between the British Empire and its colonies. The British people viewed the native people as ungrateful savages and that the colonies were strong and productive. However, people who lived at or were stationed at the colonies often told a different story: the people were resentful and progress was slow.
When Orwell finally arrives, he sees that a low-class Indian worker has already been trampled by the elephant. Out of instinct, he calls for a larger gun, which causes the people to begin following him and talking about how he is about to kill the elephant.
Orwell complains about the pressure of having so many people looking to him and how it is uncomfortable to be a leader of a crowd.
Clearly, he is referencing the "burden" of Imperialism and the people who are forced to participate in its system. When Orwell sees the elephant, he realizes he shouldn't shoot it. It has calmed down and is simply minding its own business eating grass. However, Orwell realizes that he cannot turn back now; the native people all expect him to shoot the elephant and if he does not, he will seem weak to them and they will laugh.
In that moment, he is far more concerned about his reputation with the natives than his life or the life of the elephant. His thoughts reflect the idea that the British Empire struggled to maintain control of its colonies for so long purely to avoid having to acknowledge that their attempts were foolish and unproductive.
He finally acknowledges that Imperialism takes control away from the people in charge and instead forces them to constantly assert dominance and competence over the native people. The native people actually call the shots through small acts of rebellion and by goading the British forces into doing things they don't want to do to maintain their reputation.
Orwell's shooting of the elephant is graphic, painful, and drawn-out. The elephant refuses to die on the first, second, third, or fourth shot. Orwell describes the immense amount of pain and agony the elephant seems to be experiencing and how it fights death until the last minute. Eventually, Orwell leaves, unable to watch any longer.
Here, the elephant could represent many things: the British Empire and its struggle to remain in control, the native people and their refusal to let Imperialism break them, or even a free-thinking mind and how it cannot be compelled to change even in the face of brute force. At the end, Orwell wonders if anyone ever realized he shot the elephant "solely to avoid looking like a fool" (Orwell 4).
Rocking Horse WinnerThis short story by D. H. Lawrence is about a young boy named Paul and his unhappy family. Paul's family is not unhappy because they are troubled by sickness or tragedy or struggle. They are simply unhappy because they want more than they have and feel nothing but ingratitude. Paul and his sisters are troubled by their parents' attitude, but do not know what they can do.
One day, Paul asks his mother why they don't have their own car and discovers that his mother believe they are "poor," despite her husband having an acceptable job and living a rather luxurious life.
Paul does not know or comprehend that his parents simply spend money they do not have in order to maintain a socially acceptable lifestyle. His mother, instead, explains that the issue is due to luck or the family's lack of it. She elaborates that people who have luck have money because they will somehow always find more. For a brief moment, Paul feels upset that his mother is not telling him the full story and so he insists that he is lucky and pretends that God told him so.
Paul, upset at his mother's passive response, decides he will find luck for his family and eventually decides to do this by riding his rocking horse.His family mostly leaves him alone while he does this, which creates a sense of isolation around Paul. No one really checks in on him and his parents don't care much for him. He believes that only he alone can bring the much wanted luck to his family.
Soon, Paul's uncle, Oscar, notices that Paul has been riding his rocking horse a great deal and has been giving the horse names of the winners of famous horse races. He begins to grow curious as to how Paul knows these names. He eventually discovers that Paul has been talking to his family's gardener, Bassett, about the horse races and has actually been placing bets. Oscar believes it to be a silly interest and decides to take Paul to a horse race.
On the way to the race, Oscar asks Paul if he ever bets on the horse races and Paul admits that he does by giving the money to Bassett to bet for him and begs his uncle not to tell anyone else. He explains that he used to lose money until his uncle gave him a gift of ten shillings and then he began to win. He attributes this to the fact that he believes his uncle is lucky so his money must be lucky too.
As the conversation continues, Paul admits that he has won more than $300 since he began betting. Oscar is convinced he's joking and takes him to the horse race.At the race, Paul insists that the winner will be a horse by the name of Daffodil and that he's already betting all he has on that horse. Oscar, still convinced it's a joke, offers to put $5 on any horse Paul chooses. Paul insists on Daffodil despite the fact that the horse has very bad odds. Oscar places the bet anyway and, to his amazement, Daffodil wins the race.
Oscar, curious as to how Paul was so sure, eventually decides to become partners with Paul and Bassett. He eventually begins to take Paul seriously when Bassett proves Paul's abilities by showing him all the money Paul has won.
The gardener explains that he and Paul have made a great deal of money betting on horses and that, while Paul doesn't always feel sure in who will win, he is always right when he feels certain. Bassett describes the ability "as if he had it from heaven" (Lawrence 12).Paul explains to his uncle that he is winning all of this money for his mother's sake and to help the house stop "whispering."
Here we see the constant anxiety that fills Paul's life, the overspending of his parents that create tension within the family.So, Oscar helps Paul set up a fund for Paul's mother using all of the boy's winnings. Oscar arranges for the money to be given to her anonymously through the family lawyer $1,000 a year over 5 years. Paul is anxious to see how happy he has made his mother, but her reaction makes him feel disappointed.
Instead of being happy for the gift, she instead requests all $5,000 at once. Oscar tries to comfort Paul and warn him against allowing it to happen, but Paul passes it off as nothing, happy to sacrifice for his mother.
However, his mother spends all of the money very quickly instead of paying off her prior debts. Paul becomes even more anxious as the house begins to "whisper" louder than ever about the lack of money. Paul becomes desperate to "know" the winner for the upcoming races. He loses money as each successive race passes and his mother finally begins to worry about him. She suggests he go away on a vacation, but Paul refuses to go until after the next horse race. His mother reluctantly agrees. This is the first indication that Paul's mother has any real concern for him and, even then, she never really checks in on him to make sure he is well.
Finally, one night after a party, Paul's mother, overwhelmed by concern for her son, decides to check up on him in his room. She finds Paul riding his rocking horse frantically, shouting about "Malabar." Paul collapses in exhaustion and falls into a coma. Paul's mother asks what "Malabar" means and Oscar tells her it is the name of a horse that will be racing in the next horse race.
Bassett places Paul's money on the horse and Oscar places a bet himself. Malabar has very bad odds but comes in first which results in Paul winning $80,000. Bassett comes to see Paul who is still in a coma to tell him the good news. Paul becomes conscious just long enough to rejoice in his luck and tell his mother that he is lucky.
Unfortunately, Paul dies that night.
Afterwards, Oscar remarks to Paul's mother that the boy was better off dead than living a life sacrificing for his mother who did not appreciate it.Demon LoverThis short story follows Kathleen Drover as she returns to her London home after the conclusion of World War 2. When Kathleen returns, she approaches her house by proceeding down the empty street of her abandoned neighborhood. The description of the empty houses and the lack of "human eyes" watching her provide a sense of tension and an unearthly feeling.
When Kathleen enters the house, the author describes the door and lock as resisting her entrance somewhat, possibly as a caution against unearthing old memories. However, Kathleen enters anyway, determined to collect the items she said she would bring home to her family. Upon entering, she wanders the empty rooms, examining how the house feels strange and unfamiliar with all of the items of value and memory gone.
Kathleen then spots a letter waiting for her on a table. She contemplates the impossibility of the letter as the house has been boarded up and the only other person with a key, the caretaker, has been away on vacation. She takes the letter upstairs with her but does not read it until she is in the upstairs bedroom. At this point, the author describes the change in the weather outside. Storm clouds begin to roll in, darkening the surroundings.
The letter is dated for that day, surprising as Kathleen had told no one she would be there, and is signed only with the letter "K." It remarks that Kathleen would remember that today is an anniversary and that she and the letter writer will meet at a previously arranged time. Kathleen struggles to remember the day and time mentioned and recalls a previous lover from her past, a soldier who was on leave during the war.
In this flashback, Kathleen realizes she is completely unable to recall the man's face, despite being engaged to him. She even begins to doubt whether or not he truly existed due to his faint existence in her memory. She recalls his personality clearly though - he was cold, distant, cruel, and somewhat threatening. Her former fiance was someone she feared for a reason she cannot quite place. During their last interaction before he went back to war, he promises her that they will be together, sooner or later.
The implication with this ambiguous statement is that somehow, the two will be together, no matter what, whether Kathleen wants it or not. She also remembers that he went missing in action during the war and was presumed dead. She didn't have difficulty moving on afterwards and pretty much forgot about him. She recalls that he made her promise something before he left, but it is never stated what that promise is, only that Kathleen feels it was a dark and regretful thing.
Kathleen becomes anxious and fearful, refusing even to let herself sit with her back to the entrance to the room. She is worried that if she stays in the house, the person who wrote the letter will arrive and have her trapped there.
However, she is also driven by her need to be dependable to her family. Eventually, though, she is convinced to leave with the thought that leaving will allow her to bring a taxi and its driver to the house to help and possibly protect her.
As Kathleen goes to leave, she feels a draft of air rise up from the basement of the house. She is convinced somehow has been in the house with her and chose to leave as she did. We next see her leaving the way she came, passing by the empty houses staring at her with their "damaged gazes."
When she finally gets to the city streets, she is calmed by the presence of others and the flow of everyday life. She spots a single taxi and goes to get in it.
Upon entering the backseat, the taxi begins to move without any direction from Kathleen. She finds this strange and goes to speak to the driver. However, he brakes the car and turns around to look at her. The two stare at each other in silence and Kathleen begins to scream. She continues to scream as the taxi drives away into the abandoned streets, leaving us uncertain as to who or what has taken her.
This short story can be interpreted in a number of ways which can be seen
HERE.
Preludes"Preludes" is a poem of 4 different scenes in the same city. The point of view alternates between singular and multiple, day and night.
In section I, we see the city at night, during dinner time. The houses and rooms are somewhat dingy and worn down. Lots are vacant and a single person stands alone in the cold rain, old newspapers blowing in the wind.
Here, we feel a sense of isolation and loneliness.
Section II opens with the statement of regaining consciousness in the morning after a night of drinking. The "smell of stale beer" is mentioned passively, as if it is a common thing. Clearly, individuals in this city drink often, possibly to forget their problems. The view switches to the multiple with many feet moving to the morning coffee stands and the image of many hands raising shades in a thousand furnished rooms. This view gives us as sense that all the people in this city go about their morning in the same routine way. Everyone here is the same.
Section III switches back to night and the singular view of a woman alone in bed. After a long day of work (which we see in section II), she lays down for bed but sees only unflattering, trashy images of her own soul. Even at night, she can find no comfort.
Here, we see Eliot slip into not just a depressed tone, but one of despair and without hope. The repeating image of feet appear as the woman wraps her hands around them. Her hands are dirty and gives us the impression that she has not kept herself clean.
Section IV again switches to morning and the view of the city and the perspective of one lonely soul surrounded by the rest of the people who go about their daily routine. The final section remarks on how individuals move about their lives, making judgments and assumptions, refusing to drift out of the normal orbit of their existence and worrying about trivial things while ignoring the broader world around them.
The repeated image of feet bring about a sense of depression and loneliness. Consider when people are sad or melancholy, they often bow their head and focus their eyes on their feet. Also consider the context of feet in the poem. They are often surrounded by filth - mud, dirty hands, old newspapers and puddles.
The Hollow Men"The Hollow Men" was originally written specifically about soldiers who had passed on to the afterlife, but it could be addressed to anyone who feels incomplete or "hollow" based on their actions or their place in society.
Each section of the poem covers a different "location" in this metaphorical afterlife. In the first section, we see the hollow men themselves - these are individuals who feel like they lack a voice and an identity. If you consider "existence" as being seen, heard, and remembered, they feel like they are none of these things. They are described as scarecrows who others will only remember as lost.
As they pass into the second section, we see "death's dream kingdom." Here, there are eyes of light and voices singing in the wind. Being seen and heard happens here. But the hollow men feel far from it; those who stay feel they are pretending to be someone they aren't and are wearing "deliberate disguises" (Eliot 25). Instead, they insist they will meet in the "twilight kingdom." We can infer that this kingdom may be Heaven and the hollow men feel that they do not have the right or ability to be there.
In the next section, we see a land that is dead - a "cactus land" (Eliot 26). Here, there is no sight mentioned and the hollow men walk alone, wanting to kiss but only able to say prayers to broken stone. The implication here is a sense of mourning loss. The implication is that this kingdom is that of Hell.
Finally, the hollow men enter "death's twilight kingdom." Here, there are no eyes. The hollow men are not seen. They avoid speech and are not heard. In this section, the lines become more and more disjointed; sentences seem unfinished and to string together into an incomprehensible message. Here, the hollow men are losing meaning as much as identity. Here, we can infer the hollow men inhabit the world of Purgatory, an in between world lacking definition and meaning.
The final section descends into a simple imitation of a children's rhyme, suggesting that the hollow men have devolved into unthinking children. Again, the lines become fragmented, unfinished ideas. The lines begin to parallel each other, claiming that the hollow men exist between the lines of society and existence, in the spaces that people do not look.
The last lines of the poem suggest that the world will eventually face the same fate as more and more people "slip through the cracks," and that eventually, as we turn away from taking care of ourselves and this world we live in, the whole world will simply slip away into meaninglessness "with a whimper."
The Naming of CatsThis T. S. Eliot poem is actually very straight-forward. In this poem, Eliot explains that all cats have 3 names: a proper name, a nick name, and a true name. The proper name is usually given to the cat by the family they belong to and it is sensible so that it can be used in any situation. The nickname is usually odd, nonsensical, and unique to THAT cat, something that they may be called by their owner or special person. The third name, however, is the cat's true name, but it is
ineffable which means that it cannot be expressed in words. Of course, since the subject is cats, they are unable to speak with humans, but Eliot is using cats as a metaphor for people.
Humans, also, can be said to have 3 names. They have their name given to them by their parents, a nickname given to them by friends or a loved one, and a third "true" name that they are unable to speak because it is meant to encapsulate everything they are. It is the name we are "born" with and grow into over time. The upside to this is that it means that, no matter if someone else has the same name, we are all unique and special. The downside is that we all have a truth that we will never be able to speak to another person. The unique and ineffable nature of our true selves means that we can never truly and completely connect with another person because they will never fully know who we are.
The Unknown Citizen"The Unknown Citizen" is a poem that is supposed to be a tribute to an citizen from a fictional society. This society keeps records of EVERYTHING its citizens do: their opinions, their jobs, their purchases, their personal relationships...everything. The poem uses these records as a way to justify the great life the "Unknown Citizen" lived. The government of this society is completely uninterested in the citizen's ACTUAL identity and instead reduces him to a series of numbers and letters, not unlike a prisoner's identification number.
The poem explains that the "Unknown Citizen" was a "saint" because he was never fired, he had some friends, he believed what everyone else believed, and he lived a normal life. His entire life is condensed into a summary of some government records.
In short, he sounds pretty boring and uninteresting!The society displayed through this poem is one that values conformity, but does not demand it.
It is one that determines the value of your life AFTER your death through the records they keep. In the last few lines, Auden highlights these values by brushing off the question of the citizen's happiness and freedom as absurd and claims if anyone truly had a problem with what they were doing, they would have known. The implication is that individuality is simply not recognized or is erased and that this society creates expectations for behavior, not thought or feelings.
Do not go gentle into that good nightIn this poem, Dylan Thomas urges people not to surrender to death and old age. He inspires everyone to fight against the "dying of the light" or the fading away of youth and life. He calls upon various types of men - wise, good, serious, wild - and tells them all not to concern themselves simply with meeting the requirements or checking off the boxes of life, but to live each day to the fullest.
Here, Thomas is stating that our identity means nothing in the face of LIFE - no matter who we are or where we come from, we should treasure the precious life we have. He also instills a more positive note about death - it is something we will all face, so none of us is truly alone and therefore, we should not "go gentle" or weakly into death or feel overcome by it.
