Insanity in the 19th Century

The introduction of insanity in the text adds a darkness that hasn't been introduced yet. In class it was briefly mentioned that back then, it was acceptable the lock up a woman in an asylum if she was viewed as crazy...not really taking into account if she REALLY was! It also plays into this "things are not as they seem" idea because it makes us read into her reasons for being there: is she REALLY legitimately crazy,which would call into question how much we can really trust her OR is she being put there for unjust reasons? I feel like Dr. Karnac played up to this: "He never answered my questions or entreaties regarded me as being without sense of will, insisted on my trying various mixtures and experiments in diet, gave me strange books to read and weekly received Hannah's report of all that passed" (234). He made her FEEL crazy, I know at least I would! Changing my diet, knowing I was being watched, and giving me strange books to read and ignoring me would be enough to drive me insane!!

The mother daughter relationship seen is very unique. "I believed her dead, yet I had seen her, knew where her solitary grave was made, and still carried in my bosom the warning she had sent me, prompted by unerring instinct of a mother's heart" (240). In the "Wide Wide World", Ellen and Mrs. Montegomery were very very close. Ellen adhered to her mother's teachings and advice because she wanted to make her mother happy. In the same way, Sybil stuck close to the warning her mother had sent her and in that adhering to what had been told of her. However, this is very different because it is almost like Sybil very much feels an intimate connection with her dead mother. That is something not seen in any other book that we have read! It brings up an interesting point of view of a relationship with the deceased. It changes my previous idea of mother/daughter relationships because the relationship wasn't one where both people were necessarily present. Sybil was present but the warnings of her mother and whispers were merely something Sybil FELT, there was no relationship is the physical sense which I believe makes it special and very intimate in it's own way!

Uncle Tom's Cabin

I just wanted to start off by saying that I believe that though this novel is a much darker piece of literature than what we've read before, I believe that the image of children in the novel are an image of hope and potential. In the beginning of the novel, Eliza was escaping for the sake of her son. He was going to be sold, taken from her and she wouldn't have it. In that, this boy is an image of hope in that because of him, freedom was the end goal. We also see the boy's compassion: "the boy wondered and grieved that she could not eat; and when, putting his arms round her neck, he tried to wedge some of his cake into her mouth, it seemed to her that the rising in her throat would choke her" (245). This boy's compassion and concern evoke a response of hope and potential not in the aspect of slavery but for humanity, that at such a young age, this child would tend to the needs of his mother.

I feel like in this story, though the horrors of slavery are discussed, there IS hope of a way out. When Eliza escaped and Sam and Andy were assisting Haley in the search for her Sam said that "I'd rather be 'clined to 'magine that Lizy'd take de dirt road" (251). In that, we see this support amongst the other slaves that they would willingly lead their master astray for a better chance of freedom. It's like they're saying "good for them for taking the opportunity to escape" and they're rooting for them the whole way. However, dealing with the realities of slavery in this time period was a very sensitive subject. We see the dark side and portrayal of slavery from Aunt Chloe before Uncle Tom goes "He owed ye yer freedom...I feel it's wrong. Nothing can't beat that ar out o' me. Sich a faithful crittur as ye've been..."(291). Injustice is seen here and the fact that Aunt Chloe knows she deserves freedom and no beating is going to change that, that sheds light on such a dark reality of this time. It is so hard to see the good and to see a "good" message come of this novel.

I think it is necessary though. Every piece of literature we've read so far has a good message, a good moral to it. This IS a good story with the GOOD message of facing the realities that slavery is horrible! However there were people of this time who did support slavery. I can imagine that this novel was the cause of much controversy of this time period.

Stranger Danger?

I found it so interesting that in these passages, we seem to know the strangers well AND they are not always too friendly. Old Hurricane was a stormy old man in fact he was "arrogant, domineering and violent-equally loved and feared by his faithful old family servants at home" (151) his demeanor caused for a respect of him and a fear of getting on his bad side. Old Hurricane even had a sister who was "unaided, unsought and uncared for by her cruel brother" (152). He was not a friendly man but we see this selfish and cruel man become a friendly stranger to some. We see him engaging in the story that Nancy Grewell tells him on her deathbed and even "dispatched Mrs. Condiment with a carriage filled with provisions for the sick woman" and he even volunteered himself to go find Capitola. We see Old Hurricane's compassion as his eyes first fall on the "boy" that is Capitola "It is probable Old Hurricane did not hear this irreverent speech, for he continued to gaze with pity and dismay upon the ragamuffin before him"(169).We see for the first time Hurricane's soft side and this is when my opinion of Old Hurricane begins to change. He even offers this "boy" a job. He is the friendly stranger that takes Capitola in and provides for her, even though she doesn't appreciate it. Old Hurricane's compassion is again displayed when Herbert Greyson explained his friends situation and Hurricane offers to take them in, however once he finds out just who it is we see his stormy side again. We also see the danger side of strangers when we see the people who kidnapped Nancy Grewell at gunpoint and also because of Hurricane's stormy side, he could be seen as a dangerous stranger as well. Which is so different and new from the other domestic novels we've read!

Good Little Girls

In this video, the eight year old girl explains how she relaxes and finds a balance in the stresses of life. Though the stressors faced by today's children ARE a lot more different than in the 19th century, the way we are encouraged to handle ourselves despite being in stressful situations remains the same. I feel like the underlying message of the video is finding healthy ways to manage stress levels and control our impulses, we, as the little girl said need to "try our best and try harder". In the readings, it says that Gerty "had other less pleasing impulses" (p.133) that needed to be controlled that required conscious effort. When Gerty threw the rock at Nan Grant's wall, that was completely impulsive as just minutes before, Gerty was afraid to as much as pass the house. After, "she felt unhappy in her little heart. She did not understand herself, or her own sensations" (p.134) The need for balance and way to handle our impulses properly is displayed here.

In the same way, the little girl in the video was introduced with impressive credentials, even before we meet this girl, our expectations were high. People today are held to a high standard by what we do and it wasn't different in the 19th century. Finding balance and ways to promote that balance is important in dealing with events in our lives that are stressful.

I believe that things would have totally been different if Gerty was on the show. Anna, the girl on the show, handled her stress in a healthy way. Gerty acted on her impulses and I think that would be the focus of her interview instead of ways in which Gerty does promote the balance in her life. I feel like the show would be very humorous and would focus on what Gerty did such as throwing rocks at Nan Grant's window and her desire to beat up the girl from school. However, we see here that Gerty controlled her impulses by running from what she wanted to do instead of working through it. I feel like if Gerty would be in today's society, she would be encouraged to work through the situation in order to control her naughty impulses instead of being encouraged, as she was by Miss Emily to "be good, and love everybody" (p.149). In today's society, she would have been given a "how to" in doing better and would have more guidance. Just as in the video the girl SHOWED Amy Poehler how to do yoga and taught proper techniques. She didn't just say go do yoga to release negative energy, there were lessons involved.