The Waiter’s Wife by Zadie Smith was originally written as a short story and then made into a novel called White Teeth. This short story is about a married couple, Samad and Alsana, that recently immigrated from Bangladesh to London. This story also follows Samad’s friend from the War and his wife, Clara, and Archie Jones. The story talks about immigration and settling into a new environment and culture, multi-cultural families, and the differences between older and newer traditions.
Samad and Alsana, are struggling with the move and settling in. In London, Samad is now a Waiter and is receiving a lot of backlash. Samad has no training to be a waiter but he is a hard worker and is very smart. Even still, he is treated extremely poorly. “You’re the worst of them! You’re the worst fucking waiter I’ve ever seen! You couldn’t get a tip if you mugged the bastards! I hear you trying to talk to the customer about biology this, politics that – just serve the food, you idiot – you’re a waiter, for fuck’s sake, you’re not Michael Parkinson.” (Smith). This quote shows how Samad was being treated as a waiter. Samad was so overqualified for this job, but with the move, it was where he ended up and he did struggle. Today, immigrants still struggle with jobs and how they are treated. As of 2018, “About a third of immigrant workers do not have authorization to work legally in the U.S., and these immigrants are also vital to the American economy.” (Kosten). Immigrants today still struggle just as Samad was struggling in the story. As stated in the quote, immigrants are not only vital to the American economy but they are part of our country and should be treated as such. No matter where someone comes from, they are human beings and deserve to be loved and treated with respect. Kosten, Dan. “Immigrants as Economic Contributors: They Are the New American Workforce.” National Immigration Forum, 5 June 2018, immigrationforum.org/article/immigrants-as-economic-contributors-they-are-the-new-american-workforce/. Smith , Zadie. “The Waiter's Wife.” Granta, 5 June 2020, granta.com/the-waiters-wife/.
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Heart Of Darkness by Joseph Conrad is a story written in 1902. Conrad’s story dives deep into imperialism and what really goes on in those societies. Imperialism is defined as a policy of extending a country’s power and influence through diplomacy or military force. In the story, a man is on a journey and once he gets there, the faults and violence of imperialism come to life. This is common even today. Oftentimes we don't see the violence and events going on behind the scenes when we are not there or made aware of the events. Luckily today, we have social media to spread awareness to all parts of the world.
Not only does the title Heart Of Darkness foreshadow at the fact that there is sadness in the story, but on the first page it states “The air was dark above Gravesend, and further back still seemed condensed into a mournful gloom, brooding motionless over the biggest, and the greatest, town on earth.” (Conrad). This quote gives readers an idea of the setting and that it may not be the best place to be. It is ironic, however, that in the same quote it says “biggest, and the greatest, town on earth” (Conrad) because the way it is being described does not sound like the best town on earth. Moving further into the novel, Conrad continues to use descriptive words to paint images in the reader’s minds of what the characters are experiencing. “A cry, a very loud cry, as of infinite desolation, soared slowly in the opaque air. It ceased. A complaining clamor, modulated in savage discords, filled our ears. The sheer unexpectedness of it made my hair stir under my cap.” (Conrad). Reading this quote, I feel like I am there. Reading this brings to light what was happening at this time and unfortunately, is still happening now. America’s Black community is hurting and experiencing violence that no human should experience. All of the protests recently are like a loud cry that was explained in the previous quote. The Black community is crying out for help, but America is using violence (imperialism) to diminish those cries. Similar to the story, humankind is not being treated as such. The savage behaviors towards the characters in the novel relate to today's Black community. You know what they say, history repeats itself. Conrad , Joseph. Heart Of Darkness. Penguin Books, 1991. Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf is a novel written in what seems to be post-war Brittain. This novel was published in 1925 and World War One ended in 1918 which leads us to believe that it was based on the after-effects of WWI. Woolf writes, “Fear no more the heat o’ the sun/ Nor the furious winter’s rages./ This late age of the world’s experience had bred in them all, all men and women, a well of tears.” (Woolf). Reading these lines you can sense a bit of irony. Woolf is bringing to attention what the citizens are being told post-war such as fear no more but yet she ends these lines by saying everyone, no matter who formed a well of tears. After reading the first two chapters, the readers get a sense of what life might be like for Mrs. Clarissa Dalloway and others around her. Woolf writes in a way that may be confusing to some but is actually quite interesting. The story of Mrs. Dalloway is not a start to finish one. It begins with her looking out the window at the flowers and in time, goes through her day and the past as well. Each of these details and twists in the story allows the readers to learn more information but not in the typical sequence. Not only is the novel following Mrs. Dalloway, but it is also following Septimus Smith. Septimus Smith is a veteran of the war and is struggling with his mental health because of it. “And it was cowardly for a man to say he would kill himself, but Septimus had fought; he was brave; he was not Septimus now.” (Woolf). This line is so powerful. Saying “He was not Septimus now,” tells the readers how much he has changed since leaving for war. He seemed to not even be Septimus Smith but a whole different person. In the US, veteran suicides are unfortunately very common. According to an article written in 2019, the rates are anywhere between 17 to 20 deaths per day. “However, the new report lists the daily average of veteran suicides at 17, down from the 20 per day reported in previous years.” (Wentling). War changes people. It has many negative effects on the soldier’s mental health. This novel was written in 1925. The article was written in 2019. Veterans are still struggling post-war. It is time to help our veterans who sacrifice their lives for us. Wentling, Nikki. “VA Says Veteran Suicide Rate Is 17 per Day after Change in Calculation.” Stars and Stripes, 2019, www.stripes.com/news/us/va-says-veteran-suicide-rate-is-17-per-day-after-change-in-calculation-1.599857. Woolf, Virginia. Mrs. Dalloway. Harcourt, 2003. “The Second Coming” by William Butler Yeats is a poem that will leave you with goosebumps and questions. Yeats’ poem, published in 1989, writes about World War I and how he feels a revelation is in the making. He connects the war to life itself and another form of revelation that is still popular today. Yeats pulls his readers in using imagery and descriptive words throughout the entire poem, “The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere/ The ceremony of innocence is drowned;” (Yeats). In war, soldiers see things that should never be seen and do things that are so incredibly hard to do. Because of this, all innocence is now lost.
Yeats then begins to talk about the second coming. “The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out/ When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi/ Troubles my sight:” (Yeats). Spiritus Mundi is a term that William Butler Yeats used in his writings that means “the collective soul of the universe containing the memories of all time”. Having this definition we can now understand how powerful this line really is. The speaker is telling the readers that a new beginning is on the horizon but barely thought of because the memories are fogging their view. As a Christian, there is a “second coming” of our own. Christ returns to earth and takes His people with Him. It is a new beginning for us all. Yeats hints at this subtle connection in the last line of the poem by stating, “And what rough beast, its hour come round at last/ Slouches toward Bethlehem to be born?” (Yeats). This line can be thought of as a means of life and not only war. The beast may just be humankind. Yeats is asking, how can you ask to be born (reborn) after the way humankind lived. The connection between the two leaves room for the readers to decide what they feel the meaning of Yeats revelation is. Will it be a positive new beginning like when Christ returns to earth and saves his people, or will it be a new beginning of fear and despair for those left behind? Yeats, William Butler. “The Second Coming by William Butler Yeats.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, 1989, www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43290/the-second-coming. Moody Bible Institute. “The Second Coming of Christ: Moody Bible Institute.” Home, www.moodybible.org/beliefs/positional-statements/second-coming/. The mind is a powerful thing. Very powerful, but also very tricky. Have you ever done an intense workout or participated in a sports game that you just didn't think you could get through? Have you ever heard the phrase “mind over matter”? You are telling yourself that you can do it and tricking your mind into believing that. Another interesting part of your mind is the subconscious mind. According to Benedict Carey at the New York Times, “In a recent experiment, psychologists at Yale altered people's judgments of a stranger by handing them a cup of coffee.” (Carey, 2007). As crazy as that sounds, that is the power of your subconscious mind. The subconscious mind is the part of the mind that is not fully in the conscious mind but is controlling what happens without the person's knowledge.
In the story, “The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde”, Dr. Jekyll seems to be experiencing the effects of just how powerful his mind is. Dr. Jekyll is a seemingly relaxed and very well-liked doctor in London. What people did not know was that Dr. Jekyll’s mind was split in two. Dr. Jekyll had an alter ego, Mr. Hyde. Hyde was so evil that one of the characters, Mr. Utterson, described him as follows, “O my poor old Harry Jekyll, if ever I read Satan’s signature upon a face, it is on that of your new friend [Hyde].” (Stevenson). Dr. Jekyll split himself (Hyde and himself) in two and tried to remain in control, but Hyde was too powerful. He eventually took over Jekyll’s mind and body until there seemed to be nothing left of Jekyll. Dr. Jekyll was experiencing more than just what was on the inside. Utterson became worrisome of him because of his “friendship” with Hyde. Utterson began to research and follow Hyde because he wanted to keep his friend, Jekyll, safe. When Utterson confronted Jekyll about Hyde, Jekyll’s entire persona changed. He seemed to almost “change people”. Jekyll explains, “You do not understand my position… I am painfully situated, Utterson; my situation is a very strange-- a very strange one.” (Stevenson). Jekyll becomes defensive and angry when asked about Hyde. It seems that Jekyll is in fear because he may be realizing that he is not in control like he once thought. Fear and insecurities can overcome a person. Feelings and emotions can become so overwhelming that your mind begins to take over and launch itself into a downward, dark, spiral. Dr. Jekyll becoming so overwhelmed with emotions seemingly made himself “weak” and allowed room for his mind to take over and let Hyde in control. The story of Jekyll and Hyde is an interesting one that portrays the power of the mind and how humans may not be able to control it or understand their own subconscious mind as they once thought. Carey, Benedict. “Who's Minding the Mind?” The New York Times, The New York Times, 31 July 2007, www.nytimes.com/2007/07/31/health/psychology/31subl.html. Stevenson , Robert. “The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde.” The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson, www.gutenberg.org/files/43/43-h/43-h.htm#chap02. ‘Maids, not to you my mind doth change’ by Michael Field is a poem that at first glance, looks like a love story. During this Era in British Literature, writings surrounding failed marriages and “other” sexualities began to rise. The author, Michael Field is actually a pseudonym for two women, Katherine Bradley, and Edith Cooper. Lovers, writers, and poets. They used this name to keep their relationship to themselves in the safety of their own hearts.
This knowledge allows the reader to understand the deeper meaning of the poem. These women are bringing light to the many differences in sexuality and celebrating it through the rhythm and elegant wording of this poem. The speaker talks about the feelings of safety and love when with the other, “Between us is no thought of pain,/ Peril, satiety” (Field). The two women feel no pain or danger when they are together. This is interesting to me because various sexualities are still struggling to be accepted even today, yet together, they felt no danger. Having no fear when they are together even though their relationship may not have been accepted shows how powerful love really is no matter who you are or who you love. The speaker then says, “When injuries my spirit bruise,/ Allaying virtue ye infuse/ With unobtrusive skill” (Fields). In this line, the author talks about how easily one understands the other. When one is hurting, the other is there to fill them back up with ease. The ending of the poem, “And if care frets ye come to me/ As fresh as nymph from stream or tree,/ And with your soft vitality/ My weary ***** fill.” (Field). The speaker is telling their partner that in times of fear and anxiety, they come to them like a nymph (a beautiful and majestic creature), and fill their heart. What is interesting here is that the author did not use the word heart so it leaves the readers to fill in the blank. These last lines seem to complete the message that they complete each other because they love each other, proving that love wins. This poem is to share the beauty and value of all types of sexualities, not just these two women. The author does this by never stating who the lovers are. No names, gender identities, or pronouns, just love and celebration. Bradley, Katherine, and Edith Cooper. “'Maids, Not to You My Mind Doth Change' by Michael Field.” Hello Poetry, hellopoetry.com/poem/73384/maids-not-to-you-my-mind-doth-change/. While reading the poem, "The Other Side Of A Mirror", by Mary Elizabeth Coleridge, the author seems to be talking through her thoughts and emotions as a woman and her transition from silence to sound. This is a transition and battle that is still appearing in many women today and will continue to as we fight for equality. At the beginning of the poem, the author explains that she is looking in the mirror at herself. The imagery throughout the poem allows the readers to feel as though they are seeing what she sees. She sees not only what is on the outside, but what is on the inside as well. She explains that no man could possibly understand, “It formed the thorny aureole/ Of hard, unsanctified distress.” (Coleridge). She is trying to help others make sense of her feelings, but she knows that a man couldn't possibly understand how she feels. She then begins to dig deeper into herself and her thoughts. This next section of the poem is a way to provide an image of a woman's battle with just one powerful word. Silence. “Her lips were open- not a sound.” (Coleridge). This line is very powerful and relates to our society today. A woman may speak but oftentimes is not heard. It is as if doesn't speak at all. She ends this stanza of defeat and sorrow by saying, “She had no voice to speak her dread.” (Coleridge). This line speaks truths for more than women in our society today. Minorities are struggling. Not to use their voices, but to be heard. The rest of the poem is where the readers see a shift from silence to sound. The author remembers that her strength cannot be weakened and her fire cannot be put out. She begins to clear the fog made of the hateful words and actions against her as a woman. She begins to remember who she is. Although she is finding her voice, the battle has not been won and the fight has not ended. The author ends the poem by saying, “The ghost of a distracted hour/ That heard me whisper- ‘I am she!’” (Coleridge). She states that the ghost that heard her is distracted. Looking at the title, the ghost in the mirror might be her. This makes the readers think that she is on her way to speaking out and saying, “I am she” but is still waiting for people to hear her. Maybe “people” begins with herself. This can explain why she is on both sides of the mirror. She is trying to make herself believe that she has a voice before she can make others believe it as well. Her “ghost” might be distracted now, but she has strength. She has gone from silence to sound, but there is more to be done. From her whisper, the legacy lives on in women today, fighting with their voices loud and demanding to be heard. Works Cited: Coleridge , Mary Elizabeth. “The Other Side Of A Mirror by Mary Elizabeth Coleridge.” By Mary Elizabeth Coleridge - Famous Poems, Famous Poets. - All Poetry, allpoetry.com/The-Other-Side-Of-A-Mirror. |