Kllnn

In Rikki Tikki Tavi, the mongoose is the protector of the family. He was rescued by the family after being caught in a storm and becomes a part of this family. The cobras in this story feel as though the garden of the house belongs to them and they have the authority over the family to take what is theirs. In this story, the mongoose is there to protect the family from these cobras, who are unwelcomed by the family. It is a process of waiting for the right moment for the mongoose to pounce and kill the cobras as well as their unborn babies. With help from the other animals around the garden, the mongoose (Rikki Tikki) is successful in his hunt of the cobras. He feels a sense of pride after accomplishing keeping the family safe from these unwanted garden guests.

 

I had never thought of “A Mad Tea Party” having such a dark meaning behind it. Now knowing that is it compared to politicians makes much sense after reading a lot of the things that were said in it. When they did not welcome Alice at the table because she was considered an “outsider” and not a part of their crew that seems like much of what happens today with politicians. If you do not view things as they do, they quickly shut you out and you are not welcome around them. Politicians are very their way or the highway and that is also how these characters acted in “A Mad Tea Party”. They also made Alice feel uncomfortable by offering her things that were not available at the table, almost to mock her unwelcomes and let it be known. Alice did not care and continued to speak her mind which made the others uncomfortable and unsure how to respond to her, much like how politicians handle such circumstances.

 

I do believe that there was a warning addressed to the children in “Walrus and the Carpenter”. They were telling these families that their children would be well taken care of, fed, housed and supervised when in reality these children were being used for manual labor that they should not have been doing at such a young age so that the “walrus” and the “carpenter” could get the things done that they wanted without sacrifice or having to pay for anything. It is sad that these children were taken from their families in hopes of a better life but likely ended up dying shortly after due to the demands and stresses put on their little bodies. In this story, the walrus can be compared to a business man/politician who makes promises but does not follow through with them and the carpenter can be compared to a working man looking for an easier way out by using the young children and pretty much following whatever the walrus says to.

 

This poem can very well relate to modern life. As talked about in class, many women go out into social settings such as a bar or club and encounter men that can be compared to the “goblin men” in this poem. The fruit in this poem can be compared to materialistic things today. If a man flashes fancy clothing, accessories, etc. a woman may be enticed by such things. Materialism is basically what today’s world is ran by. Everyone wants to have, wear, show off “nice” things, as did the Victorians. I’m not sure that there was a deeper meaning for the Victorians in this matter because many of them lived in poverty as many individuals today live in poverty also. Being drawn in by these men and their fruit occurred then and is still occurring today.

Working as a domestic servant in the Victorian Era was a job of many requirements. These women basically had to do whatever they were told to. Domestic servants duties included; very long hours in which were spent, cleaning, cooking, and baking with very little pay. These were not the only requirements of the servants. If their master made sexual requests to them, they either obliged or were out of a job. This left them with no job, no money, and no references or even a bad reputation of not doing what they were told to.

If I had lived in the Victorian Era and worked as a domestic servant, it is most definitely not a job I would have enjoyed. Many of these women were abused and sexually assaulted, I’m not sure anyone would enjoy that. But if I had children to care for and mouths to feed, I cannot say that it is something that I may not have considered. During this time women needed money to care for their children, the men knowing this, knew they could get away with doing whatever they wanted to these women because they were not going to give up a job that helps to feed and care for their children.

The only word I can think of to describe Elizabeth and Robert Browning’s love is “unique”.

I do believe that each of these poems reflect reality in their own ways, neither being positive or healthy.

Elizabeth spoke of how she loved thee so deeply, she was willing to sacrifice anything. Although unhealthy, this can indeed happen. Elizabeth seems to have given up on life and her own beliefs because she is so deeply in love she was willing to do that.

With Robert Browning’s poem, he feels that it was ok to take a life because of love. This was a sick twisted way to go about things and in the end, he seemed to feel no remorse but instead as if he was owed something or should receive recognition for a job well done.

What I got from each poem is that they were both toxic individuals with strong emotions that they were unable to control.

 

Prostitution in the Victorian Era, was for many, their only option at making money. These women thought that if they did it for a little while, they could save up enough money for a brighter future. Unfortunately, it did not always turn out that way, due to no cures for sexually transmitted diseases as well as the occurrence of murders that began happening, targeting prostitutes specifically.

‘Jack the Ripper’ was a gruesome serial killer during the Victorian Era, who although was never caught, gained his name from the public due to his pattern of disemboweling his victims (female prostitutes).

Although ‘Jack the Ripper’ is unknown, there was one theory that was created about the many women who were brutally murdered. This theory included; that ‘Jack the Ripper’ had strong feelings of hatred, oppression, violence, and discrimination against the act of prostitution.

 

 

 

 

http://theconversation.com/jack-the-ripper-was-a-serial-killer-who-disembowelled-women-we-need-to-stop-celebrating-that-84080

Of all the “Lady of Shalott” images available, I chose this one because it was the best representation of the story, in my opinion.

The positioning of the Lady of Shalott shows that she is in a relaxed, concentrated state of mind. She has taken her hands away from her work, which is unlike her because she has been stuck in this room for so long weaving day and night. The fact that this image is showing her removing her hands from her work is a good representation of the story because it is unlike her which makes it clear that she is in very deep thought with her feelings.

Although this image shows a lot of color, it is worn and gives you a sense of sadness in it. The Lady of Shalott is not looking out the window, but the background of this image does show a happy couple walking along the water which gives the representation of what the Lady of Shalott is thinking about.

 

Comparing the working conditions for the lower-class Victorians to today’s lower class is quite simple. It is still very true today that individual’s social classes are clearly defined. This can be categorized simply by the brand of clothing you wear. Upper class tend to wear brand name, fancier clothes, while lower class shop in consignment stores and look for a good bargain for what they are able to afford.

It is still true today that many individuals with jobs are just able to make ends meet with their paychecks. Like the Victorians, many lower class today can afford rent for a roof over their heads and just enough food for themselves and their families, causing many to live paycheck-to-paycheck.

There are still things occurring today that can be compared to the begging on the streets in the Victorian Era. Such as, individuals begging on the streets for spare change, often using young children, or even offering to clean your car windows for a few dollars.

 

This is a photo of an alleyway taken in Glasgow. This image caught my attention the most because it is so simple, yet powerful.

The people in the image appear to be leaning on the buildings, showing signs of defeat and exhaustion from all the work they are required to complete. The bars on the windows show the dangers of crime in the surrounding area.

The position of the children is what caught my attention the most. This alleyway is bare, with not much around but dirt. The group of children are sitting in a circle together. As simple as it seems, this shows the pure innocence in children. With all the negative going on around them, the filthy, horrid living conditions they are in, yet they are content sitting on the ground in a circle together for a little bit of entertainment.