Cathedrals demonstrate how difficult it can be to use words. When the narrator tries to explain to Robert, a blind man, what a cathedral looks like he gets frustrated because he can not find enough accurate words to describe the buildings. Words are funny tools. We use so many of the same words for such different things, but when trying to describe something to someone we often times lack the “right” words.
I once heard that Eskimos have at least 50 words for snow. When I think of snow, I come up with: white, fluffy, flakes, cold, wet, crunchy. That is only about six words. I am sitting here trying to think of more ways to describe snow but I am coming up blank. How would I describe snow to a blind man? For one thing, a blind man has no sense of color, so by saying snow is white it will do no good. How does one describe color to someone who is color blind? Is it possible? Not really.
I am going to pretend that I am talking to a blind man and attempting to describe a dog to him. The dog has four legs, a tail, a snout, a wet nose, two eyes, paws on each foot, floppy ears, and a fluffy coat. As you read this, you may be picturing a dog but that is because you have seen a dog before so you know what a dog generally looks like. I am willing to bet anything that from that description (which I think is fairly accurate for a dog) that you are not picturing the same dog I am. The chances of that happening are rare. So, even when I explain what a dog looks like to a blind man, and he touches the dog and plays with it, it is likely that he will not see the same dog I am seeing/describing. Everyone is unique and everyone sees things in a unique fashion.
In American culture we use the word “love” as an ambiguous term. A husband may say “I love you” to his wife but he may also say, “I love chips”. Does he love chips as much as he loves his wife? Or does he love his wife in the way that he loves chips? I certainly hope not. So then why do we use the same word for such different objects? I believe that is just easier that way and as Americans we like everything to be quick and easy. It is sad when you think about it.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Analytic Post: The Woman on the 13th Floor
Why is the woman on the 13th floor? It is mentioned in the title but then again in almost every stanza of the poem. The number 13 must have some significance in the poem. The number 13 is traditionally thought of as an unlucky number that will cause a person misfortune. Could that be why she is hanging off a 13th story window? This woman has a family so we know she is not alone. She has a place to live so she is not homeless. I also find it a bit ironic that she is on the 13th floor when a lot of buildings do not have a 13th floor, and if they do it is given a different number.
A symbolic definition of the number 13 is that it marks uncertainty, hesitation, fickleness, the end of something (like death), a renewal, and a very important change. I can see all of these in the poem. The future of the woman is uncertain through out the entire poem as well as in the ending. There is a hesitation in her decision as well as fickleness. Should she let go or should she climb back in the window? Will there be an ending of her life? That is something the reader will never know. The reader will also never know if there will be a renewal in her life. It is clear though that there is going to be a very important change. If she lets go then her life is over and this will affect her children as well as her parents and anyone who knew her. If she climbs back in the window, I would hope that the change would be her getting help.
The number 13 also has a Biblical symbolism. There were 13 guests at the Last Supper. The Last Supper falls in John chapter 13; this is also where it is the betrayal of Jesus was announced as well as Peter’s denials. Jacob and his 12 sons is another example. In Revelation, chapter 13 is reserved for the Antichrist and the Beast. The number is also supposedly tied to the Virgin Mother Mary in multiple ways.
*http://www.ridingthebeast.com/numbers/nu13.php
**Professor DeBorde: you allowe dme to post this late due to personal reasons
A symbolic definition of the number 13 is that it marks uncertainty, hesitation, fickleness, the end of something (like death), a renewal, and a very important change. I can see all of these in the poem. The future of the woman is uncertain through out the entire poem as well as in the ending. There is a hesitation in her decision as well as fickleness. Should she let go or should she climb back in the window? Will there be an ending of her life? That is something the reader will never know. The reader will also never know if there will be a renewal in her life. It is clear though that there is going to be a very important change. If she lets go then her life is over and this will affect her children as well as her parents and anyone who knew her. If she climbs back in the window, I would hope that the change would be her getting help.
The number 13 also has a Biblical symbolism. There were 13 guests at the Last Supper. The Last Supper falls in John chapter 13; this is also where it is the betrayal of Jesus was announced as well as Peter’s denials. Jacob and his 12 sons is another example. In Revelation, chapter 13 is reserved for the Antichrist and the Beast. The number is also supposedly tied to the Virgin Mother Mary in multiple ways.
*http://www.ridingthebeast.com/numbers/nu13.php
**Professor DeBorde: you allowe dme to post this late due to personal reasons
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)