2 Forum responses

each response must be at least 150 words and respond as if you were me.

Erik

I found the juxtaposition of the two worlds outlined in Paul’s Case seemingly quite apt for some criticism or analysis from Marxist perspectives. Paul is a young teenager living in a lower-middle class one parent family trapped firmly in the boring and mundane of the proletariat. He, nor his father, have much means but eek out a solid living of sorts. Paul has tasted some of the life of the Bourgeoisie and simply decides that it is for him. Paul subsequently steals money from a company and uses it to taste the life of the upper class, and determines it to be everything he desired it to be. Faced with the crushing reality that he will now be forced to return to his lower class life and face stiff punishment as well, he takes his own life.

Why is Paul dissatisfied with his place/class in life? I believe that having tasted the upper class life through his work he feels it unfair to not experience these finer things himself. Interestingly though, is that if everyone were to take similar tactics as Paul to experience the indulgences of the Bourgeoisie, it would not be possible and the economic system and labor pools would fall swiftly into chaos.

Why did Paul not experience these indulgences? Being born into a lower middle class, blue collar family is not a good starting place to wearing long-tailed coats and dining on caviar in NYC. Paul showed his disenfranchisement for the upper class, and his resentment with being trapped amongst people he believed to be below his station in life by stealing that money not belonging to him and using it to experience what he felt was the life of people where he ought to belong, if only for a short duration.

I felt the most sympathy for the Oiler, who after the harrowing ordeal was unfortunately the only to perish. It appears from the reading he was both the most competent (although the captain could possibly hold this position) on the seas and the most physically apt to deal with the situation. I identify with Jack London’s character not through shared experiences as much as through determination and character. Here is a man who overestimates his own capability and plunges boldly into a harsh situation, and although ultimately loses his life to it, tried with utter determination until the last step to make it work until finally, knowing all is lost, embraces his death.

I alluded to this a bit earlier in the last paragraph, but I believe that the fate of the oiler is an ironic and tragic fate for he appears to have been the man who worked most tirelessly throughout the arduous journey. He is the one who spelled the other men when they were tired, and the one most capable of handling their small “vessel” in the rough seas. The logic of the captain likely helped them, but I believe without the oiler all the men would have been lost, yet the oiler is the only one who does not survive the ordeal.

But suddenly the man cried: “What’s that?” He pointed a swift finger. The correspondent said:
“Go.”
In the shallows, face downward, lay the oiler. His forehead touched sand that was periodically, between each wave, clear of the sea.

I look forward to your guys thoughts and criticism’s on my points.

zach

“Was I brought here merely to have my nose dragged away as I was about to nibble the sacred cheese of life”. I agree with the statement. I can feel for the frustration. Life is a journey that doesn’t necessarily end the way you would have assumed. However there’s always a lesson to learn whether you fail or succeed.

“Paul’s Case” is a story about a man worried about his position in life. Paul moves to New York and begins a life that he considers to be upscale. Living this lifestyle had him doing negatives acts, but Paul has everything (money), so he ignores the negative things he must do to get it. Paul realizes the error in his ways, and eventually runs out of money; which ends up leading him back home. Paul ends up committing suicide in his return home. Paul must have thought that the life of wealth was better than having an average life as a decent person.

To build a fire, a story about “the man”. A newcomer to a town who is seeking to find wealth by any means necessary. I say this because he was willing to risk his life and ultimately paid the price (death). Although “the man” probably did not deserve to die, I have zero sympathy for him. Obviously money meant more than anything else to him.

Sylvy, in white heron is a female who I liked. She is adventurous and full of life. She realizes the pricelessness of the white heron nest and choose not to reveal it to anyone even though it would make her wealthy.

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