Stained- A Short Story

The following story takes place in Chicago, circa 1953. We’re in a dark, smoke filled room, when we come across our main character. His name is Tom McBrien, a newcomer to the Chicago detective scene. McBrien is 26 years old and is fresh from his homeland of Ireland and he has come to America to rid their streets of crime. With McBrien is his state assigned partner Ronald Thomas, or Ron, as he likes to be called. Ron is 36 years old and has been on a few squads in his day. He’s praised for his unorthodox style of crime fighting, and he was chosen to “show the ropes” to McBrien by Police Chief Walter Tims, or “Chief Walt”; whatever floats your boat. It is early in the morning, and a case has just been dropped on McBrien’s desk.

McBrien: Finally, the way I’d like to be greeted on a Monday, a murder case. Excellent. This is exactly what I wanted. This city has seen one too many acts of violence lately. I’m getting tired of it. Ronnie, have you read up on this joker yet?

Ron Thomas, who was busy drinking his coffee, looks up at McBrien. Ron gives him a gentle nod of assurance, in a seemingly awkward manner. McBrien, in his strong Irish dialect, voices his concern.

McBrien: Listen to me, Ron; I don’t know what your problem is lately. I mean, I just met you, and already things are getting rocky with us. What’s your problem? Are you afraid I’m gonna steal your job or something? I understand your paranoia, but please, man up and focus on some work.

Ron gives McBrien a deep look of disappointment, resentment, and anger. McBrien immediately notices Ron’s disposition and tries to make up for it.

McBrien: I’m sorry Ron; it’s just that this whole thing is getting to me. Nobody wants to listen to the police anymore. This team has turned into a joke. That’s why I decided to come here. I want to help. I’m sick and tired of being afraid every night when I go to sleep. How am I supposed to rest easily when there are madmen like this on the streets? Really Ron, answer me that. I don’t know how you’ve put up with this for 15 years, I really don’t.

Ron is now done with his coffee and decides to put down the morning paper. He looks at Tom with worry in his eyes.

Thomas: All right kid, let me tell you this much. This is a cut-throat industry, okay? You’re not going to put everyone you want behind bars, no, it isn’t like that. You need to accept the fact that, sometimes, you won’t always catch the bad guy. There’s been countless times in my life when I ask myself “why?” I wonder why I put myself through this every damn day of my life, and you know what? I’ve yet to come up with a good answer. I don’t like having to hunt people down, but it’s to keep these streets safe for my kids and my kids’ kids. That’s how I’ve put up with it, rookie, and you need to find your own reason. Over time, it will come, don’t be so anxious.

Tom is taken back by Ron’s wisdom. The two then start a small conversation, and, eventually, make their way to Tom’s squad car. They’re on the lookout for a man by the name of Ralph “The Ralph” Matthews. Matthews has been the main suspect in a recent escalation of serial killings in the downtown Chicago area. The only problem is that, even with their constant effort, the Chicago Police Department has been unable to arrest him. We then are taken to an abandoned alleyway, or what we’re led to believe is abandoned. Inside is the notorious Ralph Matthews, on the telephone with an accomplice. Also in the room is his long time girlfriend, Lola Santiago. Lola is a curvy and seductive lady. She is seen wearing a too tight black dress and is never seen without a cigarette.

Matthews: Yeah, listen to me Jenkins, it’s really easy. You just wait out there, and when she passes by, break her neck. It’s easy as that. You’ve done this before. All right all right, don’t get so antsy on me. You’ll be fine, who’s gonna catch you? I’ve been doing this for months, not one of those pigs has gotten me yet! At this point the man on the other end is obviously shaken and against doing this work for Ralph. Sensing this, Ralph decides to end the conversation abruptly. Okay, all right, Steve, I have to go, Lola is calling me for something. Listen, don’t forget, eleven o’clock, by the docks. Yeah, I’ll meet you there. Good bye.

Matthews hangs up the phone in disgust. Lola begins conversation.

Santiago: Are we gonna take care of that thing tonight?

Matthews: You bet. That’s who I was just on the phone with. This is gonna be a tough one, but hell, this isn’t an easy life. I’m all in, now.

Santiago: What’s the matter? Are you feeling tense? Don’t get crazy on me now, Ralph, just go out and do it. I have no time to waste, I need a new coat!

Matthews: What’d I tell you about the coat? After I’m done with all of these business deals, baby, I’ll get you a coat made out of money. Who needs fur? You’ll be warmed by President Franklin’s comfort.

Santiago: Franklin wasn’t a President. Who told you that? You’re a hopeless romantic, Ralphie, you really are. You bore me sometimes, can we go out and DO something, or what? Are we just going to stay in here all day? Let’s go drive around in your new car!

Matthews: Yeah, I need to clear my mind. A car ride will hit the spot. Let’s get out of here; I just hope there aren’t any problems outside. We’ll hit up the pub for breakfast, let’s go.

Ralph and Lola leave their makeshift apartment and get in Ralph’s brand new convertible; brand new as in he had stolen it recently from one of his victims. Before getting into the car, Ralph makes sure to put a towel over a blood stain in the back seat. The former owner of the car had a struggle whilst giving up his property and Ralph hadn’t had the time to clean it up yet. We now go to McBrien and Thomas, who are enjoying their breakfast at the local pub. McBrien got the corned beef and hash, while Thomas is enjoying his white toast, dry of course.

McBrien: You know I love this place; they know how to make a good meal. That waitress didn’t look too bad either, huh? (Laughter) How’s that toast treating you?

Thomas: It is what it is, my man. I’m not too big on butter, I have a feeling I’d regret eating it later on. I’m on a diet.

McBrien: You’ve been on a diet since the day I entered the training to be on this force. How long ago was that? Three years? Don’t you figure it’s time to give that up and just accept life for what it is?

Thomas: Never take things as they appear, Tom. What kind of goddamn detective are you? Come on now, you know better than that, Chief Walt made sure of it. There’s nothing I hate more than—

Thomas stops himself as the pub goes black. There’s been a power outage in the pub, and it is now only lit by the one big window at the front of the pub. At this moment, Ralph and Lola enter the scene. They’re aghast at the sudden oust of the lighting. They see this as a perfect opportunity to make some extra cash.

Matthews: (Quietly) All right Lola, you need to split up here. Scope out the place for me, okay? I’m gonna hit up the cash register. If he says one word, the jig is up, and well, we’ll run. Go.

Lola abides by Ralph’s demands, and creeps around the pub looking for possible victims. She’s looking for people with money. She knows that Ralph will definitely get some cash from the register, but she wants to out do him and find some prime money hogs. She makes her way towards McBrien’s table, and makes a mental note. These are the guys she wants to heist. She goes back to the register to talk with Ralph.

Santiago: Okay baby, I found these two saps over towards the back of the joint. Perfect, they won’t see it coming at all. How’d the register treat you?

Matthews: 100 bucks. Not bad, some good pocket change. Let’s go get these guys you were talking about. It’ll be easy in the dark. Boy, it’s our lucky day. I told you this would turn things around for us!

Ralph and Lola slowly make their way to the back of the restaurant. The lighting or lack thereof, makes for a very eerie feel. The blinds from the big window put a shadow on the wall near McBrien and Thomas, which makes it difficult for Lola and Ralph to sneak up on them. Ralph creeps up behind Ron Thomas and puts a knife to his neck. Lola covers Tom McBrien’s mouth with her hands, and also threatens to use deadly force. The men comply, and give all of their money, $50. As the bandits run from the scene, McBrien and Thomas quickly follow. They enter their car, and a chase is on.

McBrien: That was Ralph Matthews! I know it was; damn it, I know I saw him. There’s no way I’m wrong this time, Ron, we have our man! They won’t be able to run in daylight. We have this easy.

Thomas: Yeah, only one problem.

McBrien: What would that be?

Thomas: (Pointing) They’re getting away, you idiot!

McBrien quickly speeds up the car and they’re now within arms reach of the bandits. The two cars weave in and out of traffic, with no regard for human life whatsoever. McBrien and Thomas are now parallel with Lola and Ralph, when Ron notices something in the back seat. In the spot where Ralph had placed a towel now revealed a large blood stain.

Thomas: Oh sweet Jesus! There’s a giant blood stain in the back seat! McBrien, this is Ralph “The Ralph” Matthews! He’s got our $50! Get him! He’s a threat to society!

Under his veteran’s command, Tom McBrien reveals a revolver from his pocket. Struggling to keep up with the capers, McBrien shoots at Matthews’ back tire, popping it and sending the two into a rail on the side of the road. The car is barely balanced, as this has happened on one of Chicago’s steepest hills. Ralph Matthews slowly wakes up and composes himself. To his right is Lola Santiago, or what was left of her. Lola has suffered severe head trauma, and died on impact. Enraged, Ralph exits the car, with all of his strength, he manages to leave the vehicle that is turned on its side.

Matthews: Come get me McBrien! You’ve taken the only thing I care about, now the only thing I can do is get you back! (Out of breath) You’re going to hell, McBrien! Good luck sleeping tonight, I know plenty of people looking for one less copper on the streets!

At this point Thomas and McBrien exit their car and intend to apprehend Matthews.

McBrien: Why did you do it, Matthews? You used to be such a great kid. The idea of money and power got to you, it gets to all of us. Just relax, we can help you. Don’t do anything crazy.

Looking demoralized and worthless, Matthews forms a tear in his eye.

Matthews: No. No more. I’m done. I’m done with everything, take me away. Do me a favor, McBrien, you pig, do this for me! Get me McBrien! It’s your big chance to make a mark on the squad!

McBrien takes a few steps towards Matthews. Before he has time to react, Matthews pulls out his own revolver and begins firing at McBrien and Thomas

Matthews: (Shooting) I’m taking one of you with me!

Matthews unloads his ammunition and a spray of bullets go across the sky. The shells echo as they fall to the pavement. Matthews then drops his gun, and throws himself over the side rail. He falls, fatally, into highway traffic below. We join the story now in a hospital, the Emergency Room. Thomas was shot five times by the rampaging Ralph Matthews. McBrien is at Thomas’ side as the two share a moment.

McBrien: (Shaken) You did well out there, Ron. We got rid of one of Chicago’s biggest problems. You did good man, you did good.

Thomas: The problem is still out there, Tom. This is the problem. I’m the problem. What Matthews did today was the problem. The problems are never going to end. I’m not going to be able to stop it, and neither are you. You need to realize that we’re a small part in this world, kid, and I really hope you can (Obviously in pain) I really hope you can understand this. Nothing is what it seems. You need to look deeper.

McBrien: Look Ron, you’re talking crazy here. We’re fixing the problem, and so is every other police officer out there. We’re winning. These punks don’t stand a chance. They’re all going to hang or fry. We have it under control.

Thomas: I figured you’d get it by now. Pay attention, kid, there’s not much you can control about life. When you go, what you do, who you love. It’s all predetermined for you. There’s nothing we can do but breathe and go with our instincts. Remember that, because I won’t always be here to tell you. Who knows what’s going to—

As Thomas tries muttering out the words, they turn out to be his last. He was shot five times by Matthews, all of them hit in the chest. McBrien notices his comrade struggling and calls in a nurse. When she arrives, Thomas is already gone. McBrien is now left alone with a man that he wanted to learn from so badly, and he is now by himself and he has the weight of three souls on his conscience. McBrien leaves the hospital, and goes back to the station to tell everyone the story. When the newspapers print the following morning, there is much more attention paid to the two fugitive deaths, and hardly any mention to Ron’s downfall. McBrien now lives the rest of his life by Ron’s final words and he is determined to never let Ron Thomas’ dream for a cleaner Chicago and world die.

In Cold Blood

Richard Brooks’ film In Cold Blood, based off of Truman Capote’s novel of the same name, is an epic non fiction tale that is truly spectacular. The story was really the first of its kind, which makes it a monumental milestone for literature. The film, though, keeps very close to the text, and portrays the story of everyone involved flawlessly. As Brooks penned the screenplay, it’d have been impossible for him to capture such a story without the genius of Capote, who’s story was before the movie.

The movie is about two convicts, Perry Smith (Robert Blake) and Richard “Dick” Hickock (Scott Wilson) who get parole, and go on to murder four people in their home for a fortune that turned out to be nonexistent. In order to establish who the characters are, Brooks goes through what a “normal day” is for everyone involved. He shows Perry Smith leaving jail and headed to meet with Dick after receiving his parole, and he’s excited because he awaits his fortune. Hickock is seen with his father, saying goodbye, and leaving to meet with Smith. Then, in an awkward twist, Brooks goes to the Clutter family. The Clutter family, as we are shown, is the normal “50’s style” family. There’s the hard working father, Herb Clutter, who is the family man. We are then introduced to his wife, Bonnie. Bonnie is mentally ill, depressed, but her family supports her much like Mary was supported in Long Day’s Journey Into Night. The third Clutter is Kenyon, who is roughly 15 years old, and is a spitting image of his father, down to the style of glasses and chiseled facial physique. Kenyon is shown secretly smoking a cigarette in his basement, which he quickly extinguishes as his father enters the room. Finally, there is Nancy Clutter. Nancy is a smart girl, who is approaching her 17th birthday. She is shown to be very school conscious, and a girl that is trying to be successful, and continue her family’s premiere line of excellence.

The story then progresses to the meeting of Hickock and Smith, as they’ve reunited for their murder. As informed by fellow prisoner Floyd Wells, Dick talks about a safe that Mr. Clutter keeps in his home, which holds at least $10,000, all for their taking. Hickock discusses the endeavor as “a cinch”, and Smith is gladly on the bandwagon to get his money and start a new life in Mexico, as Hickock had talked about. The men travel to Kansas and get their supplies, ready to do the murders. Sitting outside of the Clutter home, Smith is the first of the two to show some remorse. As he says, “maybe we should get out of here while we still can”, it’s obvious that Smith doesn’t want to be apart of the inevitable slaughtering of these innocent people. Persuaded by Hickock’s suave personality, the men invade the Clutter home.

In an interesting twist, though, Brooks does not show the murders. He, instead, shows the men fleeing the scene and on their way to Mexico, and freedom. Before they cross the border, though, it’s established that the men didn’t make as much money as they thought they would. In fact, they only made $40, which is substantially less than the thousands they expected. Being the smooth operator he is, Hickock convinces Smith that everything will be fine. He then proceeds to travel around the midwest on the way to Mexico passing “bad” checks, or checks with no actual value to back themselves up. In order to get money, he writes the checks for over the value of the products he is purchasing, thus leaving the men with “pocket change”, as Hickock described it. After conning their way to the southern neighbor, Mexico, Hickock quickly grows tired of the life, and wants to go back to the states. Smith, of course, is taken by all of this. There is an apex to their Mexican adventure, though, and Smith is the focal point. During Hickock’s “intimate” time with a prostitute, it leaves Smith alone and hallucinating about his own broken life. In the prostitute, he sees his own drunken mother with another man, as it happened a lot to Smith as a child. Smith is shown with his siblings, watching his mother whore herself out for another drink. Keeping mum about the flash back, though, Smith reluctantly agrees to go with Hickock, as he fears that he will go down, and he insists to go down with Hickock at his side.

As the men return to America, they quickly steal themselves a car, which gives the police a great reason to hunt them down, and eventually arrest them. While the duo were off in their conning escapades, the police were gathering testimony and evidence that obviously connected the two to the murder. While in Las Vegas, planning to hit up the casinos, the men are pulled over for having a “hot car”, or a stolen car, as police terminology dictates. The men are then interrogated about their actions involved with the Clutter murders.  As the police whittle the story down, it’s obvious that these men are the culprits they’re looking for.

At this point in the movie, Brooks goes back to the night of murders. It is shown that, in fact, Smith is the one who pulled the trigger on all four of the Clutters, and is the only one who really committed any violent acts. The men enter the home and find Herb Clutter, and quickly take him into their possession, demanding to lead them to his safe. Clutter then pleads that no such safe exists, but Hickock, especially, will not be denied his money. They then lead Clutter through his home, first to his room to find the safe. There we find Bonnie, quickly awoken by the sounds outside. Herb explains to her that the men mean no harm, and are only looking for money. Afraid not for her own life, but the lives of her children, Bonnie pleads with the men to leave the kids alone. They don’t comply, though, as the men quickly tie up Kenyon and then lock Nancy and Bonnie in a room together. They lead the men down in the basement, and proceed to torture them whilst looking for the safe. As Hickock gets about $40, he is baffled that there is no other money to be found. This is when Smith travels upstairs to see Nancy, afraid in her own room. He begins a conversation, which really allows the viewer to get a good perception of whom Perry Smith truly is. Smith shares his love of music, art, writing, and his connection to Nancy’s love, horse riding. He is interrupted by an excited Hickock, who tries to rape Nancy, but Smith doesn’t allow it. Hickock doesn’t argue for long, and heads downstairs with Perry to go ahead with the execution and “leave no witnesses behind”, as was their plan. Smith then slits Herb’s throat, and proceeds to shoot him in the head, at close range, with a shotgun. His son, Kenyon, has the same fate, a single shotgun blow to the head. As they continue, Bonnie Clutter is next, and finally they execute Nancy. All in one quick swoop, the men execute four innocent people for a grand payment of $40.

As the movie moves on, it’s shown that the men are now in death row, awaiting their hanging. A span of five years passes by. After many appeals and waiting, the fateful night comes to the forefront. It is now seen that Hickock shows no remorse or “no hard feelings”, as he puts it. The film really focuses on Smith at this point. Smith is seen talking to a reverend, and realizes that he does, in fact, still hate but love his father. He knows that he had done wrong, but it’s too late. He’s brought to the hanging area, where he wishes to apologize, but as there is nobody left to apologize to, he continues up to his death. Perry Smith is then hung, as was his comrade Dick Hickock, on April 14, 1965.

As for what could’ve been, it’s simple to see. What kind of person would Perry Smith have been if he were brought up in a different setting? It was chronicled that Smith enjoyed writing, and painting, especially. Could he have become a world renowned artist? Smith was a very smart man in a situation that he couldn’t possibly win. He had no support outside of himself, which as was later proven, to be in that of an insane mind. Smith’s parents had no remorse for him, his mother was dead and his father thought he taught Perry well, totally oblivious to his abusive upbringing that he was a catalyst to. Because of this, Perry Smith was doomed from the start, and it just so happened that the Clutter family paid for this horrible trail of pain and suffering Perry went through his entire life.

Long Day’s Journey Into Night- Character Analysis.

Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey Into Night is the epitome of open endings and many other attributes of modernism.  The play chronicles the lives of the Tyrone family throughout a full day. What O’Neill gives the reader is, literally, a journey. The Tyrone’s, as we first see  them, are a normal family. What’s hidden underneath this abyss, though, are some serious physical and psychological problems these people have. If there were one family that were the “poster children” for a dysfunctional family, the Tyrone’s would have the competition beat before anything even began.

As the story begins, we quickly get character establishment out of the way. Beginning with Jamie, the older brother, and the “rock” of the family. Everything that comes out of Jamie’s mouth is straight to the point. When he says something, he isn’t afraid to hurt your feelings. Besides his mouth, Jamie has one other vice: the bottle. He is, like other members of his family, a severe alcoholic, which leads to his womanizing ways. Jamie, throughout the play, is almost always mentioned with alcohol or something to do with alcohol. There are very few points in the play where Jamie is seen positively. Everything that O’Neill presents about him, in one way or another, can be negative. It seems that Jamie means to do well, but comes up short every time he tries; which is sad for a person in his state.

Arguably the lead in the play, Mary, has her own set of very serious problems. Mary starts off the day normally, or as normally as an addict could. It’s established very early on that Mary is a recovering morphine addict. Her family is very conscious to her addiction, and they’re doing everything they can to aid her along the way to righteousness and cleanse her soul from the terrible grips of drug addiction. Mary, though, is a weak soul. She has this idealist vision of what a true “family” should be, and she disappoints herself at every realization that her own doesn’t line up to what a family should be. Another interesting thing about Mary that is noticeable throughout the play, is her hair. Mary sees her hair as a sign of stability. As long as her hair is kept nicely, she is able to put on a facade that she is emotionally stable. As the play goes on, and she begins using again, her hair becomes disoriented, as does her demeanor. Mary, as the day goes on, gets higher and higher. She gets to a point, at the end of the story, where she is so high, it’s obvious she doesn’t know or care to know who she is anymore. It’s truly an awful sight, as she is brought down by the drugs and the worry of her family’s well being.

The character that O’Neill based on himself is the sickly Edmund Tyrone. Edmund is a soft spoken individual that knows his place. He can speak up when need be, and hold his tongue when socially acceptable. Edmund, as O’Neill establishes, is the only “normal” one in the family. Sure, he’s been influenced by his brother and likes to drink, but it is in no way as violent and prevalent as his brother or mother’s addictions. Jamie is sick, and everyone but his mother fears the worst. Being diagnosed by what his brother would call a “cheap doctor”, the reader is led to believe, and is eventually shown that Edmund has consumption, or tuberculosis. Edmund tries his hardest to persuade his mother to avoid using, but it was for not. Edmund is the only one to realize what the true problems are in his family, and he is helpless against them. Edmund eventually sees his family disintegrate in one day, and it is left to assume that the same would happen for the next day and the rest of days.

Finally, there is the father, James Tyrone. James is a wealthy actor straight from Ireland, and he is equally crazy as the rest of his family. James, another hefty drinker, is obviously no stranger to Mary’s addiction. Apparently putting up with her morphine habit for quite some time, James often tells her how she can over come the vice “this time”. He is undoubtedly the stern force of his home, as the people tend to act more in fear than in respect or want to James. He is a penny pincher, due to his poor upbringing as a child. He wants to avoid ever being poor again, so he only spends his money on important things, such as alcohol. It’s obvious that he, too, is an alcoholic just as Jamie and somewhat like Edmund. The family is full of addicts, and when they’re all fighting to get their fix, terrible things happen, as portrayed in the play. O’Neill brilliantly depicts James as his real father, of whom Eugene feared much as James’ children feared him.

By the end of the play, it is clear that everyone has had a long and crazy day. Edmund is ready to leave to an institution to rid himself of consumption. Mary is in a morphine induced comatose state. Jamie and James are drunk and arguing, but they’re doing so in unison. What is left to become of the Tyrone family? This is where the open ending really comes into play. O’Neill, though, lets the reader figure out everyone’s fate through his real life trials. Jamie leads himself to suicide, and both of his parents go crazy, mostly his mother Ella, who is the basis for the character Mary. In the end, O’Neill is left with himself and his dead brother, Edmund, whom he felt he had a connection with.

A Streetcar Named Desire

Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire was easily my favorite out of all the stories we covered in this area of Modernist Literature. Williams was able to convey a deeper meaning hidden inside of an already excellent story. My attribute of Modernist Literature, Ambiguous Endings, is prevalent in this drama. I feel that it’s more important, though, to dissect a certain character- Stanley Kowalski. Stanley is the protagonist of the story, opposite his wife, Stella, who many would say is the antagonist. Both of their lives suddenly revolve around Stella’s sister, Blanche, after she unexpectedly drops in for a visit. This sets the Kowalski’s, their friends, and everyone else in Williams’ spectrum, into a tailspin.

Firstly, it’s imperative to establish who Stanley Kowalski is. He’s a lower middle class man who works in construction, but works hard at what he does. He’s married to Stella Kowalski,  a true “Southern Belle”, in every sense of the word. The couple live together in a cramped apartment in the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana. After reading just a bit of the beginning of Streetcar, it’s easy to figure that Stanley has some type of-satisfaction, so to speak, for his luring of Stella. He took her away from her “high life” in Mississippi, and brought her to his level in the French Quarter. It’s also easy to notice that these two lovers have a verbal relationship. They often fight, but are quick to make up, as they still lust for one another.

The relationship takes an epic turn though, once Blanche arrives on the scene. Blanche, an older woman still grasping onto her “Southern Belle” status, takes up residence with the Kowalski’s. Immediately there is tension between Stanley and Blanche. Stanley looks at Blanche as a stuck up, pompous, and pushy pest that he needs to get rid of. Blanche, on the other hand, views Stanley as a barbaric ape, who doesn’t deserve her sister.  These are two very opposite people from very different lives. Stanley feels almost intimidated by Blanche. He thinks that she’s come back, to his home of all places, to take Stella back to her promising life she lead before. Stanley Kowalski will be damned if he allows this to happen under his supervision. How does Stanley deal with the empowering and internally fragile Blanche? He has his poker buddy Mitch come and take her out. Stanley sets up his own friend to have a relationship with the woman he despises. This seems to be a bad idea for Stanley, especially if Mitch and Blanche got close. There must be something that Stanley knows, but isn’t letting on. As Williams goes on to reveal, Stanley decides to look deeper into the obstacle that is Blanche DuBois.

Stanley, with the luck of knowing pretty much everyone in the Quarter, begins to ask around about Blanche. What he discovers, he likes. He finds out that Blanche was run out of Laurel, her home town. He also learns something that Blanche and Stella had already known, but Stanley seemed to be in the dark about, as Blanche was the last remaining member of her family in Laurel. The price of funerals and not being able to afford her luxurious home leave Blanche a homeless shell of what she once was. Stanley also learns about Blanche’s ex husband, a gentle man, and closet homosexual who ended up killing himself. Why? Because he was caught in the act by Blanche, personally, and her outrage lead to his self imposed murder. After this situation happened, Blanche became quite promiscuous, according to Stanley’s “valid” source. Stanley realizes now that he has Blanche known inside and out. He’s bursting at the seam trying to find an excuse to tell everyone of his new discoveries. The one person he does tell, that is the most important in Blanche’s life, is his pal Mitch. All of this information about the woman he was willing to marry was a lot for Mitch, and it led to him “standing up” Blanche, when they had a date arranged.

All of this bottled up emotion leads to one explosive outburst from Stanley in front of his pregnant wife Stella and her disintegrating sister Blanche. He was finally fed up with Blanche’s antics, and he began boasting about what he had found out about her personal life

I’ve been on to you from the start! Not once did you pull any wool over this boy’s eyes! You come in here and sprinkle the place with powder and spray perfume and cover the light-bulb with a paper lantern, and low and behold the place has turned into Egypt and you are the Queen of the Nile! Sitting on your throne and swilling down my liquor! I say-Ha!-Ha! Do you hear me? Ha!-ha-ha!

This encounter put Blanche into a spiraling abyss. She had been exposed for what she truly was, even though it came at a horrible time, and from whom she thought was a horrible person. Stanley felt victorious. He had finally overtaken this woman who came and invaded his home trying to steal his wife and  his  liquor.

Stella gives birth to Stanley’s child, a son. While Stella was still in the hospital, Stanley had no problem bringing out his liquor and celebrating. All this happening while Blanche was at home, stuck in a shell of what used to be her existence.  Coming home at a late hour, drunk, Stanley finds a fragile Blanche waiting in his house. Stanley sees this as the final straw to “break” Blanche. In a drunken act of deviancy, Stanley forces himself on Blanche, and rapes her. This was the last thing Blanche needed. She had now been destroyed, and the powerful Stanley Kowalski had won. He saw her as a pest that needed to be taken care of, and he made sure that she would fail in her petty attempt to bring her sister back to civilization, or so he thought.

As one could imagine, after this incident, Blanche was not the same.  After Stella had come home, and even after Blanche had told her about the rendezvous Stanley and her shared, Stella still chose to believe her man. Fed up of Blanche’s craziness, and under the influence of Stanley, Stella has Blanche put in a mental institution. What becomes of the Kowalski’s? Does Blanche survive in the institution, or does she literally drive herself to death due to her mental illness? Williams has made a great ambiguous ending for  the reader. The character of Stanley Kowalski, though, may have been Williams’ best. The role of Blanche in further productions is undoubtedly the star of the piece, but looking deeper into Stanley, it’s clear that Williams’ own abusive father had influence in him as a character, which makes it that much more interesting.

The Glass Menagerie

It seems as if Tennessee Williams wrote The Glass Menagerie specifically for the open ending. There is overwhelming evidence, from both the educated and the layman, that Menagerie was a biographical work of sorts by Williams. The antagonist, Tom, is a mirror of Williams. Tom’s mother Amanda resembles Williams’ mother Edwina. Finally, Laura the “unlucky” sister is a mirror of Williams’ sister, Rose. Being so personally connected to the characters and having it be such a true work of life may have led Williams to the open ending. It could be said that Williams’ life itself was a great open ended story, and he showed this in Glass.

The Glass Menagerie is a messed up story, to be frank. The tale is about an over-protective mother living off of her son’s small wages and trying to find a man for her crippled daughter. What ensues is pandemonium, to say the least. It’s imperative, though, that we look more into Tom as a character. He’s taken the role of the “man” of his family after his father abandoned them. This ruins any plans Tom had of going to college and truly making something of himself. What is he now? He’s stuck working off low wages at a factory for the rest of his life. He’s still young though, and he knows it. He hates having to be responsible for everything his family does, but he loves his sister Laura. Feeling the constant pressure from his mother to bring home a “nice boy” for his sister to marry, Tom invites his friend from the factory, Jim, over for dinner. It should be said that while Laura was in High School, she had a crush on a boy, that boy turns out to be Jim. After the awkwardness of greeting the boys at the door, Laura goes into hiding, leaving the men alone with her mother. While Amanda is preparing the meal, Tom and Jim have a free moment to themselves:

Tom: I’m starting to boil inside. I know I seem dreamy, but inside–well, I’m boiling! Whenever I pick up a shoe, I shudder a little thinking how short life is and what I am doing!  Whatever that means, I know it doesn’t mean shoes–except as something to wear on a traveler’s feet!  [He finds what he has been searching for in his pocket and holds out a paper to Jim.] Look–

Jim: What?

Tom: I’m a member.

Jim [Reading]: The Union of Merchant Seamen.

Tom: I paid my dues this month, instead of the light bill.

Jim: You will regret it when they turn the lights off.

Tom: I won’t be here.

Jim: How about your mother?

Tom: I’m like my father. The bastard son of a bastard! Did you notice how he’s grinning in his picture in there? And he’s been absent going on sixteen years!

Jim: You’re just talking, you drip. How does your mother feel about it?

Tom: Shhh! Here comes Mother! Mother is not acquainted with my plans!

If that isn’t a case of foreshadowing, then I’d like to be acquainted with a better one. Tom is taking the chance to be just like his father and walk out on his family, and he just told the man that’s supposed to marry his sister the plans. As the night moves along, Laura seems to open up to the idea of having Jim around and in her life. Jim, a man who’s been to public speaking class a number of times, (by his own admission) acts friendly to Laura. Even when an unexpected power outage seemingly ruins their evening, Jim stays composed and keeps making a relationship with Laura. While looking through her prized collection of glass animal figures, Jim clumsily drops her favorite- a unicorn.

What’s important here is the symbolism of the unicorn that Jim dropped. The unicorn, a commonly loved fantasy of little girls everywhere, is different. The unicorn and Laura share something, their differences. Laura’s crippled, and by many ways, so is the unicorn. When the innocent idea of a unicorn falls to the ground and breaks (only the horn, of course), it shows how Laura’s innocence will also soon “break”. In true Tennessee Williams fashion, this situation is cleverly used as foreshadowing. Jim, after breaking Laura’s unicorn, says that he must go. Why? Well, he needs to meet his fiance. This, internally, enrages Amanda when the words touch her ears. Why would Tom purposely do this to his mother and his beloved sister? Just like it was to the rest of his family, Tom found that Jim’s engagement was quite the surprise. After another outburst of a family quarrel, Tom leaves the house- for good.

Williams leaves the ending wide open. In his last lines of the play, and of the play itself, Tom reveals his true feelings

Oh, Laura. Laura, I tried to leave you behind me, but I am more faithful than I intended to be! I reach for a cigarette, I cross the street, I run into the movies or a bar, I buy a drink, I speak to the nearest stranger–anything that can blow your candles out!

For Nowadays the world is lit by lightning! Blow out your candles, Laura–and so goodbye….

Even though he had abandoned her in an remorselessly situation, he still loves his sister Laura. Does this play truly have an ending? No. The reader is left to think as to what will be made of Laura and Amanda, now left by the two most influential and important men in their lives, they have no means of survival. Without Tom’s factory wages, who will pay all of the bills? Will Laura be forced to get a job, even though she is crippled? Does Amanda eventually follow suit and leave Laura behind on her own? These are things that Williams wanted the reader to think about, and he was surely successful at doing so.

A Disaster Under the Elms

There are no words to describe the absurdity of Eugene O’Neill’s play Desire Under the Elms. There is, however, an Attribute of Modernist Literature that fits this situation perfectly. The attribute most evident in O’Neill’s piece is

The appearance of various typical themes, including: question of the reality of experience itself; the search for a ground of meaning in a world without God; the critique of the traditional values of the culture; the loss of meaning and hope in the modern world and an exploration of how this loss may be faced.

This attribute fits Desire perfectly. O’Neill is obviously trying to add in an amazing shock factor with the result of the story. Up until the climax and the end, though, Eugene leads the reader on. He progressively introduces the most twisted things that would fit, and slowly but surely leads the reader to the biggest shock he could. He has many different types of “values” that America had been founded on, and proceeds to ruin everything the “normal American family” stood for.

As one could decipher from the O’Neill documentary, Eugene was one who went against “the norm”, so to speak. A lifetime full of drugs, women, and promiscuity, O’Neill used Desire to show the rest of the world how crazy life truly was. Now, thinking about the time this play was written, 1924, America had yet to be introduced to the wild life Eugene O’Neill was feeding them.

The play itself, though, is also quite the twisted tale. The story begins with tension. Eben Cabot, son of Ephraim, wanting to purchase his brothers’ shares of their father’s property. Eben felt hatred toward his father, feeling Ephraim used Eben’s mother solely based on the fact that she had land. Sick of the daily complaints, Ephraim makes his way out of the farm and goes on a journey to find another wife. Seeing this as what may be his last chance, Eben buys his brothers’ shares of the farm. The deal was one that both sides felt good about. Peter and Simeon, the brothers, now had their chance to leave the farm forever. Their destination? West to California to find gold and a new life for themselves. Eben now had the farm to himself, or so he thought.

Returning some time later, Ephraim arrived to the farm with a new wife, Abbie. Abbie, who is much younger than Ephraim, and beautiful, sees the farm as her right, once Ephraim passes. This leads to a quarrelsome relationship between Abbie and Eben. The climax of this feud was a shouting match between the two about how much disgust one had for the other. These feelings weren’t set in stone, though, as Eugene O’Neill so kindly doesn’t resist portraying.

As time passes and the anger levels off, Eben and Abbie develop an adulterous relationship. They realized that they shared the same goal: becoming heir of the farm. Abbie had and advantage over Eben, and she exploited it to her fullest advantage. She began talking to Ephraim about bearing a son to take the farm. Still enraged at Eben for being “soft”, Ephraim declared that Abbie could have “Anything she wanted” if she were to give Ephraim another son. Not knowing Abbie’s plan, Eben legitimately falls in love with Abbie. They share multiple passionate exchanges, and nine months later, she gave birth to a son. Ephraim is ecstatic that Abbie was able to deliver on her promise, and gives her the rights to his farm when he passes, his exclusion of Eben continues.

Now, to look into this past event. Was this situation somewhat biographical for O’Neill? Eugene had a tumultuous relationship with both of his parents, but especially his hard-nosed father. Eben and Eugene share the misfortune of not being able to connect with their fathers, and it’s easy to see Eugene feeling the same way Eben did after his brother Jamie killed himself, or any mention of his brother Edmund, who also passed. O’Neill certainly put some of himself into the character of Eben Cabot.

As the story progresses, Ephraim throws a party for whom he thinks is his new son. Everyone else in town though knows that the child is truly Eben’s; as the baby shares a distinct resemblance to Eben and looks nothing like Ephraim. During the less than wild celebration, Simeon and Peter return to show off their new riches and new wives. Angered at their sight, Ephraim curses out his sons and their wives, leading to their departure. During all of this, Eben is in hiding, as he knows the child is his. He and Abbie share a moment where he “wishes the baby was never born”, and says how he no longer loves Abbie after figuring out what her plan truly was. Wanting to escape Ephraim and gain Eben’s love back, Abbie kills the baby to show her dedication. The finale of the play is such:

SHERIFF–Open in the name o’ the law! (They start.)

CABOT–They’ve come fur ye. (He goes to the rear door.) Come in, Jim! (The three men enter. Cabot meets them in doorway.) Jest a minit, Jim. I got ‘em safe here. (The sheriff nods. He and his companions remain in the doorway.)

EBEN–(suddenly calls) I lied this mornin’, Jim. I helped her do it. Ye kin take me, too.

ABBIE–(brokenly) No!

CABOT–Take ‘em both. (He comes forward–stares at Eben with a trace of grudging admiration.) Putty good–fur yew! Waal, I got t’ round up the stock. Good-by.

EBEN–Good-by.

ABBIE–Good-by. (Cabot turns and strides past the men–comes out and around the corner of the house, his shoulders squared, his face stony, and stalks grimly toward the barn. In the meantime the sheriff and men have come into the room.)

SHERIFF–(embarrassedly) Waal–we’d best start.

ABBIE–Wait, (turns to Eben) I love ye, Eben.

EBEN–I love ye, Abbie. (They kiss. The three men grin and shuffle embarrassedly. Eben takes Abbie’s hand. They go out the door in rear, the men following, and come from the house, walking hand in hand to the gate. Eben stops there and points to the sunrise sky.) Sun’s a-rizin’. Purty, hain’t it?

ABBIE–Ay-eh. (They both stand for a moment looking up raptly in attitudes strangely aloof and devout.)

SHERIFF–(looking around at the farm enviously–to his companion) It’s a jim-dandy farm, no denyin’. Wished I owned it!

The fortitude O’Neill shows by leaving such an ending is enviable. The true greatness of Desire is that O’Neill left no stone unturned. He was able to pull the reader in by pure shock value, which led to interest in the stories he wrote. The end of the play shows that in the end, Eben was willing to spend the rest of his life, albeit in jail, with Abbie. What does this show about Ephraim? His carelessness to his son being murdered, two of his other sons abandoning him, his wife being a killer, and his son agreeing to be part of his own child’s murder is a lot to handle. Ephraim wipes it all away though, because nobody could take away what he truly wanted: his farm.

Uncle Ernie: American Beau

Ernest Hemingway is undoubtedly one of the most, if not the most, famous authors in America’s fine literary history. Hemingway was a fanatical writer. One of his more famous pieces of work is The Killers. Killers is a short story penned by Hemingway in 1927. The story chronicles the tale of two real-life killers that Nick Adams comes across. Hemingway incorporates The Killers, Al and Max , seemingly out of nowhere. He joins them right as they’re ready to go through with one of their jobs.

The second the duo arrived in the diner, they began their search for Ole Anderson, the man they reveal to Nick as their target for this task. Hemingway then decides to turn the tables and give the readers some responsibility. How do they respond to Nick’s reaction? Will it turn out to be bad that George gave Ole Anderson away? That’s where Hemingway pulls in the reader.

By having all of the main characters know about Anderson’s impending doom, it allows us as the reader to peer into everyone’s thoughts. It is revealed that George and Nick simply could not handle the fact that Ole Anderson was truly going to die.

“I can’t stand to think about him waiting in the room and knowing he’s going to get it. It’s too damned awful.”

George’s response and the ending to the story,

“Well,” said George, “you better not think about it.”

This ending leaves the door wide open for the reader’s own interpretation. What happens to Ole Anderson? Sure, Hemingway suggests that he gets killed, but it is never brought to the forefront. How do Nick and George handle the onslaught of emotions that come with death? It’s these scenarios that made Hemingway what he was, and he clearly loved the open ending.

Here’s the Pruf in Prufrock

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Eliot is a perfect example of unending literature. The poem is about a man searching for a purpose in his life. He realizes that everyone around him is living what he considers, in his mind, to be a great life. He notices the lavish parties, the women, the money. All of it fires at Prufrock, and he cannot find an escape.

Prufrock begins to intensify his internal conflict. He’s searching for reasons as to why he isn’t like everyone else. He’s different and he doesn’t like it. He then undergoes a massive cultural change, in his mind of course. He begins to fantasize, if you could even categorize it as such, about what his life would be like if he were one of “them”. Of course his overpowering pessimism kicked in.

And indeed there will be time
To wonder, “Do I dare?” and, “Do I dare?”
Time to turn back and descend the stair,
With a bald spot in the middle of my hair—	40
[They will say: “How his hair is growing thin!”]
My morning coat, my collar mounting firmly to the chin,
My necktie rich and modest, but asserted by a simple pin—
[They will say: “But how his arms and legs are thin!”]
Do I dare	45
Disturb the universe?
In a minute there is time
For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse.

Prufrock continues this mesmerizing self annihilation as the tale continues. Not an ounce of his being is that of a positive outlook. Prufrock then begins to rationalize that all of these thoughts are in fact true. Instead of giving himself an honest shot, he is quick to assume the truth and sees no more purpose of living or even trying. Why try when you’re going to fail? He solves this problem by killing himself, which brings an abrupt end to the internal conflict of J Alfred Prufrock.

Do the problems truly come to a halt with Prufrock’s death? No, they do not. Prufrock left the door wide open for a non ending. Sure, at first glance it’s a shut case, suicide. As in any suicide case, there is always something left on the table. What was Prufrock running from? What was the cause to the effect of his suicidal thoughts and eventual suicide? These things are left for the reader to infer themselves, which is, coincidentally, the motive of an unending piece of literature.

A Welcome Change

So, I’ve decided to change my attribute of modernism.

Attribute: Endings. Stories are open to thought. The lack of a true ending to the story allows you to think about what happens to the characters and the story itself. This is pretty different from the other stories that complete the thought for the reader, instead of allowing the reader to explore their minds and come up with their own ending. It also represents reality, as there aren’t any “closed endings” in life. The lack of ending allows the reader to relate more to the story, as it’s more real without a true ending.

The endings are more interesting then the voices. Voices are for crazy people, the lack of endings lead to excitement.

Keep your chin up, kiddo.

Hello there. I’m Mike. I’m in Ms. Baz’s english class. Are you? Maybe. So, we’re going over “Some Attributes of Modernism”.This modernist stuff is interesting enough so you don’t pass out while you’re reading it. What attribute do I like? All of them. Seriously though, I like the Perspectivism the most. They’ll all be fantastic to study in depth though.

delicious.