The 5 Journal Entries

First Entry : The Tell-Tale Heart

I think there are two ways of seeing this story. First, it is possible that the eye truly was evil or that the main character was indeed mad. I personally believe that the author made it this way so we would have to decide ourselves between the two versions. More rational people would generally go for the madness scenario and some more esoteric would go for the other one. For my part, being more rational, I certainly prefer to picture the character as truly mad, being cheated by his own mind.

Second Entry : The Story of an Hour

This story is clearly a prefeminist one. It was written just before the real pro-women movements were to become a reality. It tells of the man ignoring the silent suffering of his wife and also who dominates her. All her life, she was never able to live for herself, everything had to go through her husband or actually be done by him. The husband was even unconscious of it and probably thought of himself as a very good and providing one. This text is about the unspoken but very alive will of women to manage their own life.

Third Entry : Hills Like White Elephants

This story can be linked with the previous one, The Story of an Hour. In both, women are dominated by men. The first one shows a minor form of domination, not much intended and weighting little by little on the wife’s mind. The second story sets in action a man clearly imposing his will on his girlfriend. She wants the child, as the author leaves small proofs of it, and the man doesn’t want it so she will have to get an abortion. This form is even more chocking than the previous one because of its clearer feeling of women being powerless.

Fourth Entry : The Lottery

This text relates to old traditions that are still in effect but doesn’t have any more sense. It can be applied to any society, but the author might have intended to aim the American people, herself being American. Every tradition that looses its meaning should always be revised instead of only stay as it is because of its status. I cannot think of a clear American example but only of one from India. There, wives are subject to a terrible fate might their husband die earlier then them, which is often the case considering that women are married younger than men. The only to avoid burning with their husband is either becoming a prostitute or going some kind nun. Their life ends with their husband, and this is performed by tradition.

Note : Because of the STM maintenance staff’s strike, I didn’t go to the play. I didn’t want to wait after the play until 23h00-23h15 for the metro to pass and finally come back at my home between midnight or later since I have to wake up at 5h30 the next morning for the same reason when my class is past midday, since a I am common transports user.

Fifth Entry : The Veldt

I liked this story because it was very different from the previous one. It was the first science fiction novel in the book. I had never heard from this story nor from its author but I was very surprised. Even if it was a science fiction story, it was made very believable by its psychological approach with the children. The nursery can be compared today with videogames which children can play for hours straight. However, children rarely become mad because of videogames and stories of parents killed because they shut the machine down.

Vocabulary Journal (full version - 30 words)

1 a) tin – “when my thumb slipped upon the tin fastening”, Style and Substance p.20
b) a low-melting, malleable, ductile metallic element nearly approaching silver in color and luster: used in plating and in making alloys, tinfoil, and soft solders.
c) This tin wire can easily be bent.

2 a) fastening – “when my thumb slipped upon the tin fastening”, Style and Substance p.20
b) something that fastens, as a lock or clasp.
To fasten : To attach firmly to something else, as by pinning or nailing.
c) I’m having problem with the fastening, I can’t open the door.

3 a) stifled – “it was the low stifled sound that arises from the bottom of the soul when overcharged with awe”, Style and Substance p.20
b) To feel smothered or suffocated by or as if by close confinement in a stuffy room.
c) I feel very stifled in this small room.

4 a) awe – “it was the low stifled sound that arises from the bottom of the soul when overcharged with awe”, Style and Substance p.20
b) an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear, etc., produced by that which is grand, sublime, extremely powerful, or the like: in awe of God; in awe of great political figures.
c) I can’t help but feel awe in front of the president.

5 a) bade – “I bade the gentlemen welcome.” Style and Substance p.21
b) Past tense of the verb to bid.
To bid : to command; order; direct: to bid them depart.
to express (a greeting, farewell, benediction, or wish): to bid good night.
to summon by invitation; invite.
c) I bade you to come to my party but you didn’t.

6 a) vehemently – “I talked more quickly – more vehemently”, Style and Substance p.21
b) In a vehement manner
vehement : zealous; ardent; impassioned: a vehement defense; vehement enthusiasm.
c) The guy walked vehemently towards his new car.

7 a) dissemble – “dissemble no more!” Style and Substance p.21
b) to give a false or misleading appearance to; conceal the truth or real nature of: to dissemble one's incompetence in business.
to conceal one's true motives, thoughts, etc., by some pretense; speak or act hypocritically.
c) The criminal dissembled in front of the judge.

8 a) forestall – “and had hastened to forestall any less careful”, Style and Substance p.36
b) to prevent, hinder, or thwart by action in advance: to forestall a riot by deploying police.
to act beforehand with or get ahead of; anticipate.
c) He couldn’t forestall the publication of his compromising letter.

9 a) trivial – “A clear and exalted perception enabled her to dismiss the suggestion as trivial.” Style and Substance p.37
b) of very little importance or value; insignificant: Don't bother me with trivial matters.
c) I don’t need this trivial object.

10 a) boisterous – “they broke into boisterous play”, Style and Substance p.67
b) rough and noisy; noisily jolly or rowdy; clamorous; unrestrained: the sound of boisterous laughter.
c) The crowd made boisterous cries when the condemned appeared.

11 a) paraphernalia – “the original paraphernalia for the lottery”, Style and Substance p.68
b) (sometimes used with a singular verb ) equipment, apparatus, or furnishing used in or necessary for a particular activity: a skier's paraphernalia.
c) The paraphernalia for skiing is quite expensive.

12 a) veldt – “The Veldt”, Style and Substance p.83
b) the open country, bearing grass, bushes, or shrubs, or thinly forested, characteristic of parts of southern Africa.
c) There was a lion in the veldt.

13 a) to flicker – “The shadow flickered on George Hadley’s upturned, sweating face.” Style and Substance p.83
b) to move to and fro; vibrate; quiver: The long grasses flickered in the wind.
c) The candle flickered in the wind and went out.

14 a) squinted – “Hadley put his hand up to shield off the burning light from his squinted eyes.” Style and Substance p.84
b) To look with the eyes partly closed, as in bright sunlight.
c) I looked near the sun with squinted eyes.

15 a) seeping – “their strong odor seeping as far away as his study door.” Style and Substance p.86
b) To enter, depart, or become diffused gradually.
c) The gaz was seeping through the basement through the vents.

16 a) pelts - “The lions mumbled in their baked pelts”, Style and Substance p.86
b) The skin of an animal with the fur or hair still on it.
c) The deer’s pelt was soft.

17 a) strolled - “Peter strolled off to the nursery”, Style and Substance p.88
b) walk leisurely and with no apparent aim
c) I strolled in the park.

18 a) spoor – “You can follow it like a spoor.” Style and Substance p.90
b) a track or trail, esp. that of a wild animal pursued as game.
c) The dog made a clear spoor in the mud.

19 a) perspire – “He began to perspire.” Style and Substance p.91
b) o secrete a salty, watery fluid from the sweat glands of the skin, esp. when very warm as a result of strenuous exertion; sweat.
c) I had perspired a lot during the gym session.

20 a) salient – “brushing some cigar from the front of his salient vest.” Style and Substance p.105
b) prominent or conspicuous
c) The yellow scarf on the black desk was very salient.

21 a) tartness – “enjoying its tartness like a kid with a gumdrop.” Style and Substance p.105
b) sharp to the taste; sour or acid: tart apples.
c) The tartness of this lemon is very high.

22 a) to bask – “basking in the stares of the yokels who looked up their shovels”, Style and Substance p.105
b) To take great pleasure or satisfaction: "an opportunity to bask in the genteel applause of the faithful" (Paul A. Witteman).
c) I basked in the sunlight.

23 a) yokels – “basking in the stares of the yokels who looked up their shovels”, Style and Substance p.105
b) A rustic; a bumpkin.
c) The yokel was working his field.

24 a) to plod – “she plodded on as though impervious to his approach.” Style and Substance p.105
b) to walk heavily or move laboriously; trudge: to plod under the weight of a burden.
c) The man plodded to his wife’s coffin.

25 a) tensed – “She tensed herself at his touch and tried to draw away”, Style and Substance p.108
b) cause to be tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious; "he got a phone call from his lawyer that tensed him up"
c) I tensed up when my wife announced me this.

26 a) to stagger – “She jumped up from the road and staggered back through the grass”, Style and Substance p.109
b) to walk, move, or stand unsteadily.
c) I staggered through the yard after the party.

27 a) ditch – “her stupid little life was spilled in the ditch.” Style and Substance p.110
b) a long, narrow excavation made in the ground by digging, as for draining or irrigating land; trench.
c) The ditch was very deep.

28 a) pellets – “All the nutritive elements are put together in the form of pellets”, Style and Substance p.119
b) A small, solid or densely packed ball or mass, as of food, wax, or medicine.
c) I swallowed my pellets.

29 a) subversive – “The bread they offered you is subversive”, Style and Substance p.120
b) rebellious, destructive
c) The person is subversive to the government.

30 a) voucher – “My neighbour gets an incentive voucher for every successful lamination she introduces.” Style and Substance p. 138
b) a document, receipt, stamp, or the like, that gives evidence of an expenditure.
c) I placed in order the vouchers for the hotel rooms.