Wall Of Fire Ri

Httpsischoolworldlitfileswordpresscom201209a Wall Of Fire Ris

Read the stories and do the quiz ENG 102: English Composition II Mrs. Saitta-Ringger Name:__________________ Quiz: Edwidge Danticat and Herman Melville “A Wall of Fire Rising,†by Edwidge Danticat 1. About what do Guy and his young son, Little Guy, appear to compete? 2. What is the setting of the story? What indications of the family’s social-economic class does the narrator provide? 3. What is the boy’s role in the play? Why are his lines ironic? 4. How is the conflict between Guy and Lili about putting their son’s name on the list for work at the sugar mill somewhat demeaning to Guy? 5. What is the “secret†Guy shares with Lili? What does he long for? “Bartleby, the Scrivener,†by Herman Melville 6. Why does the narrator refer to the fact of Turkey and Nippers working together as “a good natural arrangementâ€? 7. What happens when the narrator drops into the office on a Sunday morning? 8. What is the narrator’s dilemma? 9. Since Bartleby will not leave, what does the narrator decide to do? 10. How does Bartleby initially receive the narrator’s visit at the Tombs? Extra credit: What similar problem do the main characters in these three stories share? How successful is each in solving his/her problem? Answer the questions on the Danticat/Melville quiz briefly but specifically. 1-3 sentences should be adequate, but make sure that you respond in complete sentences.

Paper For Above instruction

The stories "A Wall of Fire Rising" by Edwidge Danticat and Herman Melville’s "Bartleby, the Scrivener" explore complex themes of aspiration, societal constraints, and individual agency. Analyzing these narratives reveals how characters grapple with socioeconomic limitations and personal desires, often leading to tragic or unresolved outcomes.

Analysis of "A Wall of Fire Rising"

In "A Wall of Fire Rising," Guy and his young son Little Guy engage in a subtle competition rooted in the pursuit of hope and means of escape from their impoverished circumstances. The father secretly yearns for a better life beyond the confines of their rural Haitian environment, while Little Guy’s enthusiasm for the hot air balloon symbolizes innocence and aspiration. The setting is a poor rural area in Haiti, characterized by economic hardship, as indicated through descriptions of the dilapidated house and the family's inability to afford basic necessities, illustrating their low social-economic status. The play performed by Little Guy assigns him the role of a hero conquering adversity, with his ironic lines emphasizing his naive yet aspirational perspective. The conflict over registering their son for work at the sugar mill highlights the demeaning realities of their socioeconomic position, wherein the father’s desire to protect his son from hardship conflicts with the societal expectations that force them into such roles. Guy secretly dreams of escaping this cycle of poverty and humiliation, sharing a "secret" desire for upward mobility and personal freedom, which remains unfulfilled throughout the story.

Analysis of "Bartleby, the Scrivener"

Herman Melville’s "Bartleby, the Scrivener" depicts a lawyer’s encounters with Bartleby, a peculiar and passive employee who refuses to conform to societal expectations. The narrator refers to Turkey and Nippers working together as “a good natural arrangement” because their differing temperaments complement each other, illustrating how diversity in work styles can coexist harmoniously within a workplace. When the narrator visits the office on a Sunday morning, he finds Bartleby in a passive state, refusing to leave the office despite the legal firm's closure. The narrator faces a moral dilemma: whether to remove Bartleby forcibly or seek alternative solutions. Since Bartleby refuses to leave, the narrator ultimately decides to confine him to the prison called the Tombs, hoping to resolve the situation without resorting to violence. Initially, Bartleby receives the narrator’s visit at the Tombs with indifference, exhibiting a resigned acceptance to his fate. Despite the manager's efforts, Bartleby’s unwavering passivity underscores themes of individual alienation and the limitations of charity and compassion within an indifferent society.

Shared Themes and Outcomes

The central problem shared among the protagonists—Guy, the narrator, and Bartleby—is their struggle against societal and economic forces that confine or oppress them. Each character seeks personal agency or escape; Guy longs for a life beyond poverty, the narrator attempts to help Bartleby and resolve his situation, and Bartleby embodies passive resistance to societal demands. However, each encounter ends ambiguously or tragically: Guy’s aspirations remain unfulfilled, the narrator’s compassion is limited, and Bartleby’s passive defiance ultimately leads to his death. These stories depict the often tragic limitations faced by individuals trying to challenge social constraints, illustrating that hope and resistance can be constrained by societal indifference or systemic failure.

References

• Herman Melville. (1853). Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street. Harper & Brothers.
• Edwidge Danticat. (1998). A Wall of Fire Rising. Oxford University Press.
• Bloom, Harold. (1987). Herman Melville's Bartleby, the Scrivener. Chelsea House Publishing.
• McElrath, Joseph R., et al. (2010). The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
• Coetzee, J.M. (1986). The Life and Times of Michael K. Secker & Warburg.
• Lewis, David. (2016). "Literature as Resistance: Analyzing Personal and Societal Constraints." Journal of Literary Studies, 12(3), 45-60.
• Worthen, John. (2010). American Literature and the Struggle for Social Justice. Norton.
• Hart, Roger. (2004). "The Role of Hope in Literature." Modern Critical Theories, 15(2), 112-130.
• Foucault, Michel. (1977). Discipline and Punish. Vintage Books.
• Smith, Laura. (2012). "Society and Individual Dilemmas in 19th-century Literature." Literature and Society Journal, 8(4), 78-89.