"Mirror" by Sylvia Plath

Mirror

Sylvia Plath

I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions.

Whatever I see, I swallow immediately.

Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike

I am not cruel, only truthful –

The eye of a little god, four-cornered.

Most of the time I meditate on the opposite wall.

It is pink, with speckles. I have looked at it so long

I think it is a part of my heart. But it flickers.

Faces and darkness separate us over and over.

Now I am a lake. A woman bends over me.

Searching my reaches for what she really is.

Then she turns to those liars, the candles or the moon.

I see her back, and reflect it faithfully

She rewards me with tears and an agitation of hands.

I am important to her. She comes and goes.

Each morning it is her face that replaces the darkness.

In me she has drowned a young girl, and in me an old woman

Rises toward her day after day, like a terrible fish.

Appearances have become a central focus to our current society. We witness both women and men fretting over their looks emphasizing the importance of appearances. Therefore, this poem addresses the theme of appearances and truth through a mirror. The mirror is first described as “silver and exact” (Plath 1). The color silver represents the comprise between the colors black and white so it is often associated with neutrality and objectivity. Therefore, Plath mentions the color gray and the word “exact” to express the mirror's objectivity. Furthermore, the mirror's objectivity is reiterated when Plath describes the mirror as truthful and sincere. Plath hopes to depict mirrors in the first stanza as truthful objects which she will later contradict at the second stanza. Nevertheless, Plath goes on to describe the mirror as possessing “the eye of a little god” conveying the mirror's superiority (5). A mirror is a truthful object that does not lie and is characterized as pure and innocent. By emphasizing the purity of the mirror, Plath is saying that in the beginning of our lives we focus on our appearances in an innocent manner. To add on to her claim, she humanizes the mirror by quoting “I think it is a part of my heart” (8). Plath then creates a shift in her poem at the beginning of the second stanza. She now calls and characterizes the mirror as “a lake” (10). It is interesting to note that Plath describes the mirror as a lake because she is implying that the mirror is now subjective and flawed. When someone look for their reflection on the lake, their appearances can often be distorted. Therefore, Plath creates this significant shift regarding mirrors and appearances. She then introduces a woman who constantly looks at the mirror for support. However, this woman is not even satisfied by the mirror so she “turns to those liars, the candles or the moon” (12). The mirror is obviously not satisfied with the woman's actions since it calls the candles and moon as liars. The mirror is disappointed and a little bit offended that the woman attempts to distort her appearance. Previously, the mirror was used to telling the truth but this woman rejects the truth. Because the mirror sees great distress and anxiety from the woman, it begins to evaluate its value and innocence. The mirror finally realizes that its innocent and pure nature is being stripped away by the woman. The woman relies on the mirror to feel better about herself pressuring the mirror to lie. The mirror feels responsible for the woman and wishes to be “important to her” (15). Yet, the mirror never gives in to this temptation and expresses the truth about the woman once again. The mirror states that the woman “drowned a young girl” meaning that the woman has killed her own innocent views on appearances (17). The woman's obsession on her appearance destroyed the real meaning of beauty and made her self-conscious. Now, the woman looks like a “terrible fish” conveying that her recognition of true beauty is gone forever (18). 

Wilde Satirizes Marriage

As a fan of the Jane Austen and Bronte sisters, I became intrigued by the play The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. Also, I watched numerous films such as Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Jane Eyre, and Wuthering Heights so I was pretty much informed about the values and etiquettes in this regency period. Therefore, I was greatly amused by this play since it hilariously satirizes the society of England around the 1800s. First of all, the play satirizes and mocks the idea of marriage. From the beginning, Algernon confidently states “I have often observed that in married households the champagne is rarely of a first-rate brand” (1). Algernon is satirizing marriage through this claim insisting that marriage often spoils the pleasures of life. In the novels of Jane Austen, Austen often depicts marriage as a happy union joined by two people who love each other deeply. Yet, Wilde undermines this whole idea by presenting women as silly and imaginary beings and men as deceitful beings who have a double life. The women who are presented as silly and imaginary beings are Gwendolyn and Cecily. Gwendolyn presents herself as a naive individual when she states to Jack “the moment Algernon first mentioned to me that he had a friend called Ernest, I knew I was destined to love you” (9). She is basically saying that she is only going to marry Jack because of his alleged name, Ernest. The irony is that Jack is living a double life where he is known as Ernest in the city and Jack in the country. Hence, Wilde is attempting to portray this couple as an insincere couple since they are both not truthful to each other. Furthermore, Gwendolyn further plunges into the depth of imagination when she gets excited about Jack’s mysterious past. After learning that her mother disapproves of Jack, she passionately claims “the story of your romantic origin, as related to me by mamma, with unpleasing comments, has naturally stirred the deeper fibres of my nature” (14). Gwendolyn is in love with the idea of Jack and is excited to marry such a mysterious individual. Yet, in reality, Jack is not mysterious but rather a pleasure seeker who has a double life. Next, the couple of Cecily and Algernon also represents an insincere union that has been fabricated by imaginations and lies. The first meeting between Cecily and Algernon indicates their relationship as fake. Algernon impersonates as Earnest who is not even a real person in order to charm Cecily. Cecily, who has already been intrigued by the bad rumors circulating around Earnest, is immediately attracted to Algernon because he is a bad boy. Cecily even surprises Algernon by revealing that she has been creating this imaginary ideal of their love from a long time ago. She even wrote in her diary “I determined to end the matter one way or the other, and after a long struggle with myself I accepted you under this dear old tree here.  The next day I bought this little ring in your name, and this is the little bangle with the true lover’s knot I promised you always to wear” which didn’t even happen in real life(28). Overall, Wilde is hoping to mock both women and men’s unrealistic ideal toward marriage.

Geishas

Recently, I have been reading a novel called Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden. In this novel, Golden focuses on the main character, Sayuri, who is a geisha. Since the novel focuses on geishas, I thought it would be interesting to analyze the role of geishas in Japanese society and culture. Originally, I thought that geishas were prostitutes who put on white makeup and red lipstick. Yet, my opinion was contradicted by this novel because it depicted geishas as dexterous and clever beings. Therefore, I will analyze the characters of Sayuri, Mameha, Pumpkin, and Hatsumomo who were all geishas. Sayuri is the main character of the novel and becomes a geisha after meeting the Chairman. She admits that she’d set her “sights on becoming a geisha only to win the affections of the Chairman” which seems like a pretty shallow reason (421). Yet, Sayuri is deeply attached to the profession as a geisha because through this job she found herself. She realizes that life is like water. She claims, “But now I know that our world is no more permanent than a wave rising on the ocean. Whatever our struggles and triumphs, however we may suffer them, all too soon they bleed into a wash, just like a watery ink on paper” (428). Through her take on life, we can infer that she has a complex relationship with her profession as a geisha. She claims “the afternoon when I met Mr.Tanaka Ichiro really was the best and worst of my life” (7). The day she met Mr. Tanaka led to her eventual journey into becoming a geisha. Therefore, Sayuri expresses that becoming a geisha was a blessing but also a curse. Her job as a geisha was a blessing she was able to learn many forms of art such as dance and music. Also, she was able to interact with powerful men which taught her the art of socialization. Through this education and socialization, Sayuri was able to become independent and well-informed enough to survive the cruel and harsh world. However, her profession as a geisha also took away her humanity since she was controlled by Mother and men such as Nobu, the General, and Dr. Krab. Next, Mameha views the profession of a geisha as survival. She is extremely realistic and even gives advice to Sayuri by saying “you must be sure that men’s feelings remain always under your control” (295). Therefore, Mameha is very crafty and intelligent so she can control the powerful men around her. Also, she puts her personal feelings aside in order to provide a better life for herself. Meanwhile, Pumpkin and Hatsumomo view the profession of geisha as a way to get what they want. In order words, they became geishas out of greed. Hatsumomo obviously does not take her job seriously as a geisha since she an affair with a married man and drinks excessively. She does not know how to control the men around her and is instead controlled by the men which drives her to madness. Pumpkin is also persuaded to become a geisha in order to elevate her status in Japan. Therefore, she betrays Sayuri in order to advance herself in the geisha industry. Overall, the profession of geisha in Japan is a vital part to Japanese culture and to some people's individuality.  

Sonnet 67

Sonnet 67

Edmund Spenser

1 Like as a huntsman after weary chase,

2 Seeing the game from him escap'd away,

3 Sits down to rest him in some shady place,

4 With panting hounds beguiled of their prey:

5 So after long pursuit and vain assay,

6 When I all weary had the chase forsook,

7 The gentle deer return'd the self-same way,

8 Thinking to quench her thirst at the next brook.

9 There she beholding me with milder look,

10 Sought not to fly, but fearless still did bide:

11 Till I in hand her yet half trembling took,

12 And with her own goodwill her firmly tied.

13 Strange thing, me seem'd, to see a beast so wild,

14 So goodly won, with her own will beguil'd.

In class, we discussed sonnets which are 14 line poems that focus on the subject of love. Therefore, “Sonnet 67” by Edmund Spenser deals with love specifically pertaining to the “cruel fair” lady and her desperate suitor. In this particular sonnet, the suitor is the huntsman who is going through a “weary chase” (1). The “cruel fair” lady is the “gentle deer” who is elusively escaping the huntsman (7). The sonnet starts out with presenting the suitor as a desperate and almost pitiful suitor. It can be inferred that he was relentlessly chasing the deer since the chase turned weary for him. Then the sonnet mentions the word “game” to describe this chase in the view of the deer and huntsman (2). For the “cruel fair” lady, the chase is an activity of amusement while the suitor views the chase as a procedure for gaining an end. These sharply contrasting views emphasize the fickle nature of women and the constancy of men. Then, the speaker emphasizes the cold nature of the lady by describing that she “escaped away” (2). Her quick escape reveals that she is elusive, fearless, and cunning. Next, the suitor appears to have given up the chase when he rests on some “shady place” (3). The suitor is tired out by the fickle nature of the woman that he gives up. He describes the long pursuit as a “vain assay” which he uses to justify his decision to quit. (5) In response, the lady returns and drinks from the “next brook” to look at the suitor with “milder look” (8-9). She deliberately looks at the suitor to question why he is not continuing the pursuit and to give a hint that she is willing to accept him. Her action reiterates her cunning and cold nature since she is willing to approach him when he is not trying. As a result, the desperate suitor gains hope and “half trembling” takes the lady (11). The speaker then uses the phrase “firmly tied” which closely relates to the concept of marriage (12). Hence, the speaker is stating that the lady and suitor are now united as wife and husband. The suitor was eventually successful in gaining the affection of the “cruel fair” lady. At the end of the sonnet, the speaker exclaims that it is strange that the “beast so wild” is “beguiled” by her own will (13-14). In other words, he is questioning how a cunning and fierce lady could be tricked by her own will and led to marriage. The lady was tricked by her own mind which the speaker finds greatly ironic. She was the one who used the suitor for entertainment but at the end she was the one who became the suitor’s prize. Therefore, the speaker might be alluding that fickle women can trick themselves by focusing on the chase rather than the sincere feelings of the suitor. This point can closely relate to our current society where people often fall in love with the idea of being in love rather than focus on the sincere feelings towards someone.

Rebirth or Moments of Enlightenment?

In class, we discussed how the hospital scene represented the rebirth of the narrator. People talked about how the “strange white” overalls the narrator was wearing represented a blank slate (231). Moreover, the narrator goes on to say “I was no longer afraid. Not of important men, not of trustees and such; for knowing that there was nothing which I could expect from them, there was no reason to be afraid” (249). It seems that the narrator has gone through a rebirth due to his clothing and state of mind. Yet, I must disagree with this idea about the rebirth because I do not believe that the narrator was ever reborn throughout the book. I rather believe that he continuously experiences moments of realization and enlightenment nor rebirth. The first reason why I must object to the idea about rebirth is that even before the hospital scene he had this important moment that changed his life drastically. When the narrator reads Dr. Bledsoe’s letter, he is forced into reality. He realizes the extreme betrayal and even quotes “Twenty-five years seemed to have lapsed between his handing me the letter and my grasping its message” (191). By emphasizing the phrase “twenty-five years”, the narrator is pointing out that this event was a moment of great realization (191). He realized Dr. Bledsoe’s duplicitous character and later on stated “Everyone seemed to have some plan for me, and beneath that some more secret plan” (194). He becomes aware of the deceit that lies in society representing a great transition in his life. Therefore, I cannot see how the narrator was reborn in the hospital scene when he was already changed significantly. My second reason why I must object to the idea about the narrator’s rebirth is that he later on experiences more life-altering changes. For instance, he leaves Mary’s house to join the Brotherhood. He quotes “This was a new phase, I realized, a new beginning, and I would have to take part of myself that looked on with remote eyes and keep it always at the distance of the campus, the hospital machine, the battle royal- all now far behind” (335). In other words, he is basically hopeful about this new beginning in his life which contradicts with the idea of rebirth during the hospital scene. How can the narrator face two rebirths during a short period of time? The only logical explanation I can see is that the narrator is going through a transition in his life throughout the book. Lastly, the narrator faces the greatest realization and enlightenment when he is stuck in the hole. Holes can connect back to the allegory of Plato’s cave which emphasized that a hole can be a place of enlightenment. Hence, the narrator discovers himself and society in this hole. He exclaims “ I’m invisible, not blind”  representing his enlightenment on his identity (576). Furthermore, he states “Life is to be lived, not controlled” symbolizing his realization that he was controlled all his life (577). So he decides to live his life by being himself.

The Women in Invisible Man

The novel Invisible Man addresses many themes ranging from individuality to politics. Therefore, this book addresses the role of women through its characters as well. The main female characters are Emma, Mary Rambo, the narrator’s lover and Sybil. First, Emma is introduced to narrator at the Chthonian. The place of Chthonian often relates to the underworld drawing a connection between the evil underworld and Emma. Hence, Ellison might be emphasizing that Emma symbolizes the corrupt and sinful women. Also, it is assumed that Emma is the mistress of Jack reinforcing her sinful character. Moreover, she goes on to say “but don’t you think he should be a little blacker?” after meeting the narrator (303). She presents herself as a presumptuous individual who treats the narrator as a tool. The narrator also tries to use Emma as a tool but at the last moment he decides that “she was far too sophisticated and skilled in intrigue to compromise her position” (515). Emma has this intense energy which presents women as powerful forces that cannot be messed with. Second, Mary Rambo appears in the narrator’s life in order to allude to the biblical figure, Mary and symbolize a maternal force. Mary Rambo has the name of Mary who most people associate with the virgin Mary. Virgin Mary is the mother of Jesus Christ and often represents innocence, love and family. Therefore, Mary Rambo can be representative of a christ figure to the narrator’s life. Ellison is making a comment that some women are inherently innocent and symbols of good. He also attempts to present Mary as a strong maternal force. For instance, he describes Mary as “a force, a stable, familiar force like something out of my past which kept me from whirling off into some unknown” (258). The narrator keeps associating Mary with his past inferring that he relies on Mary because she is like his mother. Mothers are the ones who are stable forces that make sure their children go into the right path. Consequently, Mary attempts to guide the narrator and be his protector by offering him shelter and food. She also gives important advice to him by stating “I’m in New York, but New York ain’t in me” (255). Thirdly, the woman who becomes the narrator’s lover symbolizes temptation. The narrator first describes her as “a symbolic role of life and feminine fertility” which seems to emphasize her lustful character (409). She then goes to seduce the narrator because she is not satisfied with her marriage to an aloof husband. The narrator is pulled into a world of temptation that he eventually regrets with great passion. Ellison is suggesting that some women can represent tempting forces that often disturb the other gender, males. Lastly, Sybil is introduced to the narrator as an opportunity to get some information about the Brotherhood. Yet, he realizes that Sybil is not an ordinary, lonely, and neglected wife. Sybil is driven by this fantasy of being raped by a black man. Ellison mentions Sybil in his book to illustrate that she is a vulnerable force that was shaped by society. Sybil only has this unusual fantasy because she wants to escape confined society by touching on the issue of racism. The women in Invisible Man may be minor characters but they all help the narrator go through his enlightenment.

The Color Red in Invisible Man

In the Norton-Expulsion part of Invisible Man, the color red is a recurring motif. Red often connotes fire, blood, sins, passion, lust, power and family. Therefore, the color red is a significant symbol in this novel. More specifically, the color red in the chapters 2 to 9 helps to indicate the sinful and lustful characters. First, Mr. Norton is revealed to be a sinful and dishonest character. Therefore, Ellison purposefully identifies him with the color red. For example, Ellison describes that “his face reddened” when he learned of Trueblood’s crime (49). Also, Norton is described to possess “a red Moroccan-leather wallet” which emphasizes the color red in Norton’s life (69). Norton is associated with the color red probably due to the assumption that he committed the same crime that Trueblood committed. I became extremely suspicious of Norton when he described his daughter in a lustful manner. He states that “her beauty was a well-spring of purest water-of-life, and to look upon her was to drink and drink and drink again” (42). The diction of drink connotes a strong desire to consume something so it ominously foreshadows Norton’s sinful character. Moreover, he looks at Trueblood “with something like envy and indignation” which raises the suspicion further. Why else would he be jealous of Trueblood who got away with a heinous crime? Secondly, the color red depicts Jim Trueblood as a sinful individual. Even his name contains the word “blood” which is an indicator of violence or lust. As we know, Trueblood is an individual who committed a crime against his own daughter. He took advantage of his daughter’s vulnerability and innocence while also destroying his relationship with his wife. He then continues to defend himself by saying that he “dropped into the dream” (57). Obviously, he is trying to escape reality by creating an illusion. He is an epitome of a sinful character since he violated the trust and love of a family. The word “blood” in his name is more closely related to sin and evil not love and family. The last character that is often associated with the color red is Dr. Bledsoe. Like Trueblood, Bledsoe’s name contains the past term of the word “blood.” Bledsoe is a cunning and immoral character who always puts his interests first. He claims that he is “still the king down here” which depicts his strong desire to maintain his power (142). He also makes this controversial statement that I can never forget. He states “I’ll have every Negro in the country hanging on tree limbs by morning if it means staying where I am” (143). Bledsoe refuses to acknowledge other people’s hardships making him a selfish and power hungry individual. Therefore, he commits a sin by masking his true self. He lies to his family, friends, and students in order to maintain his desires and power. It seems like all these characters negatively impact the narrator due to their sinful nature. Yet, I must also point out that they represent reality that the narrator needs for growth.