Props:
Fluorescent Light Bulbs
Tuxedo
Flower Centerpieces
Champagne
Letters to Brenda
The fluorescent bulbs are being brought up by Leo because he does not like how they do not dim before they die, but just suddenly die. This is a symbol because it foreshadows the end of Neil and Brenda's relationship, that ends without warning.
Class Consciousness:
"No sense in carrying dreams of Tahiti in your head, if you can't afford the trip"(120). This illustrates how the boy matured and started to understand that he couldn't go to Tahiti because he couldn't afford it. This symbolizes that rich people are allowed to imagine more because they have the luxury of money, while the poor do not have that luxury.
Parallel:
"Maybe I could learn to become a Patimkin with ease"(120) is similar to "You'll find out. You'll stay there too long you'll be too good for us"(76). This highlights how Aunt Gladys worried that Neil would distance himself from his family, and how that is becoming true because Neil wants to become a Patimkin.
Contrast:
"She did not look like Brenda, at least for the first minute"(124) contrasts "It was Brenda and she sounded as though she was sweating considerably"(9). This illustrates how Neil's relationship has deteriorated because she has become a different person that he can't recognize anymore.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Goodbye Columbus Chapter 6
Props:
Ohio State Athletic Association Shirt
Cigar
Mrs. Patimkin's Invitation List
Big O Blanket
Yellow Dress
The blanket symbolizes Neil's aspirations for his life with Brenda. The first time he sees the blanket he does not sit on it, but when he does sit down with Brenda on it he shares with her his plan for their future which includes Brenda getting a diaphragm.
Class Consciousness:
"What do you mean what? You'll find out. You'll stay there too long you'll be too good for us"(76).
This illustrates how Aunt Gladys believes the more Neil spends time with the upper class, the less time he will spend with his family.
Parallel:
"She was the best Hebrew student I've ever seen... but then, of course, she got too big for her britches"(89) is similar to "Harriet appeared, and Brenda's mother lifted one wing and pulled the girl in towards the warm underpart of her body, where Brenda herself would have liked to nestle"(83).
This illustrates how Brenda's mother does not embrace her because she feels that Brenda did not live up to her expectations, and Brenda's mother believes that Harriet can fulfill her expectations of a daughter.
Contrast:
"let the purple eyes stop peering and just look out at the world for a while without judging"(87) contrasts "Mrs. Patimkin began, but then she remembered me- with a crushing side glance from those purple eyes"(62).
This highlights how Mrs. Patimkin has warmed up to Brenda a small amount because she has stopped viewing her with dissapproval.
Ohio State Athletic Association Shirt
Cigar
Mrs. Patimkin's Invitation List
Big O Blanket
Yellow Dress
The blanket symbolizes Neil's aspirations for his life with Brenda. The first time he sees the blanket he does not sit on it, but when he does sit down with Brenda on it he shares with her his plan for their future which includes Brenda getting a diaphragm.
Class Consciousness:
"What do you mean what? You'll find out. You'll stay there too long you'll be too good for us"(76).
This illustrates how Aunt Gladys believes the more Neil spends time with the upper class, the less time he will spend with his family.
Parallel:
"She was the best Hebrew student I've ever seen... but then, of course, she got too big for her britches"(89) is similar to "Harriet appeared, and Brenda's mother lifted one wing and pulled the girl in towards the warm underpart of her body, where Brenda herself would have liked to nestle"(83).
This illustrates how Brenda's mother does not embrace her because she feels that Brenda did not live up to her expectations, and Brenda's mother believes that Harriet can fulfill her expectations of a daughter.
Contrast:
"let the purple eyes stop peering and just look out at the world for a while without judging"(87) contrasts "Mrs. Patimkin began, but then she remembered me- with a crushing side glance from those purple eyes"(62).
This highlights how Mrs. Patimkin has warmed up to Brenda a small amount because she has stopped viewing her with dissapproval.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Goodbye Columbus Chapter 5
Props:
Phonograph
Khaki Bermudas
Sixty-Watt Bulb
Andre Kostelanetz Record
Goodbye Columbus Record
The Goodbye Columbus record illustrates the divide that Neil feels between himself and the upper class. He takes the words from the song and applies them to a dream in which he feels that he is being forced to leave a beautiful island, and instead has to spend time with the boy talking about a library card.
Class Consciousness:
"And you think the world owes you a living... You ought to earn some money and buy your own clothes"(65).
This illustrates how Mrs. Patimkin feels that Brenda does not understand the real world because she has never had to have a job and has never needed to worry about money.
Parallel:
"When's the last time you lifted a finger to help me around here? 'I'm not a slave"(64) is similar to "I'm not going to hold them. Put them down. I'm not her slave"(15). This illustrates how children in the Patimkin family associate work with being a servant. This also shows how naive they are in believing that helping out makes them a servant.
Contrast:
"Her knees and Bermudas were dirty and when she pushed her back she dirtied her forehead"(67) contrasts "There were two wet triangles on the back of her tiny-collared polo shirt"(11).
This illustrates how Brenda is behaving not as cleanly as she was raised when she goes searching for the money so she can destroy it, out of spite for her mother.
Phonograph
Khaki Bermudas
Sixty-Watt Bulb
Andre Kostelanetz Record
Goodbye Columbus Record
The Goodbye Columbus record illustrates the divide that Neil feels between himself and the upper class. He takes the words from the song and applies them to a dream in which he feels that he is being forced to leave a beautiful island, and instead has to spend time with the boy talking about a library card.
Class Consciousness:
"And you think the world owes you a living... You ought to earn some money and buy your own clothes"(65).
This illustrates how Mrs. Patimkin feels that Brenda does not understand the real world because she has never had to have a job and has never needed to worry about money.
Parallel:
"When's the last time you lifted a finger to help me around here? 'I'm not a slave"(64) is similar to "I'm not going to hold them. Put them down. I'm not her slave"(15). This illustrates how children in the Patimkin family associate work with being a servant. This also shows how naive they are in believing that helping out makes them a servant.
Contrast:
"Her knees and Bermudas were dirty and when she pushed her back she dirtied her forehead"(67) contrasts "There were two wet triangles on the back of her tiny-collared polo shirt"(11).
This illustrates how Brenda is behaving not as cleanly as she was raised when she goes searching for the money so she can destroy it, out of spite for her mother.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Goodbye Columbus Chapter 4
Props:
Gauguin Book
Brenda's Blue Bathing Suit
Lions Club Ashtray
Bowl of Cherries
Library Card
Class Consciousness:
"I lived over a store I wasn't ashamed. Thank God we always had a roof. We never went begging in the streets"(57). Aunt Gladys is worried that Neil spending more time with Brenda will change his attitude toward people of lower classes, and that he will forget that he is not from a family of wealth.
Parallel:
"I would find red marks on the undersides of my feet"(56) is similar to "I thought I saw awe in those red-rimmed hysterical eyes"(57). The red illustrates how Neil is spending more time with the upper class and how Aunt Gladys is jealous of his increasing class.
Contrast:
"And when she passed on to her mother the decision of Patimkin Sink, there wan't much Mrs. Patimkin could do"(56) contrasts "Shut up and eat. 'A little less talking young lady"(24). This highlights how Mrs. Patimkin has lost some power over Brenda as she becomes more independent with Neil and spends less time with her family.
Gauguin Book
Brenda's Blue Bathing Suit
Lions Club Ashtray
Bowl of Cherries
Library Card
Class Consciousness:
"I lived over a store I wasn't ashamed. Thank God we always had a roof. We never went begging in the streets"(57). Aunt Gladys is worried that Neil spending more time with Brenda will change his attitude toward people of lower classes, and that he will forget that he is not from a family of wealth.
Parallel:
"I would find red marks on the undersides of my feet"(56) is similar to "I thought I saw awe in those red-rimmed hysterical eyes"(57). The red illustrates how Neil is spending more time with the upper class and how Aunt Gladys is jealous of his increasing class.
Contrast:
"And when she passed on to her mother the decision of Patimkin Sink, there wan't much Mrs. Patimkin could do"(56) contrasts "Shut up and eat. 'A little less talking young lady"(24). This highlights how Mrs. Patimkin has lost some power over Brenda as she becomes more independent with Neil and spends less time with her family.
Monday, February 10, 2014
Goodbye Columbus Chapter 3
Props:
Cement Lions
Gauguin Picture Book
Brenda's Dress
Refridgerator Filled with Fruit
Chrysler Car
The cement lions illustrate the racial divide between blacks and whites in Newark because the black boy is not afraid of the lions that are standing guard outside the library, and Neil's friend is worried when the boy comes into the library.
Class Consciousness: "You know the way they treat the housing projects we give them"(35). John's view highlights how he believes that he is of a better class that is burdened with having to help blacks in Newark.
Parallel: "We'll be right back... You have to sit with Julie. Carlota's off"(38) is similar to "Carlota, give Ronald more"(22). This illustartes how both Carlota and are treated worse as they are not even asked to do things with a "please" used.
Contrast: "That wasn't fair, Neil. My shoelace came untied. Can I take it- No"(45) contrasts when Neil was told he couldn't take it over: "Can I take it again? No"(29). This illustrates how Neil understands how to compete with Julie by trying very hard to beat her at ping pong, which upsets her because she is used to being a winner.
Cement Lions
Gauguin Picture Book
Brenda's Dress
Refridgerator Filled with Fruit
Chrysler Car
The cement lions illustrate the racial divide between blacks and whites in Newark because the black boy is not afraid of the lions that are standing guard outside the library, and Neil's friend is worried when the boy comes into the library.
Class Consciousness: "You know the way they treat the housing projects we give them"(35). John's view highlights how he believes that he is of a better class that is burdened with having to help blacks in Newark.
Parallel: "We'll be right back... You have to sit with Julie. Carlota's off"(38) is similar to "Carlota, give Ronald more"(22). This illustartes how both Carlota and are treated worse as they are not even asked to do things with a "please" used.
Contrast: "That wasn't fair, Neil. My shoelace came untied. Can I take it- No"(45) contrasts when Neil was told he couldn't take it over: "Can I take it again? No"(29). This illustrates how Neil understands how to compete with Julie by trying very hard to beat her at ping pong, which upsets her because she is used to being a winner.
Friday, February 7, 2014
Goodbye Columbus Chapter 2
Props:
Peach
Pool Umbrella
Square Red Blanket
Salad
Sunglasses
The peach illustras how Neil compares empathizes with Carlota because she is eating peaches and his Aunt Gladys has a fridgerator full of peaches.
Class Consciousness: "I could not shake from my elephant's brain that she-still-thinks we-live-in-Newark remark"(26). Neil is upset by the comment because Brenda's mom is only concerned with money when it comes to items of luxury, not like Neil who has to be concerned with food and other factors of poverty.
Parallel: "He ate three helpings of salad, Ron had four, Brenda and Julie had two, and only Mrs. Patimkin and I had one each"(21) is similar to "Aunt Gladys always has an abundance of the other jamming her refrigerator"(6). This parallel highlights how even though Brenda and Neil are from different classes, they both have an abundance of food showing that they aren't all that different from one another.
Contrast: "We did not eat in the kitchen; rather, the six of us... sat around the dining room table"(21) contrasts "Should I serve four different meals at once"(4). This illustrates how Brenda's family has more of a close relationship because they spend time together, unlike Neil's family that eats seperately.
Peach
Pool Umbrella
Square Red Blanket
Salad
Sunglasses
The peach illustras how Neil compares empathizes with Carlota because she is eating peaches and his Aunt Gladys has a fridgerator full of peaches.
Class Consciousness: "I could not shake from my elephant's brain that she-still-thinks we-live-in-Newark remark"(26). Neil is upset by the comment because Brenda's mom is only concerned with money when it comes to items of luxury, not like Neil who has to be concerned with food and other factors of poverty.
Parallel: "He ate three helpings of salad, Ron had four, Brenda and Julie had two, and only Mrs. Patimkin and I had one each"(21) is similar to "Aunt Gladys always has an abundance of the other jamming her refrigerator"(6). This parallel highlights how even though Brenda and Neil are from different classes, they both have an abundance of food showing that they aren't all that different from one another.
Contrast: "We did not eat in the kitchen; rather, the six of us... sat around the dining room table"(21) contrasts "Should I serve four different meals at once"(4). This illustrates how Brenda's family has more of a close relationship because they spend time together, unlike Neil's family that eats seperately.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Goodbye Columbus Chapter 1
Parallel:"why is it you rush the net only after dark"(13) is similar to "what do you look like... I'm dark"(7). This parallel illustrates that Brenda is only willing to be with Neil secretely after dark so other people don't make judgements of her being with someone of a lower class.
Contrast: "What am I, a work horse"(5) contrasts "If you workerd hard you'd drink more"(5). This contrast illustrates how Neil's mother is very demanding that he works harder when she actually does not work very hard.
Props: Glasses
Dresser with broken leg
Tennis Racquet
White Polo Shirt
Fridgerator
The glasses are the reason Neil meets Brenda and when he gave her them she was given vision. This vision he gave her is symbolic of the way she views people of lower classes differently from other people in Short Hills.
Class Consciousness:
"I have a refrigerator full of grapes I have to get rid of"(6).
This illiustrates how the people of Newark cannot waste any food because they are not as wealthy as the people who live in Short Hills.
"I'll be driving a tan Plymouth. So you'll know me. How will I know you"(8).
This illustrates how Neil is enterning a different society because his car is older and because of that he feels out of place. He has no way of knowing who Brenda is because she fits right in with everyone else.
Contrast: "What am I, a work horse"(5) contrasts "If you workerd hard you'd drink more"(5). This contrast illustrates how Neil's mother is very demanding that he works harder when she actually does not work very hard.
Props: Glasses
Dresser with broken leg
Tennis Racquet
White Polo Shirt
Fridgerator
The glasses are the reason Neil meets Brenda and when he gave her them she was given vision. This vision he gave her is symbolic of the way she views people of lower classes differently from other people in Short Hills.
Class Consciousness:
"I have a refrigerator full of grapes I have to get rid of"(6).
This illiustrates how the people of Newark cannot waste any food because they are not as wealthy as the people who live in Short Hills.
"I'll be driving a tan Plymouth. So you'll know me. How will I know you"(8).
This illustrates how Neil is enterning a different society because his car is older and because of that he feels out of place. He has no way of knowing who Brenda is because she fits right in with everyone else.
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