Notes on Sex and Gender Roles in Neuromancer

• "Molly dissecting her crab with alarming ease" (71) --- there is the sense that Case is surprised that Molly is so comfortable and competent.
• "girls looked like tall exotic grazing animals.... metallic hooves" (71)-- girls become animals even on the subway; they seem to be described as inferior and animalistic.
• the holographs on wrists of the business men and the Christian Scientists (71)-- very graphic and derogatory
• "even with the cast" it was like watching Molly "dance" (85)-- sense of awe for Molly that Case doesn't seem to have for any other woman including Linda Lee.
• Molly's signals with Finn (88) -- Once again Case takes note of Molly's secrets and her extra knowledge.
• "Baby" (89) Case calls Molly "baby"
• "...must take care. In Turkey there is isapproval of women who sport such modifications." (89)-- This is an antiquated view on women for our time, even though women except for Molly are decribed as being inferior throughout the novel.
• "In Turkey, women are still women" (91)
• King's private whorehouse (94) -- Women as inferior
• "Can't get off sexually unless he knows hes betraying the object of his desire... And they have to love him first." (96) -- Women as objects to be manipulated
• even "Wage had vices, lovers" (97)
• "No games" (102) -- Molly in command again
• "Gotta play house." (104) -- Molly in command
• Molly is concious and awake before he knows there is some form of danger (108-109)--
• "Linda might have money" (117) -- Case goes to Linda for money, cigarettes and sex.
• Case meets the girl at the sushi restaurant. (133)

Setting

 

The settings in Neuromancer changed as the location of the novel changed. The novel is set in the future but from the three passages I chose, it is easy to distinguish not only the states of the settings but also Case’s state of mind. We were told to pay close attention to the first line of the novel, “The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel.” The combination of the grey static and the sense of a television being obsolete and dead set up the future as a place full of outdated, broken technology which was neglected as newer technology emerged. In fact, the areas of new technology the such as the clinics are described as “black” which stands for underground but also gives a sense of sleekness in comparison to the greyness of “a dead channel” and Ratz’s teeth which are “a webwork of East European steel” and are grey instead of white. In fact, whiteness is categorized with the grey as “gulls wheeled above drifting shoals of white styrofoam.” There is nothing natural left in the world which seems to have been turned into a landfill of old, fried technology just as Chase sees himself when we meet him. The Chase we meet initially is more like burnt out technology attempting to keep out of the landfill that he lives in. It is not until he is repaired by Armitage’s new technology that the setting begins to change.

When Chase returns to a place like “home” it is spacious and mostly empty, very different from the tiny coffins he rented in part one of the novel. With his improved pancreas and liver he is also unable to process the drugs and alcohol he became so dependent on while struggling to stay alive. His feeling of being home, however is not only linked to the “large… empty” room but also linked to the new technology he has been given and the sense that he is no longer fighting against becoming an obsolete piece of technology that has been dumped in the landfill. 

Death in Poetry-- Final Draft

Shakespeare’s sonnet “That time of year thou mayst in me behold” and Dylan Thomas’ villanelle, “Do not go gentle into that good night” share the common theme of death. The subject of death, however, can be approached from very different points of view depending on the attitude the author chooses for the narrator. Though Shakespeare and Thomas use similar tools such as language, imagery, and poetic structure to portray the last moments of life, they ultimately represent very different treatments of the subject; Shakespeare’s sonnet paints the picture of a natural, cyclical death while Thomas’ villanelle fights and “rages” against death through the last line. Though the two poems appear to take opposite sides on the topic of death, they ultimately end with the same sort of conclusion; death means the loss of something beloved but, “This thou perceiv’st, which makes thy love more strong,/ To love that well which thou must leave ere long”, meaning that death makes love and appreciation of that love stronger.

The conclusions of both poems read as though they are more personal conclusions aimed more directly to the addressee of each poem, though it is made clear that each poem is coming from a different point of view. In Shakespeare’s sonnet an older, dying man in “the twilight of such day”, (perhaps Shakespeare himself) is addressing a younger man whom he is leaving behind. In Thomas’ villanelle, a younger man is addressing his dying father, beseeching him to “not go gentle into that good night/ Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” Though they are chronologically at the same points in the timeline of death, both poems stay consistent with their treatment of the subject; for Shakespeare it is a natural, graceful occurrence and for Thomas it is something dark to fight against even in the last moments. The personal nature of both addresses, however, bring out such strong emotions that they could combine to serve as a full conversation between a younger, mourning man and an older man who has accepted death. 

Though Shakespeare and Thomas and similarly and use similar imagery such as light and darkness and day and night, their use of language serves to create two very different tones for their discussions of death. In looking at the authors’ usage of light and dark as well as their usage of day and night it is clear that Shakespeare’s treatment of the contrast is considerably more gentle than Thomas’ use. Shakespeare describes the moments before death as “the twilight of such day” implying a gradual fading of life and a smooth, gentle transition to the close of life.  He continues, describing the fading as “sunset fadeth in the west;/ Which by and by black night doth take away/ Death’s second self, that seals up all in rest.” The associations with sunset are positive; not only is it considered a natural occurrence but it is also beautiful and calm. Even Shakespeare’s use of the word “black” lacks the darkness and gravity that the color is usually associated with. Instead, it is the blackness that “seals up all in rest” and allows the body to be at peace with death. Thomas’ use of light and dark, on the other hand, is far from gradual as the repletion of his lines take the form of a protest against the “close of day” calling for all kinds of men to “burn and rave” and “rage against the dying of the light.” Though the transformation to night is gradual, Thomas doesn’t describe an intermediate point and instead juxtaposes “bright” and dark, switching between the two and creating a sense of unrest and painting the picture of a violent and unwilling death.

Shakespeare continues to describe the process of dying with nature imagery, calling on the changing of the seasons to parallel the gradualness of death. Autumn is a season of changes between summer and winter. The leaves turn from “yellow leaves, to none, or few” as winter approaches just as a sickly or old person’s hair might begin to fall and change to grey or white. Shakespeare goes on to describe the loss of the voice as places “where late the sweet birds sang,” as the birds migrate to warmer places in the winter. Though autumn changes occur gradually, they are obvious changes often associated with beauty. By using beautiful imagery, Shakespeare emphasizes a natural and gentle view of death.

In addition to his use of contrasting imagery such as light and darkness, Thomas juxtaposes many ideas and images, creating a sense of unrest meant to mirror his discontentedness in accepting death easily. The first juxtaposition is between the different types of men, the wise and good versus the grave and wild men. Though each type of man served a different life, they are all supposed to “rave” and fight against the coming of death. By using all different types of men, Thomas is saying that regardless of your station in life, you should not accept death easily and should instead fight to remain with those you love.

Though both Shakespeare and Thomas’ poems have very different treatments of death, they ultimately make a cohesive pair. While Shakespeare approaches death from the perspective of an old man who has accepted nature, Thomas’s poem takes the point of view of a young boy or man being left to mourn his father. Ultimately, each poem is able to fill in the gap left by the other poem.  

Similar yet different.

Shakespeare’s sonnet “That time of year thou mayst in me behold” and Dylan Thomas’ villanelle, “Do not go gentle into that good night” share the common theme of death as well as a similarity in the strictness of their poetic structures. Though Shakespeare and Thomas use similar tools and language to portray the last moments of life, they ultimately take very different stances on the subject. Shakespeare’s sonnet paints the picture of a cyclical and natural death while Thomas’ villanelle fights and “rages” against death through the last line.

The contrast of light and darkness as well as day and night are recurring ideas in both poems and perfectly reflect the tone each author uses in his discussion of death.  Shakespeare’s treatment of the contrast is considerably gentler than Thomas’ use. Shakespeare describes the moments before death as “the twilight of such day” implying a gradual fading of life and a smooth, gentle transition to the close of life.  He continues, describing the fading as “sunset fadeth in the west;/ Which by and by black night doth take away/ Death’s second self, that seals up all in rest.” The associations with sunset are positive; not only is it considered a natural occurrence but it is also beautiful and calm. Even Shakespeare’s use of the word “black” lacks the darkness and gravity that the color is usually associated with. Instead, it is the blackness that “seals up all in rest” and allows the body to be at peace with death. Thomas’ use of light and dark, on the other hand, is far from gradual as the repletion of his lines take the form of a protest against the “close of day” calling for all kinds of men to “burn and rave” and “rage against the dying of the light.” Though the transformation to night is gradual, Thomas doesn’t describe an intermediate point and instead juxtaposes “bright” and dark, switching between the two and creating a sense of unrest and painting the picture of a violent and unwilling death.

Though the tones of the two poems are initially very different, they end very similarly. The voltas of both poems end with more personal addresses; in Shakespeare’s sonnet it is the dying man addressing a younger boy and in Thomas’ villanelle it is the son addressing his dying father. Though the poets stay consistent with their ideas about death, Thomas’ “Do not go gentle into that good night./ rage, rage against the dying of the light” takes on a softer meaning as it is a direction to the Father from a son who does not want to lose him. Shakespeare’s address to the younger man remains consistent in observing the gentle and natural nature of death and says, “This thou perceiv’st, which makes thy love more strong,/ To love that well which thou must leave ere long”, meaning that death makes love and appreciation of that love stronger. The lessons and perspectives are different but they could almost serve as the other half of the conversation in each poem.

 

Bruce Wayne and Cinderella

 

Bucky Sinister’s poem “The Other Universe of Bruce Wayne” is centered on Batman’s human alter ego’s life in “an alternate universe.” Though it is a strange approach for an author to write using another author’s character, it ultimately serves to highlight the alternate universe’s differences; “Bruce Wayne is poor… there’s no Batman, … no trusted sidekick” and “[he] ain’t that lucky in love.” By creating an alternate universe in which to paint such a pathetic picture of a life, the work and the true story are less pitiful and are in fact easier to digest. Because we know that the real Batman or Bruce Wayne leads a life of riches where “everyone loves [him]” and he “symbolize[es] justice in human form,” the desperation and darkness of the story is dissipated. The space given by the alternate universe allows the narrator to tell his story from the safety of being Bruce Wayne’s only friend without coming off as pitiful.

Sinister’s poem is more like prose than any other poem I have read. By referencing Bruce Wayne,  however, Sinister makes his poem more accessible than many older poems, assuming that the reader knows something about Batman or Bruce Wayne. Citing a popular culture character or even using them as the main focus of a poem or work makes writing easier. When writing my villanelle about a popular culture fictional character, I found it was much easier, especially since the character’s story did not have be explained within such a strict poetic format. 

 

"Cinderella"

Oh beautiful Cinderella,

Who toiled so long in ash and grime

Now on the arm of a great fella

 

Oh beautiful Cinderella

Your heart of gold glimmering always

Never leaving mice sans umbrella

 

Oh beautiful Cinderella

Once dressed in rags to clean and serve

Is now greeted “Hello Ciao Bella”

 

Oh beautiful Cinderella

From rags to riches and pumpkin

To coach going to meet her fella

 

Oh beautiful Cinderella

The magic ends- the shoe drops

But wait! Could it be your fella?

 

Oh beautiful Cinderella

Transformed till midnight by magic

Will forever be with her fella

On the page of a novella.  

"I dwell in possibility"

Emily Dickinson’s “I dwell in possibility” is a poem about living in a dream rather than in the “narrow” confines of life. Dickinson’s use of not only words but also dashes helps to convey the idea of living in both worlds, dreamlike and full of “possibility” and everyday “prose.”

The only punctuation in the poem is by dashes, which seem to take the place of normal commas and periods. The dashes do more than punctuate, however, and they often add stress to ideas, either words or phrases, that Dickinson has intentionally isolated from her statements. Dickinson starts the poem stating, “I dwell in possibility—A fairer House than Prose.” The dashes create a distinction and separate her dream life from her everyday life and home. There “superior[ity]” of windows allows the dream life on the outside to be seen through them, bridging the gap between the two worlds. The “Chambers as the Cedars--/Impregnable of Eye” serve to separate the two worlds of possibility and prose; the walls of cedar are firm and cannot be seen through. In the next line, however, the “Everlasting Roof” suggests that the dream life and the world of possibility continue through the real roof and instead is limited only by the sky.  

In the last stanza of the poem, Dickinson is living completely in “possibility”. Though she occupies a space of “prose”, it is her work and “Occupation” to live in the poetry and possibility she creates for herself. Though her real, everyday space and scope may be “narrow” her realm of possibility allow her to “spread wide [her] narrow Hands/ To gather Paradise-.”

The Flames

“Casabianca” by Felicia Hemans tells the story of the thirteen-year-old boy Casabianca who was the son of an admiral on a ship during the Battle of the Nile. Ultimately, Casabianca perishes “in the explosion of the vessel, when the flames [have] reached the powder.” (Notes) In the poem Hemans uses language that glorifies Casabianca’s role, invoking language often used to describe kings and other great heroes and portraying the boy as “born to rule the storm;/ A creature of heroic blood, / A proud, though childlike form” and again as “the gallant child.”  She ends the poem by describing his heart as “the noblest thing which perished there”, transforming Casabianca from just a boy to a hero who stood his ground and never surrendered. The nobility and heroism juxtapose the boy’s age and allow the reader to see loyalty instead of child like obedience in the boy’s dedication to his dead father’s command.

Hemans also personifies the fire though both her use of language and her use of the rhyme scheme. Though no two stanzas repeat the same sets of true rhyme, they are tied together by hints of near rhyme, keeping the stanzas from being completely separated yet still embodying the randomness of fire. The alternation of true rhyme in each stanza, however, with pairs such as deck and wreck, and storm and form create a sense of urgency and speed when the poem is read, mirroring the speed of the flames as they quickly engulf the ship.

The language used to describe the flames matches the tempo of the rhyme scheme of the poem as “the flames rolled” and “wrapt” and “wreathed” through “sail and shroud.” Hemans creates a second, aggressive character out of the flames though it is not explicitly villainous. Though the flames ultimately lead to the boy’s death, they also serve as an emphasis of his heroism in two ways.  The flames emphasize his nobility and bravery in facing such a wild and uncontrollable enemy, but they also emphasize his royalty with the imagery they created as they “streamed above the gallant child, / like banners in the sky.” The images used to describe the flames are more similar to the language of a coronation of “the noblest” king than they are to the death of a young boy.  

Sources of images:

http://static.desktopnexus.com/wallpapers/44868-bigthumbnail.jpg

http://www.orlandospfx.com/images/PirateFire.jpg