“My Last Duchess” -- Margaret Atwood
Near
the end of Margaret Atwood’s short story “My Last Duchess,” the narrator,
frustrated with the female characters in the stories, ponders the reason
for studying literature with “hapless, annoying, dumb-bunny girls” (74). She
even wonders if Bill may be right – maybe it all was a waste of time.
However,
she senses the importance of the literature even though she struggles with
identifying the relevance. Look carefully at the following lines where
she imagines a group of teachers – Miss Bessie included — making decisions
about the literature to be studied:
“They got together, they had secret meetings, they conferred,
they cooked up our book list among them. They knew something we needed to know,
but it was a complicated thing – not so much a thing as a pattern, like the
clues in a detective story once you started connecting them together. These
women – these teachers – had no direct method of conveying this thing to us,
not in a way that would make us listen, because it was too tangled, it was too
oblique. It was hidden within the stories” (75).
BLOG QUESTION: Discuss what the something is that the teachers want them to know based on the story.
Be sure to include specific references to the text (quotes!) in your response.
You
will be writing an initial response and 2 comments responding to your peers'
responses. Your initial response must be 8-10 sentences in length and
thoughtful. Really explore the ideas here. There are 65 students in this class
so there will be 65 initial posts. Of these 65, you must respond to or comment
on a minimum of 2 of them. These must be thoughtful responses and/or comments,
at least 2-3 sentences in length. Please identify the person you are responding
to in your comment so that it becomes more of a connected conversation; for
example, "I hadn't thought of the point Hermione Granger raised about the
blah, blah, blah, etc." Your initial
response is due by Wednesday morning, March 23nd by 7:30 a.m. Your responses will be due by Friday morning, March 25th by 7:30 a.m.
Reminder, be good citizens here -- no hurtful comments. You can
respectfully disagree with others. And be good thinkers. I so enjoy reading your thoughts and discussion, truly!!
Ms. Lucas
The “something” that the teachers want them to know has to do with their future and what is beyond the curtain. Since “The Last Duchess” is a dramatic monologue, the perspective of the Duke is reflected. Through his words, it is revealed that since his wife smiled too much, he bumped her off. However, the student in Margaret Atwood’s version had a lot more questions and realizations than what is just on the surface. Unlike Bill who wanted “everything to be clear cut” (62), the girl understood that in literature there were multiple meanings. Therefore, that “something” could represent independent thinking and the development of one’s individual perspective on certain matters. Just like how Robert Browning’s poem offers different opinions and perspectives from the audience, so does life. The lesson that the teachers wanted them to learn is not to be “ignorant to the darker side of life” (74), as she assumed her parents to be, but to delve into it. The tunnel is a representation of the unknown that Miss Bessie was slowly introducing to them. Even if she serves a guide at the moment, there are certain matter that lie behind the curtain that she cannot hold their hands through. They themselves would have to go right in and explore what it actually behind. Just like the portrait, there may be more to the story and the perspective that remains hidden. The only way to figure it out, is to go beyond the curtain. The “something” is learning to allow oneself to explore beyond that what meets the eye in life.
ReplyDeleteHey Hannah. I really like how you tied the point together about how the narrator was going above and beyond to try to look at different perspectives unlike her boyfriend Bill. It's good evidence and on top of that the reference to the curtain really proves your point of the upcoming independence that these kids have to achieve. It would have been interesting to delve deeper when making the comparison to life and how we as human beings hear different opinions from others, but want to fit into one "right" perspective that everyone holds.
DeleteThroughout the story, the teachers want to teach their students about experience and the necessity of being “well prepared” for the future. From the beginning of the story, Miss Bessie emphasized the importance of being ready for the exam—or in a broader sense, life. The speaker states, “Miss Bessie wasn’t interested in mere passess; she wanted top marks from us all.” By making her students study literature, Miss Bessie introduces the uncertainty and tangles of life through chosen literary works. She not only wants her students to survive, but also do well in life; regardless of what lies behind their individual curtains. Specifically, Margaret Atwood highlights women's disadvantages in society by mentioning Hamlet’s Ophelia and the Last Duchess. Therefore, Miss Bessie also wants her female students to learn from shortcomings of female characters in literature so that the students do not “let themselves drift” and be “unlucky pushovers,” especially since nobody may offer any help. Since the story is set in the 1950s, when women were treated subordinately to men and carried no high expectations from society, the teachers indirectly teach their female students that living subordinately to men and not striving towards their true desires makes life meaningless.
ReplyDeleteHey Ella,
DeleteIt was interesting to read your take on what that "something" is. I did not really think about the disadvantages of women in society, so I love how you brought that up. It is true that many of the characters portrayed, were "dumb-bunnies", as the girl in Margaret Atwood story called it. Miss Bessie may be teaching her a valuable lesson on how society and life can be unfair. However, she is equipping them with the necessary tools in order to be "prepared". The dark tunnel may be unfamiliar and surprising, but as a teacher, Miss Bessie has done her part. Now, it is time for the students to uncover and utilize the future with the tools they are equipped with.
Hello Ella Kate Zerna! Very interesting points you bring up, my friend. :-) I really like how you brought up the comparison between preparation for the exam and getting ready for life. I really like how you brought the story back to the school setting. Additionally, why do you think that it was only the narrator and Bessie who were "awake" or knew about the hidden truth. Why do you think the narrator had intentionally left out her parents and everyone else in terms of knowing about the darker/unpleasant aspects of reality and of love?
DeleteHi Ella!
DeleteYour response was very eye-opening because I hadn't considered the idea that Miss Bessie might use literature to teach the girls to strive for gender equality. Instead, I thought that Miss Bessie apathetically wanted to teach the girls, "Be smart and don't get killed by an evil man," without any hope in mind for future gender equality.
Hi Ella!
DeleteI think your idea that women characters having shortcomings in novels was extremely interesting. I did not notice this before while reading "The Last Duchess" because of how heavily focused it was on the Duke. This brings up an interesting point because not only is Miss Bessie teaching the children about literature, she is also teaching them about society. During the 1950s, men were definitely viewed to be superior to women, so Miss Bessie's lesson taught the students what to expect from the society they would grow up into after leaving her class.
"My Last Duchess" by Margaret Atwood is a short story about the independence and self discovery of the narrator, which she discovers near the end of the story. The “something” that Miss Bessie and the other English teachers are trying to convey through literature is the need to be independent and self-sufficient, and be able to depend on yourself. The narrator’s annoyance with the “dumb bunny girls” is due to their constant reliance on others, particularly men, which leaves them “unlucky pushovers”, unable to stand up for themselves. At first, the narrator heads down this path too, by bending to Bill’s requests, but realizes that she must believe in herself and stand up for what she believes in. After doing so, she realizes it was the right choice and thus doesn’t feel very sorry for what happened to her relationship with Bill. She understands that she has to head into the tunnel and follow the “road of going on” by herself, without the guidance of Miss Bessie, who had been preparing her for this next step. The “something” that needed to be taught was the ability to go on and think for yourself and be independent, and not rely on anybody, including boyfriends and teachers. For this reason, the “something” is left undefined and ambiguous to symbolize how it’s a personal journey for the narrator to take as she discovers herself. “Hidden within the stories” were cautionary tales of unlucky girls who were unable to prevent being taken advantage of, and from this literature the narrator learns the importance of self discovery and reliance.
ReplyDeleteHey Kylie,
DeleteI like the way you framed the issue as a personal journey. Through literature, the girls can reflect and improve upon themselves. Miss Bessie teaches them to stop being dependent on others and take their own unique path. Your analysis drives the point home when you weave in the details of the narrator's relationship with Bill. The most interesting point you mentioned was that the narrator learned these lessons without depending on others, namely the teacher. Miss Bessie allowed her to find her own way through interpreting the poem. Overall, the post was a great read.
Philip Chen P4
Through the carefully constructed book list, the teachers aim to prepare their students for what will come by the next fall. The students are on their way to college, and the teachers attempt to guide their students to think about their future. The teachers themselves won’t be able to follow and continue guiding their pupils so they prepare them as best they could through the reading. Because very few will remember a basic warning about the future that a teacher says, they decide to make the students realize the importance of their future themselves with light nudging along the way. This way the “something” is more memorable and more students are more likely to remember the lessons that they learned from the teachers. The teachers are revealing their students’ futures by pulling back the curtain that prevents them from seeing it. The dark tunnel is an unknown rite of passage that each of their students will be taking within the coming months. The future may be scary, but with our teachers’ guidance, we will be fine. (Maybe that’s why Mrs. Lucas had us read through this poem and story)
ReplyDeleteFrom the moment we’re born, we’ve always had teachers, mentors, guides — people to show us how to do this or why we shouldn’t do that, and we’ve listened, amassing all this information so we’d know how to eventually be self-functional. But once we’re 18, fresh graduates from high school, we’re expected to use these learned skills to go off unaccompanied and make decisions for ourselves. The narrator finds herself in this situation, wondering how she will fare in the “real” world. Miss Bessie and the other teachers know how daunting the journey ahead of their students would seem, and thus try to tell them how not to behave through their choice of literature to study. Once on their own, the students would be tested on how well they could live independently because like the literary characters, “nobody [would give] them any help” (74). As a result, Miss Bessie coaches her students to succeed by being well prepared, instructing them to “keep [their] head[s] and not panic” (57). She insists they “must outline and structure” (57) as they practice for the final exams; she is also instilling in them this habit of preparation so they will be ready for unforeseen situations as adults. Life lessons such as these are too “oblique” to be taught directly as no one can train for life’s twists and turns perfectly. Rather, the teachers teach literature that feature unfocused, inexperienced individuals as a subtle scare tactic to show how their students shouldn’t act, or the consequences that will follow if they don’t sufficiently prepare themselves now. The something therefore relates to crucial life lessons and skills the students need as they enter “the dark tunnel” (75), i.e., their future, and “find things out” (76) on their own.
ReplyDeleteHey Jacqueline! I really like how you related the "things" to what we as seniors will experience real soon! I agree with your take that the "things" are life lessons that are meant to prepare us for the rigor of the future. I really love the way you tied Miss Bessie's lessons to how they can be applied in real life!
DeleteHi jacqueline, I enjoyed how you tied this to our lives as seniors about to graduate. It really gives this story a deeper meaning and makes it more relatable to all of us. I had sensed a connection with the narrator prior to this, but your analysis really deepens this connection and gives us all something more to think about.
DeleteHello Jacqueline, I agree with your point that Miss Bessie and the other teachers are attempting to teach their students life lessons through the literature they choose. The complexity of the books or poems reflect the tangled nature of life/the real world. By reading various pieces of literature, the students will be able to "learn from the mistakes of others".
DeleteThe purpose of teaching and learning this literature is to prepare the students for the future. There is a clear contrast between how Bill views the poem and how the narrator views it; while Bill wants a clear meaning, the narrator acknowledges that there could be multiple sides to a story. This same idea parallels life, since there is no “clear cut” interpretation in the real world, a lesson the teachers are attempting to teach the students. In addition, those “hapless, annoying, dumb-bunny girls” portrayed in literature are reflective of the low social standing of women during the time period. Although women were seen as inferior to men, Miss Bessie and the teachers want the female students to avoid becoming the stereotypical “dumb-bunny girls,” believing that there is much more to women than these negative images. Essentially, that “something” that the teachers are trying to teach involves the journey through life and individual discovery. While the narrator progresses through the tunnel of life, “the entrance was where Miss Bessie has to stop” and “inside the tunnel was what [she] was meant to learn.” Miss Bessie cannot accompany her on this journey, as it is the narrator’s role to discover her own role in life, just as she had discovered her own interpretation of “My Last Duchess.”
ReplyDeleteHey Breanna. I really liked how you focused on the context of that time and how society in literature didn't portray women very strongly at the time. Not only is Miss Bessie promoting independence for the upcoming young adults, but specifically promoting it for people like the narrator who are trying to get away from the low perception of them. That is why the narrator doesn't like everything "clear cut", because otherwise she would have easily been subject to the "dumb-bunny girls" of the time period.
DeleteHi Breanna! I thought your little insight on how Bill, who is Math-oriented, "wants a clear meaning" to the literature he comes across was a nice touch to your argument. It really made sense in this context, because without critical thinking and sensitivity, people like Bill could only ensure the continuity of this patriarchal environment, and not reform it, the latter of which the teachers advocate for. Nice catch!
DeleteBased on "My Last Duchess" by Margaret Atwood, the "something" that the teachers want their students to know is that life isn't easy and therefore the students need to be dependent only on their own selves. Miss Bessie isn't easy on her students, "Miss Bessie didn't care. . . She trampled right over you if she thought you were fooling around." She purposely adopts a "no-nonsense professional appearance" and a "tight leash on which she kept [her students]" to prepare them for the future that awaits them after the end of high school. After graduating, life centers around figuring things out for oneself and becoming independent; Miss Bessie's preparation includes having the students read stories that demonstrate the ramifications of being totally, and sometimes fully, dependent on someone else. The narrator complains about these stories they are given-- The Odyssey, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, and My Last Duchess-- that feature female characters that are reliant on their male counterparts. Although she may not see it, the narrator seems to favor the independent life, a life free of relying on anyone or anything. This idea is supported by her annoyance with the female characters in the stories she has read and also by her lackluster response to the fight her and Bill have. The "dark tunnel" is a portal to the independence her teachers have been trying to teach her all throughout school.
ReplyDeleteDear Laura,
DeleteI like this idea of independence. It totally makes sense that Ms.Bessie is pushing the kids to be independent for their futures. The narrator is a super independent and smart girl who admires Ms. Bessie, but knows she has to move on from her. You have really good supporting details !
Hi Laura!
DeleteI completely agree with your theme of independence. I liked how you incorporated Miss Bessie's teaching style with the books that had dependent characters as part of the overarching lesson of becoming self-reliant. Your evidence supported your ideas really well--I really liked how you used the other books mentioned instead of just details from "My Last Duchess." Good job!
Some of our most formative and tumultuous years are our teens. This holds true for the narrator of Margaret Atwood’s short story: she festers teenage angst, cycling through boyfriends and angrily questioning the importance of books with “hapless, annoying, dumb-bunny girls.”
ReplyDeleteBrowning’s My Last Duchess tells of a Duke who uses a painting to hint at what he wants in the “business transaction” of marriage. In a similar vein, the teachers in Atwood’s My Last Duchess use books to convey what they cannot plainly state. They harness the themes, tropes, and lessons hidden within their assigned tomes to give their students companionship.
At the end of the story, the narrator finds herself in a “dark tunnel,” finding things out all on her own. She recognizes her predicament: a teenager with little real-life experience. The teachers, once unlearned themselves, hope to use the “prescribed texts” to impart some wisdom onto their students. The many trials of their characters, while may be fictional, are didactic in nature. Just like the Count’s envoy learning about the Duke through a painting, stories allow the students to experience and comprehend events and emotions that they have not yet encountered in their own lives.
No amount of reading can replace reality. But by forcing them to read between the lines, the teachers can “set the tone” of their future, ensuring that their graduating students will not walk through the dark tunnel alone.
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DeleteHi Dylan!
DeleteI thought that your examples of parallelism between the poem, the teachers' lessons and the protagonist's experiences post-schooling were very insightful. It emphasizes how great an analyst and writer Margaret Atwood is! In particular, your point that both the Duke and the teachers use detailed subtlety, rather than plainly speaking, to prod and push their audience towards their desired purpose is very interesting. There is a contrast in the intent behind their subtlety: the Duke uses it to accomplish a seemingly contemptible purpose but the teachers obviously have good intentions. Also, I really like how your conclusion refers to the conclusion of Atwood's piece ("set the tone"). Nice job!
Hi Dylan!!
DeleteYour integration of elements from Browning’s original poem to parallel events that occur in Atwood’s short story is incredibly spot on. Despite the narrator’s unique aptitude for understanding literature, as opposed to many of her peers such as Bill, she, like everyone else, is uncertain towards her place in society. As a result, she feels drawn towards the control that Browning’s Duke emanates through his taste for art, disdain for those inferior, and means to solidify his power by removing his roadblocks. While the narrator may have her “book-smarts”, she has yet to prepare herself for the upcoming exam in addition to general reality itself, and I believe we share a similar idea that this is central to what Ms. Bessie is attempting to illustrate.
Sina Pfupajena
ReplyDeletePeriod 4
Seeing as how the author of this story, Margaret Atwood, is a diehard feminist, it only makes sense that “these women-- these teachers” (75) would want to inform their classes about the complex yet taboo subject of feminism. The narrator of the story claims they “had no direct method of conveying [feminism] to us … because it was too tangled, it was too oblique” (75). Yes! Exactly. It was too complex a subject to teach, and an even more difficult topic to communicate during the 1950s-- a time when women were expected to stay home, keep the home, and care for the children. A time where women were not expected to go to college. Feminism was practically unpopular and unheard of.
The narrator of Atwood’s story does not understand the concept of feminism, but her boyfriend does. He thinks it was wrong of the Duke to kill his Duchess because she was smiling at others. Bill was right in his accusation of his girlfriend being “a brainer and a show-off,” not in the way that intelligence in a woman is a negative thing, but in the way that she was being arrogant in her opinion-- one sided even. Bill further accuses her: “Why are you defending the Duke? … You seem to think it was her own fault” (74). The narrator is a very analytical thinker, sure, proved through her speculation and theories on “My Last Duchess”. However, she is unable to see her own gender’s perspective towards the situations they are subject to, she deems the women as “too trusting, they found themselves in the hands of the wrong men, they weren't up to things, they let themselves drift” (74). What the narrator does not understand is that none of these girls are at fault. Women in the 50s and even before the time period were so conditioned to think that they must be perfect, docile, and submissive towards men, towards authority, and towards themselves.
Miss Bessie and the other teachers aim to educate their students about the concept of feminism-- that there are way more opportunities for women rather than the basic and limiting expectations society has set for them. The stories they study about “hapless, annoying, dumb-bunny girls” (74). Are not hapless, annoying or dumb at all; but rather useful and eye-opening tools that are vital towards furthering mental growth.
Hey Sina!
DeleteI really liked everything you said here. I was especially interested in your analysis of Bill and the narrator and their views on feminism. When I was reading the story, I had not made the connection of the time period and how difficult it must have been for teachers to convey feminist views.
Hey Sina,
DeleteI was super excited to read yours after you mentioned you talked about feminism too! I completely agree with this; especially the fact that the narrator doesn't seem to be too familiar with feminism or on the same side as her own gender at all. Even though I used the Bill example in a different way, I totally agree that Bill seems to be pointing out some relevant and true things about the narrator. I love that we had a similar interpretation of this story.
Hey Sina,
DeleteI really enjoyed reading your blog post. While it seemed that the main theme of the overall blog was the future of the narrator, I didn’t take feminism into account. Reading your argument and taking account the points raised about Margaret Atwood being a die-hard feminist has convinced me that yea feminism is a possibility of the something the teachers wanted to teach.
In "The Last Duchess" by Margaret Atwood, the "something" that the teacher possesses is the knowledge that is capable of helping her students grow up as individuals. The narrator thought that "Miss Bessie was the best English teacher in the school. Possible was one of the best in the city" (56) because of her intensive knowledge and supportive nature. She provides detailed lessons that educate the students on the materials they were required to learn, but she also wants to see them succeed beyond the books. When she calls out Bill for not paying attention and having "some other more important engagement to attend to" (55), she does so not so much to embarrass as to correct his misbehavior and teach a valuable life skill. He was doing something harmful, something that would cause him harm in the future if he continued, so Miss Bessie was harsh but effective in addressing the issue. Being a grown woman, she knows what will be demanded from her students if they want to succeed, so she takes the time to indirectly develop their characters in addition to their knowledge. The growing process is long and complicated, hence why it is "not so much a thing as a pattern" (75). There is no clear-cut way to achieving maturity, as everyone is different. Growing up is a mystical adventure in which people discover their qualities, and therefore their personalities, "hidden within the stories" (75). Through her lessons, Miss Bessie hopes to transform her students from timid children into independent adults, capable of succeeding in the future.
ReplyDeleteHi Calvin!!
DeleteLike you, I believe that Ms. Bessie is attempting to instill the values of autonomy in her students by urging them to think for themselves rather than tenderly holding their hands every step of the way. The upcoming exam determines their “character”, and teachers like Ms. Bessie understand that the most valuable lesson they can teach are for students to find their own answers independently. I found your quotes to be especially relevant, adding to the strength of your argument which already includes notable examples such as calling out Bill. The narrator ultimately finds herself alone at “the entrance of a dark tunnel”, a realization to proceed without any reliance on others – not her superficial classmates, not her ignorant parents, not her dependent boyfriend.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteHi Calvin!
DeleteI enjoyed reading your response; it was well-written! However, when I read it I thought that the "something" she's teaching might pertain only to the girls, as shown by the choice of "dumb-bunny" literature. Also, when Atwood refers to the teachers first as “these women” and second as "these teachers," I assumed that therefore the "something" was from women to girls specifically.
Whatever the teachers’ purpose, it definitely has to do with girls specifically because Atwood refers to the teachers first as “these women,” and second as “these teachers.” (75) Also, the "something" they’re teaching relates to the curriculum. Both the last duchess and Ophelia got bumped off because “they were too trusting” and “nobody gave them any help.” (74) The narrator will soon find herself in similar situations, as shown with the subsequent image of the “dark tunnel” (75) where she’ll “be all on [her] own.” (73) This supports the idea that the teachers want to warn the girls of what could happen to them, but that idea is too straightforward. The real purpose is “oblique,” (72) like “the clues in a detective story.” (72) In detective stories the character has to find out what happened and what went wrong. Similarly, the teachers want the girls to not only learn from the women’s mistakes but also to learn to notice the subtle, telling signs that the women in the stories missed so that they won’t need anyone to help them if they encounter danger in the dark tunnel.
ReplyDeleteSerene Kamal
Period 4
Hey Serene!
DeleteI loved how you conveyed your interpretation very fluidly. Our interpretations are similar, but I liked how you made yours interesting by comparing the Last Duchess to a detective story. I did not think of it in that sense. Indeed, it is up to the students to take what they learn and apply it into their lives as they continue their journey on their own. Great job!
Hola Serene,
DeleteI really like your perspective on the "something" the teachers are trying to teach their students; your idea totally makes sense. They are living in a time in which women's abilities are frequently undermined simply because of their gender so the teachers want to take advantage of the curriculum and, as you said, "subtly" hint to the students that they shouldn't make the same mistakes as the female characters in the stories. The teachers really want to convey that it's totally fine to be independent.
Hi Serene!
DeleteIt was refreshing to see a different perspective on the "something" teachers teach their students. But I don't agree that the teachers want the students to learn from the women's mistakes. After all, what mistakes did the last duchess make? Rather than warning the girls about whats to come, I think teachers want girls to realize that they should not listen to stereotypes and instead, be themselves.
Hi Serene!
DeleteYou brought up a very interesting point that I had not noticed before when you said that Miss Bessie's advice was mainly directed towards the girls in her class. This mainly had to do with the time period, because back in the 1950s, women were portrayed as weak and incapable, so Miss Bessie took it upon herself to provide additional help for the girls. Making the lesson indirect instead of explicitly telling them what to do develops their abilities to be independent. Didactic speech will surely allow the girls to learn, but it will reinforce the unhelpful behavior of relying on others for advice rather than thinking for one's self.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGrace Han P6
ReplyDeleteBased on textual evidence, I believe that “something” the narrator believes her teachers want her to know refers to the students’ futures. In the narrator’s monologue, she elaborates on her belief and calls the “something” “a complicated thing ... too tangled ... too oblique.” While this clue alone does not answer our question of what that “something” the teachers want them to know is, if we look deeper into “The Last Duchess” by Margaret Atwood, we can notice a pattern between how she describes this “something” to her attitudes toward her own future. In the narrator’s insomniac state, readers can quickly realize what’s causing her to lose sleep is the idea of growing up and becoming “a last-year’s student,” “gone” from the world she currently knows and loves so well. Although an obvious conflict she faces in her monologue is the tension between her and Bill, her boyfriend, and their ultimate breakup, by closing the monologue talking about her frustrations of moving on, we can clearly see that this is the actual culprit for her inability to sleep, despite it being three in the morning. Also, the narrator mentions the “something” her teachers want desperately to teach the students is “hidden within the stories,” stories that foretold of the “darker side of life.” Therefore, I believe, with the aid of these literary examples and evidence, that the “something” teachers wish to convey is not only about the futures ahead of them, but also of the hardships, the unknowns and this dark side that are in the “dark tunnel” leading them onto other things beyond school and the life they’re accustomed to.
Grace,
DeleteI found your response to be very insightful when you pondered over the reason why the narrator is losing sleep in the first place – that is, she can’t face the idea of growing up and venturing into the future by herself. I, too, share the same feelings of doubt and anxiety as the narrator’s. Being also a last year’s student” at Arcadia High, I cannot even fathom leaving my family to a university not close from home. It is, like you mentioned, a very dark place for me. What will I do there? How will I survive? There are just so many questions.
Hey Grace I agree with you. I too think that the something the teachers want to convey is not just the future but also all the hardships that they will face. The dark tunnel will lead them to become better than they are right now. Although they will face hardships, the students will end up much greater and respectable.
DeletePeriod 4
ReplyDeleteAs students, we are often guided through the structured lifestyle of school by our teachers. They possess the past experiences and life lessons that we may not have been exposed to yet, and through these, they influence our actions and perhaps even our future career choices. Much like the seniors in our high school, the students in “My Last Duchess” by Margaret Atwood are also nearing the end of this constructed school lifestyle. Miss Bessie is a critical step in this transition as she guides her students to a deeper level of thinking, encouraging them to “do better than that” (53). The “something” that the teachers want to convey to their graduating students is the ability to think beyond the limits of society and discover their own unique ideas without the help of instructions. The narrator is a prime example of building upon Miss Bessie’s intents as she is an independent critical thinker. In contrast to Bill’s rather naive interpretations of the Duke’s questionable intentions, defending the duchess for “just being friendly” (72) in the poem “My Last Duchess”, the narrator’s interpretations touch on blunt unconventional ideals, calling the duchess “a halfwit” (72) for not catching on to the Duke’s adverse reactions. As she frustratingly contemplates the importance in continually studying the “hapless, annoying, dumb-bunny girls” (74) from praised novels, she reveals her personality and thoughts of someone who thinks deeper than the surface level. The differing perspectives of the narrator and Bill are examples of how everyone thinks differently. Therefore, there is “not so much ...a pattern” (75) to teach critical thinking and independence. Instead, Miss Bessie, through literature, urges the students to reach beyond the “curtains”, whichever way they choose, to uncover greater lessons. By applying this as they go on through the “dark tunnel...all on [their] own” (76), she hopes for them to grow into intelligent and independent thinkers, ready to embark on the road to self-discovery.
Hey Janice,
DeleteI agree with you that there is a contrast between the narrator and Billy. I have never thought of how different their mental capacities were until you pointed them out. I think that Bessie is guiding them to a deeper level of understanding because in college, there won't be as much help from the professors compared to high school. It is at this stage in the last year of high school where it is determined who is truly ready to not only go to college, but to thrive in it. I sure hope that I'm ready.
Knowing Atwood is a popular feminist writer, I would assume she's hinting more at what “these women”, sorry “these teachers” would want students to know about the “pattern” of the “dumb-bunny” female characters portrayed in literature. Robert Browning’s poem, “My Last Duchess”, is about the oppression of females, yet the female narrator of Atwood’s short story seems to blame the Duchess (a fellow female) for her own death instead of the Duke. It doesn’t seem very feminist of the narrator in Atwood’s story to be blaming the woman in this scenario; so maybe this is the “something”. The “pattern” that the teachers are trying to communicate to the kids is that of female oppression within society. We know that the oppression of women was still common during this time period, it was just thought of as normal and often overlooked. Is it a coincidence that our narrator seems to overlook the idea that the Duke was the one at fault, not the Duchess? We as the readers probably overlooked some subtle hints of female oppression in this short story. An example could be the fact that Bill doesn't like that his girlfriend is smarter than him, so he puts her down for it by calling her a “brainer and a show off”. I believe the something that Ms. Bessie and the other teachers want the students to be aware of are the insane ideals and patterns that exist in the world. In this specific piece of literature it's the oppression of women, but in another work it could be something like racism. These types of negative ideals exist because we ignore them, assume that they are extinct, or we are simply not made aware of them. These teachers are aiming to teach these kids about these unfair and more negative things that exist in the “dark tunnel” ahead of them; to prepare them. It is common that kids are sheltered from these types of things, and it's not the teacher's place to flat out tell them about these sorts of things either; they can only hold aside the curtain. (sorry, if I got a little off topic and for my informal writing voice)
ReplyDeleteHi Holly!
DeleteI actually talked to you about this today, but we have really similar interpretations of the story. It's interesting that you brought up the readers looking over instances of female oppression, and that you used Bill insulting his girlfriend. I used the same example but in a totally different way. I also like the end of your response-- how the teachers cannot always inform their students about topics like these, but rather guide them towards a deeper level of thinking and being more open minded (aka holding aside the curtain as you said) great job!! :)
Hi Holly,
DeleteI really enjoyed your differing view on the subject at hand. Having read your blogpost and Sina’s blogpost fortified the possibility of Margaret Atwood’s “something” being the idea of feminism. With the evidence of “they found themselves in the hands of the wrong men,” and the addition of your points raised about the subtle hints Bill stating that the narrator was a “brainer and a show off,” I have now been able to take into account another view upon Margaret Atwood’s purpose in her short story.
Being teenagers are periods in our lives in which we begin to question our identities and have a tendency to “go with the crowd” and to fit in with the masses. In response to this teenage confusion, the teachers of the story want to help solidify each student’s individuality by having no “direct method” of “conveying” the answers. These teachers are helping the students mold their independence by encouraging them to form their own answers to each question. The narrator’s own ability to think for herself develops throughout the story. In the beginning, she finds it “best to look down” as her shyness prevents her from expressing herself in fear of looking “ridiculous.” However, during her argument with Bill in the end, she is able to convey her real feelings about the poem when she calls the Duchess a “dumb bunny.” This developed ability to stand up for her own arguments is the first step into letting go of Miss Bessie as her guide and entering the tunnel. This symbolic tunnel is when students must learn to fend for themselves in the darkness, or the unknown, of the future. As seniors graduate high school and head off into the future, they will carry their experiences from the classroom to guide them in becoming independent from others and learning to think on their own.
ReplyDeleteHi Emily!
DeleteI loved your idea that the "something" is the ability to think for themselves. This is a totally optimistic perspective that gives me hope after the conniving Duke and anti-feminist community in Atwood's piece, especially since it seemed that women had little to no voice in both works. Additionally, I hadn't noticed her significant character growth from a shy girl to an outspoken (ex)girlfriend. She is so clearly hindered by this patriarchal society's expectations that I'm very glad she's learning to speak up.
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DeleteHey Emily,
DeleteYour idea about the teachers wanting the students to find their own unique self seems really plausible. The evidence you used, with the narrator's shyness developing into blunt outspokenness, really supports your idea that the students need to discover their individuality and go into their future cherishing that individuality. It's extremely important for young adults entering the harsh but real adult world to understand the significance in being able to think for themselves. Really awesome ideas!
Hi Emily!!
DeleteI like how you brought up the point about the main characters changing in the story to back up your point. I agree that the "something" refers to an individual's path, and it's interesting how she is able to discover this within such a short span of time.
Tiffany Lau
Period 6
P.4
ReplyDeleteThe “something” that teachers want students to learn relates to the challenges of self-expression. Initially, the narrator suggests Miss Bessie limits her student’s ideas since Miss Bessie makes statements such as “You must outline and structure” (57). However, Miss Bessie says this not to confine her students to one absolute idea, but to ground them when forming their own opinions. Unable to understand this, the narrator continues to restrict her emotions and ideas. During a study session, she teaches Bill that “the people marking the exam were not going to be interested in his personal opinions” (71). The narrator unintentionally reveals her inability to assert her individual beliefs. Essentially, the narrator and Bill are equally frustrated because the poems they study are not objective and require them to find their own interpretations. Since Miss Bessie’s students are about to leave for college, she can only “set the tone” of her student’s ideas to lead them on their winding path toward individuality.
Hi Ellen!! I like how you described Ms. Bessie's teaching style as not limiting, but realistic. The narrator's revelation truly adds to the teachers' "something," and I think she does come to grasp the concept of individualism after she breaks up with Bill. This is why she starts to think about the dark tunnel and how she will eventually be alone.
DeleteHellooo Ellen!
DeleteThis is point that I never thought of when reading the short story, but what you say makes perfect sense. Although similar to the idea of life lessons, self-expression takes on a different aspect to life. I like the point you made about Miss Bessie's outlines-they are for grounding not for limiting. This idea was a strong transition into evidence found in the narrator. Good analysis!
Danna Xue P6
DeleteHello Ellen! I love how you said that Miss Bessie merely "sets the tone." This is absolutely true, as it is up to the students to write the rest of their story. Your analysis of their frustration also helped me to understand the purpose of Miss Bessie's objective guidance, and the struggle to turn the objective into the subjective. Great job!
Throughout Margaret Atwood’s shorty story “My last Duchess,” the something that the teachers infuses into the students are life skills necessary to move on and succeed in the future. In addition, from Robert’s Browning poem “My Last Duchess” a sense of ambiguity if present with the Duke actions and how he presents himself. From the two literary analyses of Perrine and Jerman, the actions of the Duke are characterized towards two outcomes, a witless duke and a shrewd duke. With the use of Browning’s ambiguous perception of the duke, Margaret Atwood intertwines the idea of ambiguity with the events of the narrator in her short story. Having the short story be placed in the narrator’s senior year of high school presents the connection of ambiguity between the short story and the novel. Although Atwood’s narrator is not to be analyzed out of ambiguity of character, the ambiguity present is the future of the narrator, as the narrator will be a “last year student” and a “younger student” will be replacing her. (75-76) With the concluding statements of Atwood’s narrator “I myself would be inside the dark tunnel. I’d be going on,” the narrator offers her perception of the future to be frightening and cloudy, but the narrator forget what she has already learned through her whole educational career. Margaret Atwood’s narrator has been taught the “something” needed to succeed in the future, and rest assured the audience can be hopeful of a possibly new Miss Bessie in the future. (76)
ReplyDeleteHi Justin! I like how you tie in the ambiguity of the poem with the narrator's last year in high school. I never thought of it that way, and it does make a lot of sense. I also like how you emphasize the cycle that occurs with this, how there is always a new student that needs to be taught the same lessons until they suddenly get the sudden spark of inspiration and suddenly know how to survive their future. Very well done!
DeleteMargaret Atwood created a narrator curious and intellectual in way in which she, the narrator, and the reader questioned what the deeper meaning to what “something” is (75). The teachers, women specifically, as the narrator states, are hoping to provide students with more knowledge than they initially give. Sure, they may select the reading list, but from there it is up to the students to decide what they choose to do with the tools provided. The narrator and her fellow classmates all seem to be studious and hardworking students, but they do not seem passionate about learning. There is universal stress among the students as their major tests are approaching and they are obsessively studying throughout the day and night. Students, including the narrator, are more focused on the fundamentals, not so much what lessons are to be learned through the literary works. During her study session with Bill, the narrator tells him what she believes will be on the test and what might be “worth a whole mark,” demonstrating her priority of gaining knowledge for the upcoming test over what can be taught through the poem (64). From the beginning we are able to see that the narrator is seemingly not like her classmates. She initially questions more about the poem and ponders its significance. Throughout the story we see a progression in the narrator’s deeper analysis of the poem and the connections she makes to her own life. The shift in the narrator’s thinking occurs after her break-up with Bill.
ReplyDeleteThe “something” the narrator mentions which is what the teachers are hoping to teach their students is the need for the students, especially girls, to be independent and question as much as they can (75). In each of the literary works, the narrator mentions, there is a seemingly broken, weak, and dependent woman in the center. However each character is more complex than they initially let on. The narrator comes to the conclusion that when it comes to the three women, “nobody gave them any help,” showing their independence in the stories (74). The narrator has profound thoughts about what she reads and seems quite intelligent, but she also seems to be holding back for social reasons. As her high school career comes to an end, she must learn to embrace independence and freely express her thoughts and questions about life.
Hi Rachel,
DeleteI enjoyed reading about how you considered the story's situation within the context of a high school student. It really helps make your response relatable for myself and our peers. Furthermore, I agree with your interpretation of how the "something" is independence for a student's future success and learning. As you said, this skill of self-reliance is even more significant as high school is about to come to an end for the narrator, meaning that she must become an independent individual as she moves onto college. Good job on your blog response!
Raymond Chang
Period 4
Hi Rachel!
DeleteYour response was very interesting, as I had never considered such a need to be "independent." Now that you mention it, I am able to see how the reader may make an example out of these negative traits portrayed in characters of historical fiction.
The concept of growing up is romanticized or simplified in our culture, and is often portrayed as painless and quick. However, the truths of maturity carry a much darker meaning, a meaning that the teachers are trying to convey to their students through their selected reading. The idea of growing up is a difficult lesson to teach, and this is reflected in the narrator's frustration as she wonders if the "whole thing was a waste of time" (72). Initially unable to comprehend the deeper morals of the literary pieces, the narrator feels annoyed and confused about the lessons she's given. The notion that the path to growing up is inevitable is characterized by the "dark tunnel", which symbolizes the "road of going on" (72)-- despite her reluctance, the narrator would have to continue on this journey of growing. Through the lessons they teach and the stories they have the students read, the teachers are hoping that some of the more subtle messages will get across to students. Despite being "hidden within the stories" (72), these lessons will eventually impress themselves upon the students, preparing them for their trek ahead in life. Therefore, in the end, it is these things-- the lessons learned-- that will guide the students through life, and it is these lessons that the teachers must successfully convey in order for their students to succeed.
ReplyDeleteHi Sabrina! I really liked your opening sentence. I agree with the way you believe growing up is portrayed in our culture but it wasn't until I read that sentence that I fully realized that. I also liked how you used dashes in your paragraph.
DeleteHi Sabrina! I agree with how you believe that the dark tunnel symbolizes the future, and how that was what Mrs. Bessie was trying to teach her children. I also like how you convey the your belief that the kids themselves must come to their own conclusions to prepare for their future lives. This was very well done.
DeleteMargaret Atwood’s “My Last Duchess” is multifaceted in its examination of a young girl’s uncertainty towards her self-worth within society as it likens her dilemma with the mindset of Robert Browning’s Duke in the poem of the same name. Ms. Bessie, as an instructor, attempts to hammer her students into preparation for the upcoming exam yet constantly pauses, waiting for her class to answer for themselves. Since the exam will be “a test of [their characters]” (58), her students must learn to develop autonomy, a core teaching that cannot simply be handed out through a lecture.
ReplyDeleteGiven the context of the time period in which girls “weren’t sure where [they] were headed” and “[would] have to get married, or else become old maids” (58), the narrator finds solace in her academic independence. Mired within the confines of social expectations, she identifies with the Duke’s power as a representation of control – someone with an air of sophistication, who is unrestricted by circumstances that plague those considered less inferior. The narrator, hence, perceives the Duchess as a “disgusting dumb bunny” (72), with an “annoying” smile shared by many “girls at school” “in the same earnest, humourless way” (66). What the narrator grows to accept is that Bill is very much in the same caliber, dependent upon his girlfriend to didactically explain the poem for him and similar in degrees of superficial understanding. Likewise, her parents fail to comprehend her circumstances and cannot be approached as a source of confidence or reliability.
As a result, when the story concludes, the narrator finds herself “all on [her] own” (76), to be replaced by others the next year. Yet, she has somewhat achieved clarity as she is not thinking about Bill but rather the “something” Ms. Bessie wanted her to uncover: the value within herself, unanchored and unsoiled by the people around her.
Hi Brendon!
DeleteI liked how you incorporated the narrator's earlier sentiments and interactions into one cohesive thought. Your writeup helped me to see that even from the beginning, Ms. Bessie's intentions were present: both in the classroom and out. Ms. Bessie's "hidden" lesson could only be fully grasped at the end, after the narrator has gone through the trials of fighting with Bill and the frustration of traditional gender roles. Thanks for the didactic blog post!
Hi Brendon,
DeleteI think it's nice that you embrace the narrator's thoughts from the beginning of the story to the end. I do agree what you talk about autonomy, because Ms. Bessie is aware that her students must develop this skill to succeed in life. One thing I feel you miss is that an implication of women's disadvantage in society is present.
Sravani Alla
ReplyDeletePeriod 6
In Margaret Atwood’s short story, Miss Bessie and the other teachers want their students to know “something” that will help them in their lives beyond high school. From the start of the story, the narrator claims that Miss Bessie “wanted top marks” from all of her students, which would not only reflect well on her as a teacher, but also push her students to go above and beyond so that they are used to doing more than just the bare minimum. The narrator embraces this instruction a she is able to clearly understand “The Last Duchess” without any help from Miss Bessie as well as being able to carefully analyze characters such as Ophelia from “Hamlet”. Bill, on the other hand, is not able to think insightfully about the unknowns in “The Last Duchess”, which serve as a metaphor for the unknowns in life, as he wants “everything to be clear cut. Furthermore, Miss Bessie also emphasizes that her students must be ready to face all situations independently “and not panic”. The narrator realizes while she is lying awake that Miss Bessie wants to prepare her students for all situations so that they don’t end up like the “hapless, annoying, dumb bunny girls” that they have read and studied in various plays and novels. In a way, by teaching her students to be prepared and to go above and beyond, she is encouraging the girls especially to be strong and independent females who are capable of making their own choices. Miss Bessie is also encouraging them to explore the unknown, which is symbolized by the dark tunnel that she shows the narrator, who is capable of both pushing through the difficult questions that she is confronted with as well as being an independent young adult even while living in her parents’ home.
Hi Sravani! I agree that the "something" is also what the teachers wish to convey to their students as they venture on into the adult world. I never thought of Bill's inability to think beneath the surface as a "metaphor for the unknowns in life" so I think that's a really interesting idea! Furthermore, I love the connection between the unknown and the dark tunnel. Good job!
DeleteHi Sravani! I noticed you made some excellent use of evidence from the text! Reading through the responses, I think many of us missed the subtle detail of "...and not panic," which really added to your argument about teachers wanting the students, especially the girls, to be capable of formulating their own beliefs and making their own decisions without much faltering. In fact, Miss Bessie's effectiveness as a teacher is demonstrated by how she, as you put it, "push[es] her students to go above and beyond" and be exceptional, rather than just good. Great insight!
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ReplyDeleteHey Serene! I agree that the “something” refers to “the commencement of an independent life”. I have never considered the point that Miss Bessie “standing in a patch of sunlight” shows the readers that she is only partly an instructor as she encourages her students to be independent in order to be prepared for life. I also loved how you related the tunnel to a “life without security”. The dark tunnel removes the character from her safety zone and threatens her by placing her in the unknowns of the real world.
DeleteSravani Alla
Period 6
A well-written piece is not superficial. A well-written piece, one that provokes sincere thought and meaningful discussion, is neither elementary nor effortless. A well-written piece, one that triggers that coveted moment of awareness, is instead layered with subtleties, and ambiguities, and patterns. The delicate distinction between “known munificence” and “glorious riches”, for instance, or the importance of a double negative to understate unseemly ambition (line 49). Accordingly, the ability to understand these intricate layers are the “something” that the protagonist’s teachers endeavor to convey to their students.
ReplyDeleteYet there is a bigger meaning than the ability to “untangle” a piece of literature; such a skill is of course helpful on an exam or in a discussion, but what is the practical relevance? Atwood answers this question by concluding her short story with a rather mature realization from her young protagonist—she’d be “going on...finding things out...all on [her] own” (76). Her wise understanding draws parallels with the “something” that her teachers tried to convey, as both are examples of analyzing and understanding the uncharted. The “something”, for instance, includes the complex themes and author’s purposes that are initially “too tangled” (75), but students must learn to identify on their own; similarly, the foreboding “dark tunnel” represents the life lessons that are currently “too oblique” (75), but she will learn with time. Consequently, these teachers are not only training simple literary analytical skills in students but giving them analytical skills for life.
What conclusions will be drawn from such analysis is unforeseeable—perhaps she’ll learn not to be “too trusting” (74) like Ophelia or not to “stupidly accept a drive home with a jerk” (74) like Tess. Regardless, her schooling has prepared her for her future, for the dark tunnel and the unknown waiting beyond.
Hi Lindsey!
DeleteI thought it was really thought provoking how you argue that what the lesson the teachers are trying to impart is the ability to understand the lessons themselves. I talked about something similar, preparing students for the future. However, I did not even think about the independent analytical skills needed in order for the students to comprehend their "prescribed texts." Without such skill, they would not be able to learn from the texts, let alone understand them. Very interesting response!
Hi Lindsey!
DeleteI completely agree that the teachers are training their students to learn to "untangle" the "oblique" on their own. Your point on students learning life lessons from characters from books that they read in class was extremely thought-provoking--I never looked at it in that way. Thus, I liked how you incorporated examples of lessons the narrator learned from Ophelia and Tess, characters of different books, as well as the Duke and Duchess from the poem. It is very reasonable to think that these lessons would help guide students into this foreboding dark tunnel of the unknown.
Lindsey!
DeleteYour writing style is so captivating; I love your use of rhetorical questions and the opening statement, "A well-written piece is not superficial." I like the view you take when comparing the actual lessons to the "uncharted." It is also interesting and somewhat true that what the teachers want their pupils to know is unforeseeable-we may not ever know what that "something" is.
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ReplyDeleteMichelle Huang
ReplyDeletePeriod 4
The story “The Last Duchess” by Margaret Atwood has themes of feminism woven throughout its story-telling. Not only does Atwood address the problems involving the empowerment of women at the time by stating that the only way to go on was through school- otherwise, they were subject to “get[ting] married,” or becoming “old maids” (58). Atwood, through her short story, uses the poem “The Last Duchess” to provide an example of the norm of society’s expectations and to employ as an example of what to do to break free of those bonds.
The something that the teachers are referring to in “The Last Duchess” has to do with growing up. Teachers and other mentors are there to guide students up to their graduation, but, ultimately, life is lived by each individual and decisions cannot be made through another person. Atwood’s character, Miss Bessie, who is the epitome of a great teacher because she wanted “top marks from us [students] all,” emanates Atwood’s theme of feminism because Miss Bessie is expecting the same results from both genders; this demonstrates Atwood’s intention to impress upon her female readers that a woman has to be aware that they are able to do so much more than just what society expects from them- which is in this case, to be dumber than the boys.
Furthermore, the narrator’s distaste for literature involving “dumb bunny girls” is telling of the success in Miss Bessie’s methods of teaching because the narrator is deciding for herself that girls being depicted as “dumb” should not be the chosen representatives of the women everywhere. The something that teachers are referring to is that girls should recognize their right to more elevated roles in society because they deserve it and that in no way are girls either helpless or dumb.
Hi Michelle! I think the feminist take on this prompt is really interesting and I definitely agree. The narrator is a very strong willed and unique character that definitely touches on society's ideals. She is observant of the constant sexism around her but also questions the morality of such ideals inside. Therefore, I agree with you that Miss Bessie, through these novels, is trying to convey to the girls that they are more than what society expects from them. Good job!
DeleteHey Michelle! I never considered how Margaret Atwood intertwined themes of feminism throughout the short story. Now that I look back at the time period, it makes so much more sense as to why the narrator and main character was a girl, since she is a parallel to the Duke from “The Last Duchess”. Furthermore, I loved how you stated that “life is lived by each individual and decisions cannot be made through another person”. It perfectly encapsulates everything that Miss Bessie stands for and is the “something” that she is trying to teach her students.
DeleteSravani Alla
Period 6
The short story, “My Last Duchess” by Margaret Atwood, is dominated by two strong female characters, Miss Bessie and Nell, and the minor introduction of an opposing male character, Bill.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the story, Nell’s mind is triggered by complex situations that surround her regarding life and its peculiarities, such as poetry, relationships, and independence. Nell and her classmates are first introduced to a poem titled “My Last Duchess”, and from the start we observe Miss Bessie pursuing the awakening of her students’ minds through questions like, “What does the single word, last, tell us right away” (50), and “what does as if tell us” (53). Right after the questions are asked, we follow as Nell’s secluded thoughts unfold and configure an answer to every question Miss Bessie poses, for example Nell trails into deep thought over the meaning of the word “last”-- deciphering it’s exact connotation and significance. This is a pattern throughout the story as the class continues evaluating the poem and also as Nell observes society and its implications of women in that time, she mentions, “As for us girls, we weren’t sure where we were headed. If we didn’t go on we’d have to get married, or else become old maids” (58). I don’t think it’s a coincidence that these gender issues are mentioned, or that it is merely background information to the story, this and the repetitive saying “dumb-bunny girls”, contributes to the teacher’s purpose of the specific “book list”, the list of literature that obtains the “something” that needs to be known. The teachers are all female, after all, and it is seen through the character of Miss Bessie that “going on” is inevitable in life and it is independence (specifically for women) and self-thinking that will guide someone through the “dark tunnel”; it is important that these ideas must be learned and not given to the students in order for them to reach the end of the tunnel. The “something” that Miss Bessie and the other teachers are trying to expose to the children through the meanings of different works of literature, is self-realization: the idea of fulfilling one’s own potential.
Hi Phi! I thought it was interesting how you mentioned all the teachers were girls -- it really gives a deeper meaning to the underlying feminist tones of this short story. Especially with the character of Miss Bessie, who exemplifies all that a woman and a teacher should be according to the narrator. I hadn't thought of that before.
DeleteHey Sophia,
DeleteI really loved how you were incorporate the time period into your post. While we do not exactly when it occurred, we do know that it was a time when women were still looked down upon by society. It is assumed that the boys will be doctors and lawyers, but how about the girls? It is important for all people, either man or woman, to be able to discover who he or she is. To not have to rely on men and be a "dumb bunny." In my argument I only thought about independence, but what I should have realized, and what you have shown, is that self-realization is what is important. The tunnel is dark because you can only discover yourself by yourself, not with the help of a teacher. The tunnel is dark because instead of looking outside (teachers) for help, you have to look withing yourself.
Tina Zhao
ReplyDeletePeriod 4
During a time period when females only had the choice “to get married...or die old maids” (58), Ms. Bessie is a glaring inconsistency. Even among the other female teachers who are in the same position as her, she stands out. While they are considered “hopeless, ill groomed drudges,” (52) she alone is admired by her students for her confidence and credentials. When the narrator is lonely and anxious from arguing with Bill, she derives feelings of comfort when her thoughts turn to Ms. Bessie “standing in a patch of sunlight,” (75) having her symbolize a guardian angel who will lead her students down the right path. In this way, Ms. Bessie acts as a source of reassurance to the narrator, hence why she is the one the narrator imagines pulling back the curtain to the dark tunnel. Speaking of the dark tunnel, it represents the narrator’s unclear future. More importantly, it’s a clear contrast to the mentioned “fork in the road” (58), which represents the limiting options that girls had for their future: marry or grow old alone. It just so happens that these same standards are set for women in the works Ms. Bessie discusses such as Hamlet, The Last Duchess, and Tess of the d’Ubervilles in which the women are in the subservient role. Ms. Bessie, herself, ironically breaks these standards, showing her students that it’s okay to deviate from these standards. With this contrast between reality and fiction, she conveys her message—find your individual path. The path to the future is no longer a two-forked road, but a dark tunnel that implies endless possibilities only if the narrator takes the first step on her journey to self-discovery.
Hi Tina, I found your analysis on Ms. Bessie and comment about the dark tunnel incredibly interesting! I had originally thought the dark tunnel evoked feelings of dread for the unknown, never considering that the dark tunnel could be interpreted in a positive light—a path to endless possibilities. After reading your comment, my understanding of the story has now widened.
DeleteHey Tina~
DeleteI really like how you tied how Ms. Bessie is such an idol figure into this question about the "something" they're trying to teach and the dark tunnel. And agreeing with Jessie, I like how positively you interpreted the tunnel scene. Really nice analysis!
Hi Tina, I like your discussion on the contrasts and especially how you analyzed Miss Bessie, saying she herself was a “glaring inconsistency” to the two possible futures a woman could have at the time. Your analysis ties various parts in a really cohesive way. Great job!
DeleteI believe Ms. Bessie--and the women she “conferred” with-- are trying to teach the narrator and her classmates how to think for themselves. Ms. Bessie facilitates discussion and guides the students, but does not explicitly tell them what or how to think. Much as the “dumb bunny” females rely on men, the students seem to rely on teachers, and the plight of the female characters are telling of what may happen to the students if they do not learn to overcome this dependence. Initially, the narrator agrees with the class’ opinion of the Duke, but later-- through her own critical thinking-- comes to sympathize with him. This indicates that she is developing a sense of independence that will be crucial to her future. The narrator also describes a “dark tunnel,” symbolic of her unknown future, that she must enter alone and navigate without any help-- from Ms. Bessie or otherwise. The “tangled...oblique” concept that the teachers seek to teach is the ability to be independent, to develop personal opinions, and to accept those opinions even if no one else does.
ReplyDeleteChrixy Lam P4
Hi Chrixy! I especially liked how you compared the "dumb bunnies" reliance on men to the students' reliance on their teachers. It was a possibility I haven't thought of yet so your whole paragraph was really enjoyable to read!
DeleteChrixy! Yes! Like Grace, I was fascinated by the connection you made between the narrator's perception of women relying on men to students relying on teachers. It's also interesting how the narrator actually sympathizes with the Duke, reflecting that her opinions are still heavily influenced by society.
DeleteKevin Conroy, Period 4
ReplyDeleteI believe the "something" that Mrs. Bessie is referencing is the future of the children in her class. While Nell first believed she would have to marry rich, or face the prospect of becoming an old maid. Mrs Bessie is showing her what teachers have been trying to teach students since time immemorial, whatever happens in the future is entirely up to the person in question. Teachers like Mrs. Bessie can only guide people, they cannot make the decisions for them. It is up to the student to make the decisions for themselves. This also means that the future is not so cut and dry as Nell believes, and there are more than just two outcomes. Nell has has the ability to do whatever she wants, she just has to find her own path through the dark tunnel, even though she has been groomed from to believe that she only had two options from a young age. While Mrs. Bessie was teaching the literature, she taught it in a way that would empower her students into daring to find their own path rather than waiting for the path to come to them.
Hey Kevin!
DeleteYou have great analysis for your argument. I agree with your stance because I also believe that we hold the keys to our future. Truly, other people may influence our lives--just as Miss Bessie impacts her students--however, we individually are in charge of our lives.
Hi Kevin! I agree with your idea that Miss Bessie holds no power over what happens in her students' lives, and that she can only impact them with her teaching. Nice analysis!
DeleteHey Kevin!
DeleteWhile I was reading your argument, I was nodding in agreement the entire time. In my post, I made the exact point on how students are ultimately the decision-makers for themselves. I really love how you expanded on that idea and added that there are more than just two paths a girl can walk and how Miss Bessie incorporated that idea through literature. Great ideas!
In "The Last Duchess" the something that they need to learn is how to be independent. The author does not like girls that are dumb bunnies yet she is forced to read books with them in school. The teachers that are making the list of books for the students are showing them how not to act. The girls should not be dumb bunnies, and should be strong, independent girls. The dark path is also referring to this because the path symbolized the path that the girls will go through. At first it will be hard and uncertain where you are going, but as you get more independent you can change the way society looks at you. This is an important lesson to the girls because during this time the girls only had two choices, being a housewife or being an old maid. By learning and going through this difficult process, the girls can make a respectable pace for themselves without the help of men.
ReplyDeleteHi Ryan
DeleteI have never thought of that way of seeing the story before because I saw it a forewarning of the future. I agree with you that the teachers use the stories as a sort of call to action for their students to be more than what society wants them to be. They are nudging them to be the best person that they can be and not let outside pressures detour them from who they truly are.
Stephanie Zhang
ReplyDeletePeriod 6
In the short story “My Last Duchess”, Margaret Atwood portrays an unusual teenage girl who is puzzled by her future in the end of her Senior year. Through the development of the short story, the narrator gradually discovers and unravels her teacher’s purpose and what she really wants with her life. Her teacher Miss Bessie always “ wanted top marks from us all.” She doesn’t merely want the good grades from the students; Rather, she urges them to truly grasp the knowledge and make it become part of their own. Unlike other students in her age, the narrator yearns to earn a bright future for herself, but at the same time she is confused about her current tasks at school. Indeed, many literary works are inexplicable, and she wonders why there are multiple complicated things “hidden in the stories”. The narrator’s boyfriend is frustrated by the poem, because he believes the poem is useless, but that’s because he only sees the surface of its message. On the other hand, the narrator is different from other students in that she interprets and analyzes the poem critically, which helps her find more insights into the intention of the duke. The teachers know in advance the the path after high school is uneasy, and full of obstacles. Life will be tangled, chaotic, and complicated, just like literature. The teachers cannot always be there when the students make decisions in their life, whether they are right or wrong. This is why the teachers want to challenge the students earlier to warn them the dangers ahead of them. Nothing is structured or perfectly organized for anyone. The narrator would be “inside the tunnel”, all on her own. She has to learn to prepare herself for the erratic changes in the future.
Hey Stephanie!
DeleteYour analysis is on point and I really like the comparison you made between life and literature. Literature can be vague, but the uncertainty of the answer is what makes it worth finding out. The same goes for our lives and though we may be plagued with doubt about what will happen, we must be able to adapt when the time comes.
Stephanie,
DeleteI really liked your response as you explained your thoughts thoroughly in a very organized fashion. I have to agree with the statement you made about Miss Bessie: she definitely wishes the best in her students future and wants to give them useful real life advice. I like how you explain your thoughts using specific context examples as I was able to follow your trail of thoughts a lot more easily. Also being a high school senior, I believe I am also the "puzzled and confused senior" who is unsure about my future just like you mentioned about the main character of the short story. I liked your analysis!
Tiffany Lau
ReplyDeletePeriod 6
High School is a time for people to explore and discover. We are no longer children, but not yet adults. Big decisions regarding the future have to be made, especially for seniors like the main character of Margaret Atwood's "The Last Duchess." During this chaotic, internal journey who better to guide students during this journey than teachers?
This "something" that Miss Bessie and the other teachers are attempting to teach is identity. The identity of the individual is imperative as young adults are making their way into the "real world." If you consider the books we read in high school-- from freshman year with Ender, sophomore year with Holden, junior year with Huck, senior year with Denver-- we follow characters with a huge variety of internal conflicts, but all of them are struggling to find one thing: themselves. Each character's story is meant to teach us some kind of lesson-- whether it be morals, individuality, or just comforting us that we are not alone on a difficult journey.
"The Last Duchess" is no different. It makes the journey to find our identities even more relatable as the main character is in the exact same place that we are now, as seniors preparing for a magnanimous step ahead. Atwood speaks through her interpretation of an ideal teacher, Miss Bessie: "... you can do better than that. A man's reach should exceed his grasp." In this way, teachers prepare students for the road ahead by encouraging them to always push themselves. They should never settle for the first answer they reach, but prod themselves to outthink themselves. Atwood also demonstrates the underlying teaching of identity through the main character's own reflections towards the end of the story. She refers to a "dark tunnel ahead," a symbol for the future, and states that "the entrance [to the tunnel] was where Miss Bessie had to stop. Inside the tunnel was what I was meant to learn." Hence, the lesson cannot be fully taught, alluding to the the "complicated" and "oblique" face of identity. Although teachers try to prepare their students for even greater battles ahead, students must grope their own way through the dark tunnel of the future because identity can ultimately only be learned through experience.
Hi Tiffany! I liked the personal connection you made within your response, linking the meaning behind the story to your reality and your experiences, which I think strengthened your response. It allowed me, as a reader, to clearly comprehend the "something" needed to be known by the students.
DeleteHi Tiffany! Your response was so well thought out and easy to relate to. I definitely agree that the underlying themes of high school literature have been all, in some way or another, in relation to the evolution of identity. I loved the way you connected the idea from high school literature in general, to the poem, and finally to us as high school seniors. Great post!
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ReplyDeleteKelsea Jeon
ReplyDeletePeriod 6
One’s gender can say a lot about him or her -- at least in a patriarchal society. In the short story “My Last Duchess” by Margaret Atwood, Miss Bessie and the other teachers warn and teach students, particularly the narrator, about the need to be independent. When the narrator describes the teachers, she admits, “They knew something we needed to know, but it was a complicated thing” (75). This “something” that the narrator refers to is growing up and being independent of men.
After the narrator and her boyfriend break up, she describes female characters from her school books -- Tess, the Last Duchess, and Ophelia -- all women whom she referred to as “hapless, annoying, dumb-bunny girls” (74). According to the narrator, all these women are overtrusting, fall in the hands of the wrong men, and end up being bumped off; their over-dependence on men lead to their demise.
The link between these three literary characters and the “something” that the teachers are trying to teach their students to know is that the teachers were the ones who chose the stories and hid the lessons “within the stories” (75). The teachers had intended for students to realize, from reading these stories, that it’s dangerous to be vulnerable before men and before others. When an individual fails to stand their ground and declare their independence, they fall in the hands of individuals who dictate their lives.
This prudent lesson about reality -- of the real world, of the dangers of being too dependent on others -- is the “something” that the teachers want their students to learn from their readings.
Hey Kelsea!
DeleteI loved how you discussed how the "something" is independence from men; this lesson is necessary to learn considering the circumstances during the time period. I believe that Miss Bessie teaches these stories with "dumb bunny girls" as a warning to her female students to avoid becoming these same images. By stopping before the dark tunnel, Miss Bessie is indeed teaching her students independence, as her students must embark on this journey alone.
Hi Kelsea!
DeleteI like how you connected your analysis to feminism, talking about how the teachers wanted girls to know that they could be more than just "married" or "old maids." It's interesting that you pointed out that the "dumb bunnies" were just too dependent on others because I hadn't really considered that perspective before. I realize now that these people were not incapable-- just not living up to their full potential.
Tiffany Lau
Period 6
Aye Chan Moe
ReplyDeletePeriod 6
The struggle of the narrator in Margaret Atwood’s “The Last Duchess” to pinpoint what the teachers wish to convey to the class through their choice of syllabus is indicative of her astute nature. Her intelligence has been repeatedly demonstrated prior, when she would “go through the stacks of” (53) magazines and novels, and her ability to comprehend that she has “learned quite a lot, by avoiding what [she] was supposed to be learning” (54) is a prime example of the narrator’s introspection, a common trait among brilliant minds. It is therefore very likely that, just as the protagonist has noted, the teachers indeed mean to impart an important lesson through the literature of their choosing.
Considering the context in which Atwood’s story took place, part of the female protagonist’s apprehension for the future stems from her aptitude for critical thinking – often times, the smartest people are the most anxious. She understands that as a female living in a society constricted by traditional gender roles, her options are limited and her future uncertain. Hence, the concept of the “dismaying fork in the road” (58) of either getting married or becoming old maids if she “[does not] go on” (58) is the “something” (75) that the teachers, who are “women” (75) themselves, wish for their students – especially the girls – to reject. There should not be an “either or” condition for the girls in the first place – ideally, a small group of the more perceptive female students, such as the narrator herself, would find fault in this reasoning, this stipulation to be members of society, and repudiate it to then break out of this mold society sets aside for them; in reality though, it is more likely that the teachers hope to warn the larger population of the less insightful of the danger of being “these hapless, annoying, dumb-bunny girls” (74) the narrator finds distasteful: getting “bumped off” by the men (53).
The sad reality of the world in which the protagonist lives lies in the fact that this is the largest extent to which the teachers could relate a life lesson to the young girls in the student population. Just like how Miss Bessie can only “[hold] aside the curtain” (75) for the narrator to travel through the “dark tunnel” (75) alone, the teachers can merely warn these generations of girls the struggle of being a female in a patriarchal society, and maybe – just maybe – a select few could identify and fight against the entrenched problem to allow the rest of the girls a better place in the world.
Hi Aye, I thought it was really interesting when you mentioned how , "often times, the smartest people are the most anxious". The idea that this allows the students, especially the main character, to feel uncertain about their future career paths is something I had not thought of. The teachers really are here to guide these students to a certain extent through literature.
DeleteHey Aye,
DeleteThis is beautiful! The points you touched upon seem very much like the key ideas to this passage. The "introspective" abilities of the speaker, the guidance of Bessie in a patriarchal society, the uncertainty of the future, and the hope and guidance needed for the future. I completely agree with all of your commentary on these. Amazing!
Andrew O.
P.4
Shawn Xing Period 6
ReplyDeleteThe “something” that the teachers want the students to know includes analytical skills that can help the students mature into the next stage of their lives. Margaret Atwood deliberately titles her short story “My Last Duchess” and not something like “My Last Boyfriend” to frame the entire short story around the context of analyzing the poem “My Last Duchess” in Miss Bessie’s English class. The relevance of Miss Bessie, occupying nearly all of the narrator’s thoughts, is key. Atwood uses the character of Miss Bessie the English teacher to highlight the importance of analytical skill--whether they are used to analyze “My Last Duchess” the poem or make the critical decisions necessary to transition into adulthood. Indeed, “the first line of a poem is very important, class… It sets the tone” is repeated again at the end of the story to highlight the relevance of analytical skill (76). This sentence is written in parallel to the subsequent and final sentences of the short story: “meanwhile, I myself would be inside the dark tunnel. I’d be going on. I’d be finding things out. I’d be all on my own” (76). The idea that analyzing the poem and having to venture into the unknown (future) are written side by side suggests that Atwood believes that analytical skill may be essential to growing up. Of course, in the spirit of Miss Bessie, this conclusion has also been brought about by my own analytical skills. English is often “too tangled,.. Too oblique,” just like how life is supposed to be. Thankfully, teachers like Miss Bessie (and Ms. Lucas!!) prepare students to effectively analyze and solve problems.
Hi Shawn!
DeleteYour interpretation of the "something" being analytical skills is refreshing. Your analysis of Atwood choosing the title to be "My Last Duchess" instead of "My Last Boyfriend" to reinforce the idea that the story is an analysis of the poem was something new that I had not considered. I also liked your ending about how teachers are preparing students to analyze and solve their own problems. Very true.
Greetings Shawn!
DeleteI completely agree with your explanation of how teachers' roles are to prepare us to analyze problems. In response to your comment, I believe that the narrator is more like a messenger than the duke. The narrator, like the envoy, must also come to her own conclusions (she is told that the Duchess is friendly, or perhaps too friendly, but must come to her own conclusions about the Duchess's fate.)
Cello Banana is Danna Xue P6
DeleteHey Shawn,
DeleteGreat writing as always! Very interesting analysis of Bessie's role in Atwood's work. She very much so acts as a guide for the speaker and helping her develop her own analytical skills. I also completely agree with the relation to development of analytical skills and maturing. Also, VERY VERY good point about how CERTAIN teachers can prepare students to analyze and solve problems!
Andrew O.
Sarah Troescher
ReplyDeletePeriod 4
When we read any piece of literature, we will sometimes read it for fun, sometimes for the theme, and other times for the lessons we can draw from it. In "My Last Duchess" by Margaret Atwood, the teachers want their pupils to find the life lessons that literature can provide. Life lessons are hard to convey, “too tangled...too oblique. [They are] hidden within the stories” (75). When pondered over, the lessons that are found in literature are not always evident and require some thought, as well as experience. These women have experienced more than our narrator has, so when she states her “parents were sleeping peacefully; they know nothing of doomed love, of words spoken in anger, of fated separation” (74), it shows just how naive she is and all that she has yet to learn. When referring to Miss Bessie, it is evident that the narrator sees her as someone who has taught her significant life lessons just in the way she teaches, dresses, and encourages the students. So having Miss Bessie in on the “secret meetings” and having her choose precisely which works to cover makes her more of the life-lessons figure. This idea of life lessons is highlighted by the idea of our narrator being alone in the dark tunnel without the help of Miss Bessie. If Miss Bessie and the other teachers have done their job well, the narrator will have the tools and literary lessons she needs to find her way to the other side.
Hi Sarah,
DeleteI really liked the quote you used in your response, which is "too tangled...too oblique". The adjectives in your quote are very effective in supporting your statement regarding the degree of difficulty of life lessons that the teachers are trying to convey to the students. Also, I thought it was interesting how you proposed a hypothetical situation of the resulting effects if Ms. Bessie had successfully taught her students the curriculum and tools for success in the future. Good job on your blog response!
Raymond Chang
ReplyDeleteThe narrator’s frustration with herself throughout the story comes to a general consensus at the end to become an independent, resectable woman -- like Ms. Bessie. Due to the stereotype of women imposed through society, as seen through the degradation of the Duke’s late Duchess, as well as Bill’s anger towards his girlfriend being smarter, the narrator feels trapped with the impression that there exists so many “dumb bunnies.” When describing moving through the “dark tunnel” that is guided by Ms. Bessie, the audience is able to infer that the narrator is taking the necessary steps to become more independent, no matter how treacherous the path may be. With mentors such as Ms. Bessie, a feminine but nevertheless, witty and strong woman, the narrator can easily find her way to the “tunnel.” It is making it through that is the hard part, thus why she must reference the works of literature she learns in class--when teachers slave over what work to teach in class, they are trying to find those that reflect an appropriate message\ so students can take and apply to their own lives.
Hi Katie,
DeleteThank you for putting such meaningful insights into the story. I think that the stereotypes of women in the society seems to make the narrator an outcast and therefore she feels different from others. But I really like how the narrator takes control of her own life, regardless of how others feel. She is able to make bold decisions that others would never do. We are currently under a transition where our passion and maturity intercept. Often times we found ourselves trapped in a dark room where no one could understand how we really feel. It is just like interpreting a poem, that we are always puzzled by a certain phrase. However, throughout the journey, we learn from our mistakes and emotions; And eventually, we will find the light that directs us to our own way. -Stephanie Zhang
Katie,
DeleteI completely agree on your argument as I believe your opinion has a similar stance to mine. Your last sentence, how you believe the teachers wish to find the proper message that the students will find useful in the future, stood out to me the most. Furthermore, I am all for your statement that the main character feels restrained and held back by society's judgement on women; she feels held back as women are generally viewed and act less independent without men. I like how you have established your thesis with specific examples from the text, such as your perspective on the "dark tunnel"; it made me understand your point of view more effectively.
In Margaret Atwood’s “My Last Duchess”, the “something” that the teachers are referring to is readiness for the upcoming challenges whether it be going to University or learning traits. It’s teaching them how to be prepared on their own, independence. In our 18 years of life we’ve always had a teacher or someone who is guiding our thoughts and actions. After these 18 years we are expected to go out in the real word and make our own grown up decision without any warmup and if we mess up were expected to handle it ourselves. The “something” the teachers are referring to is knowing that the students will be alright when the teachers disappear. The text that they learn from with “hapless, annoying, dumb-bunny girls” is taught to them so women like the narrator don't have to rely on men because she had teachers like Miss. Bettie to teach her the fundamentals of independence.
ReplyDeleteHi Julia, I like how you talked about the hapless, dumb bunny girls. I too think that this taught the women to not rely on men. I also liked your idea of the "something" as the readiness for the challenges. It was similar to the way that I thought of the "something" was the independence that they needed to learn.
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ReplyDeleteMelody Hsueh
ReplyDeletePeriod 6
In Margaret Atwood’s, “My Last Duchess,” the something that the teachers were trying to convey is referring to the importance of staying in the right direction and finding motivation as life goes on and passes by. Based on the story, it is clear that the narrator has an ambition for her future even though she is entering a “dark tunnel.” No one knows what will happen in the tunnel, but there will always be an end to it. Miss Bessie teaches her to stay in the right direction even though women of her time were expected to be married, or old maids. Miss Bessie “...drove us[them] briskly through the curriculum….so we[they] could assimilate the material of importance” and prepare for them for the finals which determines their future. Even though it seems as though Miss Bessie is teaching everyone for the sake of finals, she is actually teaching them the importance of their future after the finals. This is important for the narrator because she seeks to attend an university after high school; however, unlike the rich kids, somehow “a place would be made.” In My Last Duchess, Miss Bessie teaches this hidden message within the story by showing the process of replacement in the Duke’s way of thinking, hinting to her to move on as Bill passes in her life. Also, Miss Bessie probably intended to tell the story to the students so the narrator and her classmates would not turn out like one of those “dumb-bunnies” and married for another person’s sake.
Hey Melody,
DeleteI love how you did not just say "learn lessons for the future" and instead when on to describe it is important to find direction and motivation in life. It really plays off the metaphor as the tunnel is dark, but there is only one direction for her to go in the future. I also like how you related the poem with the story. I hope that she moves on from Bill just like the Duke because she can go on and do so much better in life.
Hi Melody!! I totally agree with what you said and I also like how you related the poem to the story because everything in literature seems to teach real-life lessons. People can relate their own actions to a character's in literature and find connections in situations and learn from the story itself. I think this idea is one of the main aspects of Miss Bessie's way of teaching her students how to get through life in a good and healthy way.
DeleteSo, what is the “something” the teachers are talking about? What exactly are the brewing – frog’s soup? Pig’s nose? Double, double, toil and trouble? (A little reference from Macbeth) Well… I believe that something is the narrator’s own identity – that is, she must find out on her own her role in society because, right now, she ain’t doing so well. As one of “the last year’s students” at her school, the narrator struggles to take the first step into her life as an adult. She is, in other words, sheltered, both intellectually and emotionally. Intellectually, in the way she does not realize her shared faults with the Duke –that is, “bumping off” mates who are supposedly too innocent and “trusting;” and emotionally, in the way she fails to assert herself in a world that oppresses woman. She is lost, as indicated in her fear of the unknown in the ever-so dark tunnel she must travel. Without her only guide and ray of sunshine, Miss Bessie, she has no example of who she needs to become in the future. To some extent, however, she unconsciously realizes that she wants to be as successful as Miss Bessie; basically, someone who is put together, especially like Miss Bessie, who was defied all social norms and has risen above and beyond despite being a woman. That is why the narrator places Miss Bessie on a pedestal; she strives to gain the identity as an independent, hardworking woman, instead of being a homemaker who is subservient to her husband, much like the Duke’s personality. However, what the narrator ultimately fails to realize are the consequences of defying social norms, and they are shown in the anger of her attitude. She constantly criticizes the curriculum for making her learn about “hapless, annoying dumb-bunny girls.” She argues with Bill that the duchess was just a push-over, someone who was asking to be “bumped off.” And surprisingly, she is correct to some extent, since in the eyes of a twenty-first century reader, we, as a society, expect women to be equally capable of men with high-degree jobs. However, if we shift the perspective (hint, hint. I’m using what we learned in class…) of the reader to one who has grown up in the 50’s, we can see why she may incorrect in the eyes of their peers. Most, if not all, girls in her class have accepted their fate of “[getting married] or [becoming] an old maid.” In one way or another, their futures have been locked. Even getting good grades do not matter, since it postpones the inevitable of encountering “the dismaying fork in the road” of their lives. So, in the society of the narrator’s, her views about “dumb bunny girls” can be looked upon as abnormal or untrue, which is seen when Bill argues that it was the Duke’s fault, and not the duchess’, for ruining the relationship. In his eyes, and those in many others, he deems the duchess’ obsequiousness to be normal, since he has been taught that women are supposed to subservient to their husbands; however, he criticizes the duke for quickly disposing the duchess, who he should have been loyal to. As for the narrator, her opinions completely oppose that of Bill. Viewing herself as an independent woman, she blames the duchess for being unassertive and understands the duke’s reasons for abandoning her, which is fine and all, but she fails to be open-minded about her situation. She does not realize that her society, which is the majority, obviously, disagrees with her completely, and would be quick to say – in a sexist way – that women should know their place.
ReplyDelete(continued)
That is why she is constantly angry about the duchess, about Bill, and about society in general. She feels as though her morality and, more importantly, her ambition are being impeded just because society says otherwise. She wants to become something more than just a house maid. She wants to become a doctor, a CEO of a company, an economist, or a teacher, just like Miss Bessie, but she cannot come to accept society’s views on the subservient role of woman. Almost in a way, the narrator is fighting a hopeless battle, trying endlessly to swim upstream and failing all the same. She cannot win, but she does not need to win. All she can do is accept the world around her, start from there, and rise above and beyond despite the unfavorable circumstances. Be like Miss Bessie, they would say. And from there, I will conclude my essay stating that this lesson of humility is the “something” she must learn on her own, and her only, for nobody in this world, not even Miss Bessie, can teach her life lesson meant only to be learned by experience.
ReplyDeleteHi Sammy!
DeleteI like how you incorporate the narrator's ideas from the beginning of the story to the end. I feel your thoughts are almost exactly the same as mine, as the "lesson" is that disadvantage of women in life. Thanks for pointing out one thing I missed in my blog post - the anger the narrator has toward the society's morals.
Jessie Hui
ReplyDeletePd 4
Aside from using a vague term like “something” in order to reveal that the narrator herself is unsure of what it exactly is, I think the ambiguous yet all encompassing nature of the word also indicates that, depending on the book or poem, that “something” is different. It could be a particular theme, the techniques of persuasion used, or simply the beauty of the language in the work. Regardless of what that “something” is, the goal is for students to use what they have learned from it and be able to apply it to their own life, preparing them for the rocky and unknown future. As the narrator insinuates, after leaving high school and no longer being Miss Bessie’s student, she would be “inside the dark tunnel…finding things out…all on [her] own”. We, like the narrator, must let go of the helping hands of our parents and teachers as we enter our adulthood and come to a self-discovery. Only we can make our own choices and sometimes that solution isn’t obvious, direct, or simple. Since life itself is “complicated” and “tangled”, students are pushed to develop critical thinking skills and learn lessons that widen their perspective as they are exposed to the literary works the teachers choose. Each book or poem provides a new “something” that will prove useful in the future.
Hi Jessie!
DeleteI really like your analysis of how the "something" can be different things. I hadn't thought of it in that way before and after reading your response, I'm starting to see a different interpretation/side to this question. But I really like how in the end, even if that "something" can be different depending on the book, you were able to tie it all together into one idea.
Hi Jessie!
DeleteI agree with Nancy; I didn't think of interpreting "something" as a vague term in itself to fit into different things to learn from each different story she taught. I also like how you pushed away from saying how she is trying to teach the students to be independent women because not all of them are female. I think it's very interesting how you thought of it as developing critical thinking skills to apply in real life.
Hi Jessie,
DeleteI thought your interpretation that the “something” could be different for every literary work is interesting, affirming the idea that each one has something valuable for us to learn. How exciting! I also like how you connect it to real life and reveal what we can take away from the story.
Ms. Bessie and the other teachers use books with "dumb bunny's" as main character's to teach the kids "something" that I believe is the wisdom to be a strong, independent woman, not unlike Ms. Bessie herself. As a high school student, the main character and most other high school kids, are shielded from the real world. They have teachers to guide them and parents to take care of the. However, through these books the teachers hope for their students to see the "darker side of life." All Ms. Bessie wants is for her students to succeed in their lives and these books will help them with that.
ReplyDeleteTess, the Duchess and Ophelia were all pushover women who had to deal with things like getting taken advantage of and death. However all of these stories were written in the past, when women never had a say in anything. Atwood's story takes place around the 1950"s when women do have some rights, but are not considered equal yet. Miss Bessie is trying to teach her that in today's society she does not have to be a dumb bunny, but can be an independent woman. She opens the tunnel to her because she is going into the unknown, a place Miss Bessie has not even seen because she did not have the fortune of growing up in a time where woman can be seen as equals. Miss Bessie wants something for her that she was not able to get herself. Miss Bessie is sending her off to the University getting her ready to find herself and become strong and independent.
I completely agree with your point, Clarence. In my response, I also delved into the different social statuses between men and women during the 1950’s. Creepily enough, we thought along on the same lines: you mentioned how women were not considered equal to men, although they still had some rights. I mentioned how women acted subservient to their husbands; you mentioned how the narrator struggles to become strong and independent. I did too, and so on and so forth. One point I have to disagree with you, however, is your statement about Miss Bessie, and how she has never even seen the tunnel herself. I feel as though that she has – that is why she is guiding her students into the tunnel in the first place. Not to mention, she has, despite being a woman, reached above and beyond by becoming a teacher in her generation.
DeleteHi Clarence!
DeleteI appreciate how you linked this to the status of women during the narrator's time frame, and I completely agree that she is trying to teach that a woman doesn't have to be a dumb bunny. I don't know how I feel about your statement on Miss Bessie never having the chance to enter the tunnel. I don't think she had the chance to go to college and studied literature in her time, so I would assume that she self-studied for her own sake and ambition. This ambition goes along with the "something" that I think she was trying to teach--to keep on the right track even under a "dark tunnel."
Through the poem "My Last Duchess", I believe Ms. Bessie is trying to provide future life skills so her students can be successful in their future endeavors. The way her students start pondering the different viewpoints and purposes the poem must have is something they should also consider in their jobs, social life, etc. For example when the narrator repeats the phrase "Bumped her off", it shows that the teachers definitely wanted to parallel the complexities of the poem with the complexities of life. The way the narrator is in deep thought trying to figure out the meaning of the line, is the way the Ms. Bessie wants to encourage how her students go about life. When presented with hardships, try to figure out the solution instead of running away from the problem. One of the messages the narrator interprets from Ms. Bessie is "You can do better than that" highlighting the high expectations she has. The poem encourages students to not expect the answer just to be given to them as they are embark on their new lives as adults where guidance will be limited.
ReplyDeleteHello Skanda. I like how your response is to the point, and how it vividly addresses your thoughts about the "something" the students need to know. You made certain connections that I didn't make or notice at first, like your comment on "bumped her off"; I like how you pointed out it's parallelism to harsh reality once you graduate high school.
DeleteThe “something” that the teachers are trying to teach is that contrary to what the narrator is seeing in the pieces of literature they are studying, girls have the choice to pick another road other than the expected route of getting “married, or else become old maids” (58). When Ms. Bessie discusses the poem, “My Last Duchess,” she focuses the lesson and perspective and “the question of point of view” (55). We also notice that the narrator seems to side with the duke and believes that the Duchess was “ a dumb bunny” or that “it was her own fault” (72). Therefore the narrator has the mindset and the typical male social viewpoint towards women at that time period, until she realizes the hidden “something” the teachers are trying to teach. Keeping with the idea of perspective, Ms. Bessie may have focused the lesson on point of view to guide her students to see the story in the Duchess’ eyes/point of view instead and understand why she may have acted the way she did and how she became the “dumb-bunny” character that she’s viewed as. In turn, by sympathizing with the Duchess, the students could then have the will to try to take a different path and get around the limitations towards women that may have resulted in the Duchess’ unfortunate outcome.
ReplyDeleteThis idea is supported by the next paragraph when the narrator starts to discuss the tunnel. She sees Ms. Bessie opening up a curtain to “the entrance to the dark tunnel… but the entrance was where Ms. Bessie had to stop” (75). This dark tunnel symbolizes the idea of taking a different path from the expected; the darkness represents the risk and uncertainty in doing so because of the limitations towards women at the time. And Ms. Bessie does not enter the tunnel because she has already gone through it. She has a M.A. degree and went out of the typical “get married” path and went on to college. She does not need to go through the tunnel, but what she will do is guide her students through this tunnel.
Hey Nancy,
DeleteI think it’s interesting that you take into account the standing of women in the literature and the time period into your argument. The female students are learning to not make the same mistakes as the “dumb bunnies” in the works they analyze. However, I wonder how that lesson applies to the male students of the class.
Period 6
ReplyDeleteEileen Lee
In Margaret Atwood’s short story “My Last Duchess,” the teachers wish the students to know “something” about their futures: life is a tough journey, so students should be more independent as they prepare themselves to college. Miss Bessie, just like the other teachers, wishes her students not to end up being “hapless, annoying, dumb bunny girls” as portrayed in many works of literature. Miss Bessie is the type of teacher to help her students grow and mature as a person; not just academically, but also mentally so that they would learn a valuable life lesson about their future and the importance of being confident and self reliable. She tries to teach this lesson to her students by letting them figure out a rather complicated line in the poem by themselves; the students are not having the answers fed to them, but have to find solutions to hardships just like they will be solving real life problems in the future. The narrator is often irritated by women in various plays and novels as most lack independence, are inclined to rely on men, and do not have the willingness to try and stand up for themselves. This also indicates that Miss Bessie has greatly influenced the narrator’s way of thinking; she is realizing the significance of voicing her own thoughts and its connection to the role she will possibly be playing in society in the future.
Hi Eileen!
DeleteI completely agree with you that Miss Bessie tries to let her students learn to become more independent and knowledgable comprehensively. In High School, students tend to find the short cut or the easiest ways to learn something in order to pass an exam. But at the end they do not learn anything substantial out of the book. The teachers know the students' mentality, so they purposely give us challenging tasks in order to train our brain to think critically. And indeed, the teachers choose those “hapless, annoying, dumb bunny girls” part of the lecture for a reason. because they want their students to be unique and different, and more sophisticated. -Stephanie Zhang
Hey Eileen! I agree that Miss Bessie is a not only a teacher but a mentor and role model for her students who does what she can to help them succeed. It is also clear that these stories portray a negative example with such helpless characters, and allow the reader to question their own, hopefully more self-sufficient, behaviors and reactions to such circumstances.
DeletePhilip Chen
ReplyDeleteLucas P4
The teachers in “My Last Duchess” by Atwood want to their students to learn the principle of perseverance. The narrator described her exam as a “test of our character,” a more philosophical challenge (58). The students need to dedicate the time and heart to prepare for the exam, component by component. Miss Bessie trains her students to brave through the perplexity inherent in literature and seek to find the meaning within the poem. The narrator learns that she must engage the lines on a deeper level, as the nuances are “hidden within the stories” (75). Atwood describes this process as going “into the tunnel,” a difficult period where the student must learn to consider all facets of a poem before becoming an analytical reader (75). While the students develop many reading skills, the teachers want to give a lesson that only through putting her nose to the grindstone can allow the student to truly progress.
Hey Philip,
DeleteI hadn't considered the "principle of perseverance" that you mentioned. I think that is a really interesting concept, as in my own response I had only focused on analytical skills (and not the patience it takes to apply the analytical skills). I think your analysis about engaging poetry on a deeper level is spot on. Indeed, the nuances are hidden like you said. I am wondering if you believe that Atwood's purpose in writing the short story is solely based on poetry? Or do you believe that she is also referring to general life skills?
Shawn Xing Period 6 Comment 1
Wow Dr. Phil. I haven't really thought about that idea. Do you think that's the only thing she wants to teach her kids, about the test taking skills and being analytical? I do agree with you that Miss Bessie does push them to become better test takers and have them all meet at a philosophical level.
DeleteRachaelle Villa, Period 6
ReplyDeleteIn this 1950’s setting of Margaret Atwood’s “My Last Duchess,” women were subject to “work [their] way up the ladder” only to be left with a hazy future with limited opportunities as females. Miss Bessie and the other teachers created this specific book list to provide an insight to their knowledge on what’s to come. The literature they have learned provided archetypes of women who “were all similar,” “weren’t up to things,” or “they let themselves drift.” By analyzing these characters, the students who are able to dig deeper within the meaning of the literary works, are able to sort out the “something” that links the pieces together. This “something” that the children should know is that females should not settle with this limited life. Having the “dumb bunny women” as examples of what they should not be in the future assures that they will be cautious as they graduate. The literature provided by the teachers was the subtle way of directing the students into the future, giving them the advice to achieve more than what society has set out for them.
Hi Rachaelle!
DeleteI like how you pointed out that although literature provides archetypes of society, the teachers are not merely explaining them, but trying to point students in what is right -- even if it doesn't fit the archetype. I think Ms. Bessie is a great example of a women that doesn't fit the stereotypical image, but is still someone the narrator aspires to be.
Hi Rachaelle!
DeleteI think you are spot on. Society is changing to a place where women can make themselves and the works given to the students are from the past. I think the teachers who are mostly female are there to contrast the girls from their books. The teachers have studied hard to earn their degrees and become what they are, proving to the students they can be whatever they strive to be.
-Michelle Ly (per 6)
Hey Rachaelle! I totally agree that the significance of the literature provided by the teachers is to institute in them a development of self-dependency. Women especially in this era were subject to suppressed standards set by society. In order for the narrator to overcome this milestone, she must utilize what she has learned in these literary pieces -- to not be another "dumb bunny" but be self-sufficient.
DeleteIn the short story “My Last Duchess” by Margaret Atwood, the author describes a teenage girl who is in transition between child and adult. With the breakup between her and her boyfriend Bill, she comes to understand that the “something” the teachers like Miss Bessie has been trying to teach her students is the need for self-independence for the unpredictable future. Although Miss Bessie can lend a helping hand to her students to how to become independent, it is ultimately a path that only the individual can embark on because everyone is different so not everyone will be able to get to a state of independence the same way as everyone else, thus creating that feel the narrator thinks it “too tangled” and “too oblique.” Throughout the short story, the narrator gets annoyed at the continuous portrayal of “dumb bunny girls” in literature due to their dependence on men rather than being self-sufficient. Even she herself at first could have been her own “dumb bunny girl” because she always followed Bill even if she disagreed, at the end, she breaks up with him. Their differing views and perspectives on “The Last Duchess” poem ignites a discussion that leads Bill to call the narrator “a brainer and a show-off” for her more intelligent and well-thought out conclusions of the literary piece. The loss of her boyfriend is not acknowledged by her parents. “They didn’t understand” and all they did was ask her to mow the lawn. Now, she has no one to rely on and no one to understand her. Her loneliness and anxiousness are portrayed with many symbols on page 75. The image of Miss Bessie in sunlight shows that she is an instructor but only up to at a certain point. Miss Bessie’s perfectness as a teacher implies a protection and safeness, which keep ignorant teenagers in the right direction and teach them hints not to step out of it. The dark tunnel behind Miss Bessie is the symbol of the character’s unknown future. She realizes she will be separated from the protection and going into the tunnel alone, and thus, beginning her journey into self-discovery independently.
ReplyDeleteHi Klaire!
DeleteI totally agree with your view point that the "something" the teachers were trying to teach was independence. All the females in the stories depended on a man to take care of her, but as the teachers show, seeing that they are mostly females, a man is not a must in their society. To teach someone independence means that you would rely on them to tell you what to do, so it is a bit difficult to do, just as the passage describes. And of course the rest of their lives will be a result of what the students do for themselves; as a child, you are put into school, but after graduating, the college or job you get will be due to your own hard work.
-Michelle Ly (Per 6)
Susan Keath, Period 4
ReplyDeleteThe teachers has gathered together, secretly, to discuss about how to incorporate “ The Last Duchess” into a lesson taught in life. The narrator will be leaving and be replace by “another, younger student” and so the teachers decide what to keep in their lesson plan and what to throw away. This parallels with the idea, when the Duke wants the Count’s daughter as his wife and he tells the envoy what didn’t work with his last duchess, as if with a ‘warning’ or ‘hint’. But it is twisted in a moral sense, unlike Miss Bessie. She knew where to drive her students and make sure to “head them off from false detours and perilous cliff edges”. This is the lesson plan she wrote to secure that it will work. Miss Bessie makes sure that she leads the group but allows the student a taste of independence in ideas and creativity. She makes sure that everyone is on track and stays on track because she can't have a missing sheep.
Hi Susan! You hold some interesting points, but I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with one of your claims. While Miss Bessie does keep everyone on a rather strict path, I find that she doesn't really give students too much independence, as Atwood states in the beginning of the story. Miss Bessie doesn't even wait for the students to raise their hands, but rather, gives them the answer. How does that allow them the capacity to think for themselves if they are being spoon fed the correct information? I think you're onto the idea that she is trying to promote knowledge and independent thinking, however in a classroom setting, I believe this train of thought to be a bit stifled with her teaching methods.
DeleteJay Feng
ReplyDeletePeriod 4
In her short story “The Last Duchess,” Margaret Atwood depicts a girl who questions the female characters in the stories that she read. The “something” that Ms. Bessie wants to teach them is that women have an unfair advantage in modern society, but it can’t be taught through textbooks; it was “hidden within stories.” For instance, when the narrator debates with Bill about the intelligence and integrity of the duchess, Bill calls her a “brainer and a show-off.” Were a man speak the same thing to Bill, the result would probably not be the same. Like the narrator says, women are expected to marry or to become an old maid - no other possible possibility. Such tragic truth is too difficult to be taught through teachers and textbooks - it would be too cruel to do so. Furthermore, this can only be taught through real life experience, inside the “dark tunnel.” The dark tunnel symbolizes our unknown future and the uncertainty in it. We don’t know whether there’s a beautiful exit to it, but there’s no other way around it beside proceeding on.
Jay,
DeleteYour comment brings up an interesting point. Miss Bessie pushes a feminist agenda in the classroom to let students preview the unjust nature of society. Since Atwood interweaves feminist ideas continuously throughout the story, your claim definitely has some bearing. After a difficult period of study, students transcend the contents of their textbook and discover a harsh truth about society. In my post, I considered the mental benefits of perseverance, but I see your hypothesis as meaningful and interesting as well.
Philip Chen P4
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteHey Jay! I really liked how you brought up that Atwood had the different social standing between men and women in her story. I to agree that women have an unfair advantage is modern society because even still we women are expected to be good mothers and good cooks. Its strange when you hear a women win a prestigious award for something knowledgable, to some people of course not all.
DeleteHi Jay! I agree with you there; through Ms. Bessie's teachings as well as the specifically designed book list, the "something" that was being taught represents the lack of opportunity for women. It's interesting that Bill's reaction to the narrator's remarks would have been more mindful and considerate if said by a male character. Even in today's society there still exists this boundary where females' voices are deemed irrelevant because of their gender.
DeleteMargaret Atwood’s “My Last Duchess” tells the story of a studious high school girl who tries to explore and discover more about herself. In a society where “boys were expected to become doctors, lawyers, dentists, accountants, engineers”(59) and “girls weren’t sure where [they] were headed,” (59) young women such as the narrator have a lot more to learn in order to smoothly make their transition to adulthood. The teachers who cook up the book list, were all young girls themselves, so they are aware of the problems that the high school adolescents go through. By teaching stories such as “The Last Duchess,” “Tes of the d’Urbervilles,” and “Hamlet”-- all stories in which females “weren’t up to things, let themselves drift, [and] found themselves in the hands of the wrong men” (75) the teachers utilize these stories to teach girls how to become stronger, more independent women, so they don’t end up like damsels in the stories that are taught. This “something” that the teachers subtly try to convey through these stories, are lessons that are supposed to be taken to heart by the girls who will continue to cherish and use these lessons to continue “on inside the dark tunnel” (76) for the rest of their lives, even after graduation.
ReplyDeleteHi Michael!! I like how you incorporated gender roles in your response, and I agree with everything you said. The "something" the narrator is being taught (or at least how she it) is how NOT to act; in other words, how to be a strong, independent woman-- the polar opposite of the women she reads about in literature.
DeleteHi Michael! You're so right. The book list created by the female teachers was directed towards the female students, encouraging them to be strong and self-reliant, with varying opinions rather than being "dumb bunnies." This subtle advice will only be digested by those who carefully analyze the literature, such as the narrator. In the era of this short story, the 1950's, women were suppressed and often limited of job opportunities, so I believe the female teachers were a large impact on the female students as encouraging role models.
DeleteAtwood writes a short story about a senior girl from the 1950's who comes to the conclusion that her teachers are trying to teach her "something" more than memorization. Women of this time frame have limited options regarding to their future careers. Most girls play the "dumb bunny" because that is how you will easily get a husband, but this life style would only prove "verisimilitude" because they would be trapped and unable to follow their dreams. Like how Miss Bessie reveals "tone" and such, leaving the interpretation of the actual poem up to the kids, she is teaching those who are smart enough, those who are not "dumb bunnies", to problem solve and look at things from every perspective. The narrator acknowledges her personal opinion is against the widely accepted one (of the class at least) and keeps her opinion hidden, but not forgotten. When she tells Bill her true thoughts, he lashes out at her, calling her a "show off". While this was a mistake on her part, it teaches her that in the reality she is in, most will be opposing her opinions and to keep them to herself, but not to loose sight of it. What the "something" the teachers are teaching is how to survive in a men's world while being a woman.
ReplyDeleteHi Michelle! I 100% agree with what you're saying. I think you really pin pointed the "something" that the teachers are trying to convey, all I came up with was that knowledge is power. I also highlighted how Bill didn't seem to care too much for Atwood's knowledge, perhaps feeling threatened by a girl smarter than him. That being said though, what kinds of ideas is Miss Bessie trying to teach to her male students? While I'm sure she wants them to further their education and not get "bumped off," there has to be another takeaway for the boys, since, as you stated, it is a men's world. Perhaps she is trying to tell them to take all thoughts and opinions into consideration instead of focusing on their own?
DeleteHey Michelle! I agree with you when the narrator made a mistakes to lash out on Bill, it kind of showed her 'independence'. I also agree about how women were restricted from freedom and discourage from being independence.
DeleteIt seems that the “something” the teachers want the students to know is power—power to shape their own potentials and lives. This gathering of teachers were “all of a certain age, all with excellent suits...all with qualifications” (75). This group is comprised of experienced women who have stepped in these students’ shoes in high school and endured the process of studies and examination. They understand the emotions and hardships that students like the protagonist and Bill have felt and teach these students to find a purpose in their own lives through literature. Protagonists in these novels seem “too trusting...they let themselves drift...they were too eager to please” (74). The girls from this list of literature do not have the power to shape their own futures, as seen in “My Last Duchess” or do yield power but do not carefully use it. As the teachers continue to have class discussions about these novels, they encourage students to explore their thoughts as the protagonist in this story has about the Duke and Duchess beyond what seem like “hapless, annoying, dumb-bunny girls” (74). And as the students explore deeper meanings of literature, this group of teachers hope to empower them to find a purpose and be the true architects of their lives.
ReplyDeleteHi Michelle,
DeleteI liked the concept of power that you introduced. The reference to the other stories with female protagonists that were unable to shape their own future, relays the message that the teachers may be trying to send. They serve as the warning signs for the students about those who are not able to have control of their lives. The female student in Margaret Atwood's story may be the same. Although, she seems to have more independent thinking, there is also a lot she still has to learn. She has to learn how to utilize what she is taught to help shape her own life. At times we forget as well, that we hold the power to shape our own futures and what we make of it. It is important to take note of the significance of taking hold of that. That certainly could be the "something", the teachers want the students to acknowledge and experience.
I believe this “something” that the narrator feels young adults like her should get from these stories is a realization of their own potential. Through such fiction that has become historical as the world changes, students may make educated guesses as to how they would behave in such situations. So many challenges these characters face may initially seem implausible to the modern young adult reader, but through fiction they may do so. While the narrator is frustrated as to why women are portrayed as so fragile and helpless, perhaps she may also see where they are coming from. It is difficult to imagine a world in which these stereotypes about women are constantly reinforced in society. These stories of fiction allow students to expand their individual growth themselves.
ReplyDeleteHi Katya! I liked how you brought up that she saw both points of views. She understood how society could put us in a small box but she also saw the potential the women have.
DeleteHi Katya! I completely agree with you when you say that students can make educated guesses on how they would behave in such situations depicted in literature. I talked about that in one of my responses and I think it is one of the biggest benefits of literature. People can make so many connections with their lives and literature to learn about themselves as well as how to react to certain situations. As for the oppression of women in literature, I think Miss Bessie was trying to get her students to learn the shortcomings of those female characters so that they may not become "let themselves drift" or "unlucky pushovers" and rather learn to live independently without the help of others.
DeleteTeachers do not exist to solely instruct a core curriculum, rather they act as mentors to their students, providing insight and guidance for their careers beyond the classroom. This particular instance here of this “something” to be taught is curious because it is from “women” teachers to the students is curious and given the apparent time period of Atwood’s story this may have a larger meaning of independence and possible locations in societal niches. The fact that the speaker is immediately identifying this abstract notion of teaching provides to our own comprehension of her ability of reflection and analysis, yet even then the speaker cannot directly identify what it is that needs to be taught. It is here perhaps then, that the main idea of this “something” comes to light. That is, this “something”, this “oblique” object is representative of not one single notion, rather is symbolistic of the general preparation and complex wisdom that students will need to learn for their future lives. It is the subtleties that they need to understand, that they can only understand via the nuances in their own literature, to truly grasp this fundamental knowledge.
ReplyDeleteHey Andrew!
DeleteI really love your style of writing, I can imagine you saying this entire paragraph as a class comment or a short speech or something. Your ideas flow really well; they're very coherent and crisp and easily understandable!! I also like how you said literature is necessary in order to attain "wisdom that students will need to learn for their future lives," because I 100% agree :-)
Congrats on life
DeletePS I love your beard
The "facts" that cannot exist without human intelligance pertain to the conclusions that the narrator must make by herself. When the narrator visualizes Miss Bessie unveiling a "dark tunnel," she is realizing that although Miss Bessie is handing the students the basic and select readings regarding "dumb bunny" girls, it is up to the students themselves to realize and determine their own potential. The expected role of girls and boys are briefly discussed in the text when the narrator explains that boys were expected to go to university to become doctors and other professionals, whereas girls either went to university or got married off with little say in their own future. Crippled by the expectations of women in 1950s society, it was important for women to understand the steps they needed to take to gain a voice in society. As a result, Miss Bessie purposefully assigns reading assignments such as the Last Duchess, where the Duchess is supposedly murdered because of her flirtatious behavior. The narrator imagines that Miss Bessie is part of a group that selects their reading assignments, and therefore determines what set of facts are handed off to the students. However, she does not analyze the poem for the students. She merely states the factual details of the poem, such as the setting and the people involved in them. The narrator must then ponder these facts and analyze what the poem truly means, and how it is applicable to her own life.
ReplyDeleteDanna Xue P6
DeleteHey Dan! I like how you incorporated the gender roles in your argument, saying that boys were expected to pursue higher education while girls had a more difficult time fulfilling a different role. It really is up to the students to voice their own opinions about the literature they're studying, and through practice they can also shape their own futures.
DeleteHi Danna!
DeleteYour point about how the contrast between men and women in society during the 1950's put the women at a disadvantage is very interesting. I agree that Miss Bessie had given the readings to her students for them to realize how these women in these stories were similar to and to break away from the social norm. The dark tunnel is for the students to venture on their own journey of intellectual curiosity and to apply what they learn in school to the real life.
Hey Danna,
DeleteI really enjoyed your incorporation of the gender roles and social issues in the 1950s in your analysis. I agree that Miss Bessie is trying to help the students make it on their own. This must be particularly important, as the narrator is a high school senior (like us!!) that will be living life independently soon as she transitions into adulthood. I am wondering what you think of the parallel between the poem and the short story in terms of who is who though. You mentioned that in the poem the last Duchess is repressed and the poem was assigned on purpose to match the continuing issues dealing with womens' rights in the 1950s. However, it seems to me that the narrator is actually more like the Duke than the Duchess in the poem that is repressed. So how do you make sense of that?
Shawn Xing Period 6 Comment 2
Hi Danna!
DeleteI really liked how you related the story back to the accepted gender roles of the time period. I also felt that Miss Bessie was making a comment about women in society; she does not want her female students to become those stereotypical "dumb bunny girls" often portrayed in literature. The tunnel represents the journey of life, a journey that these students must take on for growth and self-discovery.
Hey Danna! I found it very compelling how you included the role gender plays in your argument. I completely agree how suppression of women in the 50s plays a significant role. The narrator must overcome huge milestones in order to fulfill her full potential as an intellect.
DeleteErick Arroyo, P.4
ReplyDeleteThe narrator in Margaret Atwood's short story, "My Last Duchess," comes across a mind-boggling dilemma: what lesson is literature trying to teach? She is trapped in school, reading stories of "hapless, annoying, dumb-bunny girls," and wonders "What use would they be in our future lives? What exactly were we supposed to be learning from them?"
The narrator believes there is a lesson to be learned, but cannot find the capacity to understand. She feels as if these teachers, "These women," meet and decide what books, stories, and poems the students will be reading the following year, picking in order to relay a message, a lesson. "These women." The narrator is a female who believes female teachers are picking stories about females. I believe the lesson this literature is trying to portray is for females as well, what can and will happen if you do not stand up for yourself as a woman. You will become a "hapless, annoying, dumb-bunny [girl]" who will be used and abused by men (the Duke, for example) who feel you can easily be replaced. The narrator envisions her teacher, Miss Bessie, holding open a curtain, such as from the poem "My last Duchess," showing a tunnel. The tunnel is her path to self discovery where she will no longer be guided. "I would have to go into the tunnel whether I wanted to or not," the tunnel was where she would realize the lessons of the literature, and see that she needs to be strong, independent, and embrace her virtues as they would prevent her from becoming a "hapless, annoying, dumb-bunny [girl]" who would reach her demise such as every pathetic woman in her literature.
Hi Erick,
DeleteSome Pretty fire analysis you got going there.
I completely agree with your claim that the female teachers are trying to teach the female students life lessons through female characters in order to prepare them for their future lives. I love how you tie the tunnel to self discovery, and how the "something" to be learned in the stories are used to help female students make their way through the dark tunnel.
Raymond Chang
ReplyDeletePeriod 4
In the short story “The Last Duchess” by Margaret Atwood, I believe the “something” that the teachers want students to grasp is the significance of preparation in advance. In the context of the story, it would be referring to the upcoming tests for these high school students. As the narrator’s teacher, Ms. Bessie, puts it, “It would be a turning point in [their] lives”. Therefore, the “something” that the teachers are referring to must be this important test that determines the students’ futures. More symbolically, this “something” that the teachers knew about is independence. By having the students repeatedly read and analyze challenging pieces of literature, they are able to learn through their own struggles and self-discovery. Ideally, the teachers would like the students to be able to tackle their own future obstacles, which might not necessarily be literature, without the guidance and support of people, like teachers, around them. Therefore, I’ve concluded that the “something” the teachers are referring to not only preparation for the test, but for future success beyond graduation.
Hey Raymond!
DeleteI agree with your point on how teachers present challenging pieces of literature in order to assist and teach the pupils to search for life lessons themselves rather than explicitly telling them what to do. Yet I feel like this "something," is restricted to the girls in the class rather than all the students given the parameters of the time period and the fact that the circle of teachers are all female. Overall, I feel like we got the same idea of what the "something" is.
Emilie Kovalik
ReplyDeletePeriod 6
Teachers often have interesting methods of conveying knowledge to their students. In Margaret Atwood’s case, Miss Bessie is trying to teach her students valuable life lessons through literature. By reading about, “unlucky pushovers, like the Last Duchess, and like Ophelia,”Atwood learns not to be a “hapless, annoying, dumb-bunny girl.” Clearly she takes the lesson to heart when she hears Bill defend the Duchess for not being “a brainer and a show-off,” and realizes Bill himself is a bit of a dumb bunny, and prefers his girls that way. She learns from Miss Bessie that it is better to keep questioning things and continue educating herself instead of relying on stupidity to get herself places as the girls in their stories had done. The teachers have no way of showing the students their future, but ultimately want their students to be aware that those who are smarter always go further in life, a concept easily relayed through literature. This idea is so pertinent to the students’ well being that Miss Bessie doesn’t, “wait for anyone to stick up a hand,” because regardless of if they get the answer wrong or right, the students need to hear, know, and most importantly understand the information being relayed to them, coming to the realization that knowledge is power and success. This is why, at the end of her story,”[Miss Bessie] was smiling at [her] with gentle irony, and holding aside a curtain,… the entrance to a dark tunnel...the road of going on.” She smiles with a gentle irony because in a place where she should normally give Atwood the answer, she instead lets Atwood venture on her own, confident that the works of literature have taught her well enough not to be a “dumb bunny.”
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