Class Answers on a Specific Page for "Literally"
Answer based on ONE of the topic choices from Page 2 of your worksheet. Please identify which question you are answering first, before your paragraph. A good answer will range from 150 to 200 words and use one or two short quotations. It will be easier if you relate your answer to the overall "gist" of the story (how the element you discuss fits within the story in other words).
Also, remember to annotate your story before coming to class next Wednesday. Bring your sheet of annotations and word-processed answer to class. Thank you!
Guide to Literary Terms (Word Document)
25 comments:
What effect does the author's point of view have on us and the way we view the work? (from Questions about Point of View; Pages 1 and 3 of the story)
Antonya Nelson makes good use of omniscient narration in her story, “Literally.” The narration allows us, for example, to know on page one that Suzanne has “begged to attend” her private school. An omniscient narrator provides a convenient way for us to know details important to a story. Readers will notice that the narration concentrates mostly in our protagonist, Richard, and his thoughts are given to us frequently. How he thinks makes the story interesting; one example that helps us to understand his character better occurs when he supposes, on page three, that a “flighty intern” had “probably phoned in the threat” of a bomb in his office. Our access to his thoughts lets us know him deeply, however flawed and judgemental he may be. Thus, by the end of the story, readers are better prepared to have empathy for what is revealed about Richard’s wife, Eve, and her apparent suicide. Omniscient narration is tricky to pull off, but in this story Nelson uses it well and shows Richard to us, a man deeply hurt and trying, as best he can, to raise his children alone.—186 words
NOTE: The question answered was not on your sheet; I have answered it to guide you a bit in your reading and to provide a model answer.
Richard is the protagonist of the short story Literally. His internal conflict is a tidal wave created by recalling his deceased mindful wife, Eve. The presence of Eve in his mind, acts like a woodpecker constantly obsessing him to understand what she didn’t express verbally while alive. On page nine, Richard’s uneasiness arises when Danny reveals Isaac’s secret and he begins to connect the dots, “She [Eve] insisted….the condition was serious. In Isaac, she had seen some of her own anxiousness, an insidious presence”. “Schizophrenia” is the literal word that lights Richard’s mind (or maybe blurs it) giving a sense of many uncertainties of Eve’s behaviour. Richard analyzes the peculiar acting of Suzanne, his daughter, and how much she resembles her mother…is she suffering the same disorder that affected his wife? Moreover the protagonist has to deal with the varieties of people that are part of his daily life: Danny the practical son, Suzanne the “anal-retentive” daughter, Bonita the ingenuous helper, Isaac the awkward boy, and the hurtful memory of Eve. All of them create a psychological conflict in Richard, he struggles over the safety and the love for his children retracing moments of his life with Eve. Literally, the protagonist lives in a limbo left behind by the death of his wife.
Words count 212
Richard, the character of Literally written by Antonya Nelson, is described deeply by his verbal irony. The narration tells us on page one that Richard explains to Danny, his son, what “anal retentive” means, for Danny thinks his sister, Suse, is “so anal.” However, the narration allows us to know on page three that he suspects Isaac “eventually recognize himself as homosexual” and “Bonita’ challenges” would become “only more overwhelming.” He is picky as Isaac is just an eleven years old boy. Moreover, he suspects his former advertising staff when there is a bomb threat in his workplace building. He believes Lawrence is a malcontent because he was fired last Friday. When this opinion is denied, he starts to suspect Jill, “flighty intern,” for “her gestures were inflammatory yet random.” All of these ideas exactly fit what Richard regards his daughter as “anal retentive.” The narration expresses Richard’s complicated inner world after his wife has died for three years. The verbal irony reflects his personality: suspicious, critical and ridiculous thoughts. The narration implies this personality is not good to his parenting, and it is a tough task for him. Using the verbal irony, Nelson shows us a vivid character, Richard.
——200 words
How do the characters relate to another? What pleasures and conflicts do their relationships with one another cause? What do you know about a character based their relationship with other? (from Question about Character; Page 7 of the story)
Antonya Nelson's story, "Literally," has an omniscient narrator, who allows us to know on page seven that Eve has "worn a Harry Potter's invisibility cloak". The narrator provides an insidious way for us to know Eve's suspensions important to the story. Readers will notice that the narrator concerns all the time in Richard's wife, Eve, and her actions are given to us frequently. How she acts makes the story suspenseful; one example that helps us to understand her character better occurs when she appears in Richard's thoughts, on page seven, that "when he and his children wouldn't think of" that terrible car crash and death every day, "when they would no longer be ambushed" by missing her. Our access to her uneasiness lets us know her deeply, however schizophrenic and negative she may be. Thus, by the end of the story, readers are better prepared to have empathy for what is revealed about her apparent suicide. Meanwhile, Omniscient narrator leaves a message to readers that Eve's nightmare is not over yet. Evidently, her daughter, Suzanne, and her son's best friend, Isaac, may experience similar tragedy.
--188words
Character (page 10)
The story "Literally" by Antonya Nelson shows how a decision has a large impact on those around them. In this case Richard's and his wife's decision on their wedding day; He was about to marry her when she told him a horrifying secret. She said,"...As a teenager, I used to play a dangerous game when I was driving. Closing my eyes. Turning off the lights. Speeding. It was pretty out of control. I was that unhappy. I really didn't care if I lived or died." (pg 10) Despite that, he was crazy for marrying her since she had a suicidal and twisted mind. She risked her life, after being married for"twenty five years", in a foolish way by "driving into the path of an eighteen-wheeler". After her death, her children and husband remembered important meaningful moments of their mother 's life such as "Mom's messages are on it [the lost cellphone]" or "his wife handwritten notes in the recipe" releasing a series of memories in this case "leaning over the book, chin in palm,...humming while waiting for something to boil." Hence, a decision effects other lives in future.
word count:190
Delshad Amini
An omniscient narrator narrates events with all knowledge necessary for an omniscient
point of view.She or he helps us to know everything about all character's roles even the
dead. In my opinion , the main character in that story is not Richard . The protagonist is
Eve, who is apparently died , but we can see her everywhere. We can feel her presence
more than Richard. We can smell her perfume from her dresses when the author says ,
"his children some times visited those dresses , which still smelled , they said , like their
mother.". Also, we can hear her voice which is immortal even after her death. Her
daughter , Suzanne, kept her voice as a message on her cell phone. When Suzanne lost
her cell phone , I totally forgot the children's disappearance that had happened in the
previous pages. In my opinion, the most important obstacle in that story is not only
children's disappearance, but also is missing the Eve's voice. That incident changed
everything. For instance, Richard , who " liked to make his son smile by using his
favorite word incorrectly." , changed his word from " Literally" to " probably" when he
promised her daughter to find the cell phone, and " get them[ message] back" .On the
other hand , Danny , who always had complaint because of Suzanne's acts , helped his
father to find the cell phone just because of Eve's voice . Some times the dead's effects
in our life are more influential than the living.
238 words
march 4, 2014
Conflict. (Page 10)
In the story "Literally" on page 10 the conflict would be Suzanne over reacting to her lost phone. She was quite up because this phone meant a lot to her for this reason "Mom's messages are on it." Her mother passed away from being hit by a eighteen wheeler, the family was devastated when they heard the news about the accident. There was one more conflict on this page also which was when Richard was about to propose to Eve (Richard's deceased wife). Richard was remembering the time just seconds before he was about to propose to her, when Eve cut him off. She said "As a teen-ager, I used to play this dangerous game when I was driving. Closing my eyes. Turning off the lights. Speeding. It was pretty out of control. I really didn't care if I lived or died." Eve believed that this would change Richards mind making him think that she was a suicidal nut job. Though he had true love in his heart because he was able to look past her major flaw, and married her.
-184 words
On Page 6, Antonia Nelson shows us one of the external conflicts of the story when Richard faced Bonita’s ex-husband. By reading more closely we understand it is not just meeting between two characters; it is collision between two worlds. The first one is the world of “handymen” with “coveralls” and “premature” white hear in consequences of hard work and unhealthy lifestyle from poor districts and the other one is the equitable Richard’s world with “two-income, two-car, two-children homes.” Probably Richard have never dealt practically with this world: we can feel his uncertainty and confusion, but his “bridge”, his wife was not beside him at this time. As we know from text she not only spoke Spanish but also helped Bonita to change locks, to get divorce, and “insisted on restraining orders”. When Bonita’s ex-husband closed the door in Richard’s face, his irrational doubts turned into the real farther fears, which were pretty fair judging by Isaac’s panic. As a parent I can understand his feelings and his relief when his son at last appeared from the closed door; but he also didn’t forget to ask his son about Isaac, that does him credit. “Literally” being a parent is a great challenge sometime.
203 words
Literally Character Question Joelene Schultz march 4
Right away Antonya Nelson shows the interaction between the characters well. The reader gets a good indication on how each of them relate to one another. The brother, Danny seems to over react how his sister behaves, saying "Suse is so anal." Which shows he is immature and exaggerates things, probably to get a reaction. The father, Richard teases his son Danny revealing love and affection. Trying to get him to smile, using his favorite word incorrectly. Richard seems laid back and seems to depend on the house keeper, Bonita. Letting her tend to the children's needs and wants. Richard relies on Bonita because he is a recent single dad and may be having some internal struggles. But still trying the best that he can, all in all the family's interactions run like any "normal" family. There is complaints, rude comments, and loving jokes. Bonita seems to be able to smooth things over and get the children situated by the end.
164 words
In what way is conflict important to the story as a whole?
In Antonya Nelson’s short story “Literally”, the reader can identify an internal conflict faced by Richard, the antagonist. This conflict is about Richard trying to deal with life after his thoughtful wife died three years ago. Eve, his dead wife lingers in his mind at every spot, every moment. He is overwhelmed by this loss and keeps on with life’s battles including raising his children, despite his devastation of the tragic loss. Suzzane, the gene holder of his wife, Issac, the weird one, Danny, his practical son, Bonita, problem dominate housekeeper, and Jill, outrageous co-worker, all of who complicate Richard’s already difficult life. On page nine “I will take Issac to the doctor” and on page ten “We’ll get you another doctor” shows Richard’s tough perseverance through which he manages to correct problems. The author leads story using Richard’s internal conflict that appears in different characters and affairs.
160 words
Discuss an example of an important internal conflict. What does this internal conflict show us about the character.
In the short story “Literally” by Antonya Nelson, the reader is shown Danny's love for Isaac through his actions. This is shown by the internal conflict you can see happening inside of Danny over his worry for his friend, and his loyalty to his promise “not to tell anyone”. I know this is a sign of a internal conflict from my own childhood when I would make the same protests in order to remove the guilt from my actions. This provides the reader with another look at Danny's logic orientated thought process. He places the well being of his friend ahead of the promise to keep the secret, risking Issacs's displeasure which he definitely is aware of the possibility of. Also the fact that he mentions this to Richard and is worried about the voices that Issac hears help show his level headedness. As most elementary students would simple laugh off the problem without giving it the consideration that Danny appeared to put into telling Richard. Danny is obviously a very clearheaded child who greatly values his friend Issac.
Word Count: 179
Conflict – Discuss an example of an important internal conflict (Page 9)
“Literally,” a story written by Antonya Nelson uses great narration to depict internal conflicts so
well in her story. Nelson does so mainly through Richard’s thoughts, on page nine, while talking
to Danny wondering about Isaac, maybe showing signs of schizophrenia and should he scare his
son by sharing his thoughts. Knowing that if he does tell Danny, he “would never be able to
unhear it.” Within that conflict he also mentions that his wife, “master of all matters
psychological,” would’ve been able to help; it is brought up a lot, when Richard is dealing with
these internal conflicts in the story, which I think it, can be a conflict because he may doubt
himself and always wonder what Eve would do. As the Reader, all these thoughts and inner
conflicts are able to show our protagonist, Richard as a caring, considerate man, who is unsure
sometimes and misses his wife, but keeps pushing forward while struggling through these
conflicts every day as a windowed single father of two children helping in their lives, and of the
housekeeper and her youngest son. – 182 words
Antonya Nelson provided the most emotional and important part of the story "Literally", on page 5. She explained about the nervousness which both characters; Richard and Bonita were in, while both were in the car alone, driving toward Bonita's house and the situation in which a couple could get affected and get closer and emotional to each other. As I further read this page, I could tell Richard might have had feelings toward Bonita. Therefore, Richard described Bonita's look this way: "Her distinct smell, the fact of her vanities, the orange tinted streaks in her hair, the powdery makeup." However all those were just his thoughts and imagination which he had, while they were alone in that situation and he felt he was crossing the line. Another important point of this page is that they found out kids; Isaac and Danny, might be in Bonita's house. That's why they decided to drive through her house. Moreover, on the last sentence of the page, writer introduced a stranger who might be an important character in the next pages of story.
Page 6
What makes this story interesting (on this page)is the plot that Antonya Nelson shows in appearance of Bonita's ex - husband to whom Richard allows in Bonita's apartment.The internal conflict that Richard has is about the deceased wife,that shows us how deeply hurt and sad he really is.He feels bad that he does not speak Spanish and he realized that his wife would be more attentive to Bonita right now.Richard remembered how she helped Bonita to "get divorced" and "change the locks".It seems that he comperes his failures with his wife triumphs.The narrator makes our main character to feel lost and desperate as he is banging on the doors while yelling, "I'm calling the police", at that moment he is back to reality and frantic of worry over his son's safety.From the story on the page 6, we can see that Richard is lost, empty soul who tries his best in his own way to raise his two children while making sense of his wife death.
173 words
Character pg. 7
In page 7 the story “Literally” by Antonya Nelson shows us many different character traits between one another. Richard seemed to be described as a very humble single father that is trying to do his best with his two children. “If it’s so dangerous, how come we let Bonita and Issac does it twice a day?” The worries that Richard has for his children shows his vulnerable side of how important his children mean to him and want them to understand how dangerous it is for them to run out in the world without any notice. Page 7 really describes to us the deep connection Richard has with his kids, he does not want them to constantly live life “thinking about that terrible car crash everyday” It really starts to show how he wants to be a role model and a complete supporter as a fulltime father.
Character: How do the character relate to another? What pleasures and conflicts do their relationships with one another cause ? What do you know about a character based on their relationship with others?
On page 2 of “Literally” by Antonya Nelson , she continuously uses omniscient narration in her story to focus on Bonita 's character and her personal life. The reader finds out through deep detailing the strength of the relationship between the kind boss and the royalty housekeeper. Nelson explains the relationship by giving us many examples to understand the positive relationship between Richard and Bonita .For instance, Bonita uses Richard’s family address for her son to attend school and Richard is her interpreter when she has a meeting with school. Nelson makes it’s clear to the reader that Richard and Bonita need each other. Moreover, Nelson introduces an interesting character ; Bonita's son. Here is Isaac ( Ee-sock in Spanish) . He is panic or "nervioso.” We find easily traits why life is miserable for Isaac. He has a dysfunctional family. His dad is "drunken" and "brutal .”Nelson explains Bonita and Isaac's family history well by using many traits of characters on page two.
--163 words
How do the characters relate to another?
In the short story “Literally” by Antonya Nelson, Richard relates to Bonita for being single like him and it strikes him of a thought to marry her if only they could forget the “enigma of love”. Richard first notices it when they were driving together without children at the back sit; he saw her as a woman with her fine features. Also, seeing her live in a very old building and considering her tender son, who is really close to his son, they could happily live in his house. Richard finds himself close to Bonita because they can understand each other very well but Richard confronted by Bonita’s husband; she is forgiving when it comes to lingering attachments. After Bonita’s ex-husband breaks to her apartment, she and Richard find themselves embracing each other and it further makes Richard thinking of wedding her. Later that day, when he was searching for the phone of his daughter, Richard recalls the distant memory of him proposing to Eve and remembers why he loved her. Therefore, Richard will resume his following days as any other day not trying to fill the hole in his heart with Bonita.
- 193 words
Antonya Nelson applies a lot of ironies in her story, “Literally”. The use of irony extrudes the conflict, and makes the story more attractive. One situational irony used in the story can explain the effect.
Richard, the protagonist, in front of the apartment door on the way to return Bonita’s purse, met a handy-like man in the coverall with a clawed tool in hand. Richard asked the man about Bonita’s unit address in Spanish lamely. “Richard was glad that the building had a handyman who wished to protect its tenants.” He thought Bonita and her son Isaac therefore would be safer from being harassed by her ex-husband on restraining order. The irony exposed right on the time when the door opened with Richard’s calling, Isaac panicked when seeing the man stepped inside. Along with omniscient narration about Bonita and her ex-husband, readers and Richard realized that the handyman is Bonita’s ex-husband. This irony points out how naive Richard is, and how sneaky Bonita’s ex-husband is on the opposite. This comparison also paves the background to the further conflicts, which reveal different causes of tragedies from both families.
--187 words
Bonita is one of the main character in the short story “Literally” by Antonya Nelson. She has a devastating life and many internal conflicts. Bonita’s conflict with her drunken, criminal ex-husband. This conflict shows us that Bonita is a loving and caring woman even though her ex-husband was a criminal who didn’t provide the family necessities. Richard remembered when his wife said, “Bonita actually does want him.” The ex-husband was legally banded from visiting Bonita, but that wasn’t the end of their relationship. Bonita was forgiving and weak in the face of some lingering habit of love. Richard came over to Bonita’s apartment to look for Danny and Isaac who had left the house without permission. He found out that Bonita’s ex-husband was inside the suite. After Richard went to the room where the two boys were inside, he noticed the pictures of Bonita’s family. There were a few pictures that included the ex-husband; somehow, he has made his way to some of the annual family pictures. Overall, Bonita was blind for her criminal, ex-husband’s love.
176 words
Page 6
Richard has undergone many situations since his wife died. His character is rough and egotistic. He feels he just has to help out while making the fact out that his wife had died. Richards internal conflict is with himself. He is going through a lot of problems his wife’s death had shattered him from the inside. He is showing that he is a lost soul or even a living corpse that is empty from the inside. Fixing Bonita’s married life and freeing her from mental pain. On page 6 we see the desperate help Richard wants for his sons safety. I’m calling right now unless you open this fucking door! Danny! Richard comes back to reality and see the present moment that he’s worried about losing someone else in his life. Just as Danny came out the door and hugged his father it gave him reassurance that hes safe and wants to keep everyone else safe. Ricahrd is trying to keep everyone safe and secured.
-167 words
Discuss an example of an important internal conflict. What does this conflict show us about the character? (from Questions about Conflict; Page 8)
On page 8 of “Literally” by Antonya Nelson, Richard thinks about getting married with Bonita. He considered it “convenient” and “terribly useful.” Their families would join together and live in Richard’s house. Bonita and Isaack wouldn’t have to commute from the other side of the town and the boys would be like brothers. However, he declined this idea, due to “troubling enigma of love.” He still loves his wife even beyond her grave, carrying her in his heart. He can’t stop to think about her, finding her in almost every situation. Getting married would be a logical solution, making a lot of things easier. Instead, his feelings for Eve do not allow him to do that. Bonita couldn’t replace her. On the other hand, Richard knows that Bonita loves her ex-husband, despite the fact he is problematic, brutal and criminal. Because of that all, the marriage of Richard and Bonita is not possible.
153 words
How do the characters relate to another? What pleasures and conflicts do their relationships with one another cause? What do you know about a character based on their relationships with others?(Page 5)
Richard and Bonita are both the main characters of the story “Literally” by Antonya Nelson. In the story, Richard’son Danny is best friend of Bonita’son Issac. The friendship of Danny and Issac makes Bonita a family friend to Richard and his late wife Eve. Richard and Eve always help Bonita because she is a single mother and her husband is a domestic violence perpetrator. After Eve passed away, Richard and Bonita become close friends. Although they help each other all the time and their sons are best friends. Their relationship have also caused troubles which is being emerged on Page 5. “When Richard exited toward Bonita’s neighborhood, the observations of others became less benign.” Other’s attitude towards Richard and Bonita are unfriendly which gives an external conflict to the story. Later when Bonita get out of the car “awkwardly” indicates that she is conflicting internally because of other’s challenging glares. Based on the relationship between Richard and Bonita, both of them want to keep a distance from each other, even though they are close friends. It is because Richard has not forgotten Eve yet. Bonita is aware of that and she also could not forget her husband (she let her husband into her building later in the story). Through all the facts, we can see that Richard love Eve and more importantly respect her and his relationship with Bonita.
-around 260 words
from Question about Character; Page 1 of the story
Antonya Nelson's story, "Literally" shows many variety characters. A father, Richard, and his children Suzanne and Danny, and a maid Bonita appears on the page 1. The most prominent character is Richard’s sixteen-years-old daughter Suzanne. She is an ordinary immature teenager, but, on the other, she is a so fussy and sharp tempered girl. Through Danny’s line, “She is so anal”, “she takes three showers a day”, we could analogize that Suzanne is a neat freak. Also, for explain her character, Antonya Nelson uses a contrast which is others behavior at her school. She seems a trouble maker in Richard’s family, by comparison, Danny has a calm personality. I think, Danny and his father get along well. About Richard, he is not a strict father. He is generous and tender, but a bit timid and irresolute. He relies on Bonita about caring Suzanne. When Bonita shows up, he finally let out his breath, and murmured, “Thanks God”. After his wife died, he has undertaken a great responsibility of parents. So I can understand how Bonita is helpful a person for him. Bonita looks a professional maid. The sentence “Only Bonita could master the Suzanne’s ghastly uniform skirt” shows that she is recognized as the troubleshooter in Richard’s family.
-208 words
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