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ENG-215 HW#2

1.

The paragraph I chose from Why I Live at the P.O. is the second paragraph. Sister says,

Shes always had anything in the world she wanted and then shed throw it away. (p. 145) ,

about Stella-Rondo. I think this shows her jealousy of Stella-Rondo. She says herself that Stella-

Rondo is the catalyst for her family turning against her and her moving out. She is able to put up

with the rest of her family. She says herself that she was getting along fine with everyone else

until Stella-Rondo came home. The one thing she isnt able to tolerate is Stella-Rondo being

treated better. This is somewhat understandable because Stella-Rondo is treated better by her

family than Sister.

Sister is mistreated by her family, at least in her eyes, but she puts up with it until Stella-

Rondo comes back. She is underappreciated for her work around the house and her mother and

father discuss their admiration of Stella-Rondo with Sister around to hear. Sister puts up with this

mistreatment until Stella-Rondo comes home and it becomes too much. Her under-appreciation

contrasted against the lavish praise Stella-Rondo receives and her parents taking Stella-Rondos

side against her side when she isnt thanked for the work she does pushes her over the edge.

2.

The paragraph I chose from Bartleby the Scrivener is paragraph three. The narrator

says that he is filled with a profound conviction that the easiest way of life is the best. (p.154) I

think this sums up the narrators personality pretty well and explains how the events with

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Bartleby progressed the way they did. Even though the eponymous Bartleby is the most

memorable character, I think that the narrator is the main character, as the story is more about the

way he is affected by Bartleby.

The narrators easygoing way of life is what led him to his practice rather than being a

trial lawyer or some other stressful job. Its what allowed him to keep on Nipper and Turkey,

even though their workplace behavior left something to be desired and its why he didnt

immediately fire or even yell at Bartleby when he refused to do anything other than write. The

narrator likes to keep the status quo and avoid confrontation at any cost.

Examples of this kind of behavior are observed when he allows Bartleby to live in his

office. He even takes a walk around the block when Bartleby asks him not to come in just yet.

He allows Bartleby to keep his job, despite his refusal to do anything but copy. He allows

Bartleby to stay in the office long after he has stopped working altogether. He offers Bartleby

money beyond his wages to leave. When Bartleby does not leave, he moves his entire office

rather than moving Bartleby.

3.

The room I chose to examine is my sisters. At first glance the room looks messy. There

are clothes and magazines scattered on the floor and the trash can is overflowing. This would

seem to suggest that my sister is a messy person. Upon closer inspection, however, the bed is

made and the papers and books on her desk are neatly arranged. This suggests that she is

organized in some parts of her life and unorganized in others. My sister is a good student and I

happen to know that she is very organized when it comes to schoolwork, so this seems to make

sense. She is also a 17-year-old girl so a messy room is expected. She has a TV, a computer, and

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an Ipod suggesting that she is a pretty typical teenage girl.The fact that her desk is in order

suggests that she is studious. The clothes on the floor suggest that she is not too concerned with

how her room appears and maybe that she is a busy person with little time to clean up. This is

supported by the fact that some things are tidy, her desk and bed, while other are not. It suggests

that she focuses on the thing that are important to her while letting other things slide out of

necessity.