Redemption

Everyone deserves forgiveness and redemption. If we were perfect, there would be no need for apologies, but we are not, so we need second chances... and third and fourth and fifth chances because after all, we are human beings. In Tess of the D'Urbervilles, Hardy shows the importance of this when Tess is raped, but Angel still loves her and returns for her after they are wed. Her child never receives this redemption from the church, and dies as a baby with no baptism or proper burial. The child is so innocent and pure, yet because of the faults of others, he cannot be accepted by the church. Tess on the other hand is forgiven for her sin which also took her purity away. She did pay her consequences however after telling her husband. He left her for a while, even though he had done the same thing, but he is a man, so he has no virtue to stand by. He realizes she is not in the wrong but cannot just ignore the problem. Redemption is something everyone needs because our imperfections make us human, and we cannot change that.

Gone for Good

People come and go into your life so often, and as humans we tend to only remember the influential ones. The poem "Mid Term Break" shows how quickly something can change a life. It just takes a second for someone to leave forever. The poet uses euphemisms and metaphors to avoid talking about his brother dying directly. This reveals the denial the author is going through. He never says his brother is dead, but it is implied when he talks about the funeral and the corpse and coffin. He is grieving because one day his little brother was playing and next time he sees him, he has a little bruise on his temple and is in a coffin. People are only meant to stay on Earth for a short time, so spend your time wisely with the ones who matter; one day you will look back and the most important ones will be gone for good.

Destiny

" 'Tis very unlucky that we didn't pitch on a sound one, when there was so many more of 'em!"

In Tess of the D'Urbervilles, fate plays an important role in the Durbeyfield home because they have nothing else to believe in. They continually end up in terrible situations, and they skim the bottom of social classes. Destiny creates an outlet, a reason that they are so poor, so unlucky. The father is a drunkard, the mother works tirelessly yet never is rewarded, and the children are just stuck floating with them. In this time period, it was extremely difficult to get out of this situation. Tess blames herself for some of her family's failure, especially after their horse dies, so she takes it upon herself to change the Durbeyfield luck. Finally, fate turns to their side when they discover the wealthy lineage they come from. If they would quit trusting destiny to change their path, they might actually be able to fix the predicament they have been stuck in for so many years.

The Little Things

I have learned in the past week that every moment counts, to not live with regrets, and to cherish everyone you meet. The little things make  up your life, so you cannot just ignore them; instead, embrace them. We cannot change what happened in the past, but the future is in our control. Sometimes, we are thrown curve balls, but I believe everything happens for a reason. Those curve balls are there to test our strength and teach us valuable life lessons. They should not be fought or pushed to the side. Ever day, every little piece matters, so do not forget even the hard things because they shape you into a stronger, better person.

The Vantage Point

The only things visible are what the mind chooses to see. One looks at thousands of things a day, but not every piece is remembered. In "Hawk's Roosting" the hawk can see everything because he chooses to. We tend to only pay attention to what we want to see or hear or touch. We close our minds off to so much because we only notice what we think is important. To succeed in anything, we must open our minds to different views and opinions because our vantage point is not always the best. Perspective is key to everything. We must open our eyes and get to a higher place, so we can see everything, like the hawk because then we will be able to create and do our best which will better more than just ourselves.

Outlets

Sylvia Plath had some extreme issues with her father, and in her poem "Daddy" she expresses her hatred and neglect from him, but I think she has blinded herself to see only what she wants.  He probably was not always authoritarian and demanding towards her, but those are her most prominent memories. She was an incredible poet but none of her poetry had a positive theme. She chose to remember the worst moments in her life rather than the best, but her poetry created an outlet that helped her deal with her issues for at least ten years before her suicide. Her life was sad yes, but I do not think there was only suffering; that was just her outlook on life. Writing can create any situation and it is the author's duty to make it what she wants, and although Sylvia Plath wrote depressing poetry, there was a definite purpose and lesson that came out of it.

Brotherly Love

"A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."
                                                                              -King Solomon
This quote defines both relationships Heathcliff has with his siblings, Cathy being his friend and Hindley, a brother. Hindley constantly puts stress on Heathcliff's and Cathy's relationship because Cathy wants to show loyalty to her true brother, but it is hard when his heart is so cold towards Heathcliff. Their hatred for each other continues to grow throughout Wuthering Heights over Hindley's and Cathy's father and then over Cathy. Heathcliff becomes a favorite child because he is respectful and grateful; Cathy and her father prefer him, bringing out Hindley's jealousy. He beats him up and gloats about his inheritance, which pushes Heathcliff to rebel. Cathy and Heathcliff go from acquaintances to best friends to lovers. They love each other the entire time, but their love evolves. Hindley attempts many times to tear them apart with little success. Even through that strain, the relationship grows stronger, and Heathcliff continues to love her even once she dies. Hindley acts adequately as an adversary, while Cathy befriends and adores Heathcliff.