Week 9 The Open Boat by Stephen Crane

This story caught my attention right away with the descriptions of the waves and the rough seas that were all around them. I did feel that at times the story did get a bit repetitive, the descriptions made me want to keep reading. As you were reading you were hoping that they would be able to get to shore safely. It seemed everytime they got close something would change their plan. I thought it was funny that cook at the wrong moment asked "what kind of pie do you like best"? They were about to die, but he is still focused on his job of feeding the men. This story helped me relate to times in my life when I thought I had it all figured out, and then something comes along to change the course. I may not understand why it happened at the time but it usually makes sense down the road. I enjoy the nature throughout this piece of work. I feel like I can relate to certain writings when I can vision what the author is getting at through nature.

Week 9 Desiree's Baby by Kate Chopin

This short story hit an issue that was ongoing long after this story was written. Racism still exists everywhere in our society today as well. In reading the story I found it interesting that Armond Aubingy did not care that Desiree's heritage was unknown. Armond was so caught up in love at the time to even care. I like the quote in describing how he felt when he saw her " The passion that awoke in him that day, when he saw her at the gate, swept along like an avalanche, or like a prarie fire, or like anything that drives headlong over all obstacles". That quote just shows his passion towards her. The love continued to be strong until three months had gone by once they had there first child. He began to realize that his child was not white and through that he could not love his wife or love his child any longer. I don't understand why this all of a sudden clicked with him that his wife my have a different heritage than his own. He had gone from being the "proudest father in the parish" to not even wanting to be part of his families life. Chopin does a great job at providing her readers with the details of the setting. The way she describes the characters really helped my truly imagine what Desiree and the others around her were like. Once Desiree leaves her husband it is interesting how we find out about Armand and his family tree. I guess Armond is wanting to forget everything about his past with his wife and so he burns everything. Through that we learn that his family has been cursed by slavery as well and that he is could be exactly the same as Desiree. In doing this he is turning away his own heritage.