Journal #21

The Great Gatsby and Some Like It Hot are both two very popular works around the time of the Great Depression and portray the life of the 1920's. Though these book seem to have very different plots, characters, and themes, they are actually more similar when one compares them together. In Some Like It Hot, there are some characters that closely resemble some of the characters in the Great Gatsby. One for example, is the character of Joe. He is a lot like the character of Gatsby because he is trying to be something that he is not to win the women of his dreams. The two characters are also similar in the way that they try to use wealth and money as a way to lure the women in. Other Characters that resemble each other are the characters of Jerry and Tom. These two are very similar in the way they try to hid things from the way Jerry tries to keep the image as him as a women, and the way that Tom cheats on Daisy, but keeps it a complete secret. Other than the characters, other similarities between the two are their themes and plot. Both are people trying to find their way, and both have a hopeless love story about two people trying their hardest to be together, even though the stories end differently.

Journal #20

In this passage of the book, Nick describes how he spends his Saturday nights in New York because he can still see those parties of Gatsby in his mind very vividly. He uses the image of the parties being over as a way to say that Gatsby's life is also over. He also uses the image of the Dutch sailors that discover the island, and how the first thing that they say were the green trees that held so many possibilities, and their hopes and dreams. Just like the green trees symbolized the possibilities of life to the sailors, the green light at the end of the dock symbolized the possibilities with Gatsby and Daisy, and all the love they could of shared if they were together. Also The green light at the end of the dock was what Gatsby wanted to most, and he hoped one day he would be on the other side of the river with Daisy, instead of staring at the green light.

Journal #19

 Nick Carraway-  Friendly
Nick does not specifically describe his appearance in the first chapter of the book, though he does describe his characteristic on how he tries not judge others. He is often seen as quiets towards others, and he is not rich like his friends. No matter, he always tries his best to look after all of his friends, which in the end, seems to backfire.

Tom Buchanan-  self centered. 

Tom is described as built, strong, and somewhat athletic. Those are the only good qualities of him because his personal characteristics can be described as cocky, self centered, conceited. He always puts his money and his happiness before anyone else, and it ends up hurting not only all his friends, but, later,  in a way contributed to the death of Myrtle.

Daisy Buchanan -  Annoying

She is described to be Nick's cousin, and also to have a very "sing songy" voice. She constantly is talking throughout the book, even when it is time for her to be quite. She is snoopy in her husbands business when he gets a call, and she tries her best to present herself as happy. I also really did not like her character in the movie. -_-

Jordan Baker - Confident

Jordan in the book is a professional golf player, and is just a friend of the Buchanan's. She does not talk much in the book, though. She tries her hardest to not get involved in all the drama that unfolds throughout the book. At the first chapter, she seems to ignore Nick, and brush him aside like she does not need him. 

Jay Gatsby   -Sad

You do not see much of Gatsby in the first chapter. The only time you see him is when he is staring longenly at the water and the light as if he wants to go there for some reason. Nick seems to view this as strange, and the encounter with Gatsby has not words and is over within a few seconds. 

Journal #18

1. What is the significance of the story’s title?

The title of the story “In Another country” is significant because literally, the narrator in the story is actually in another country. But it also goes for the mental state of some of the people, because they are in a different place because of their injuries. With their injury’s, the hurt people now stand out more than other people, and make them outsiders from the rest of society.

2. Which character do you think best represents the “Hemingway hero”? Why?

The Major represents the hero because of his hand. His injury is more significant than the others because not only is he a solider, but he was a professional fencer, which he needs his hand for. Also the Major represents the hero because of the emotional stress that he is coping with because of the sudden death of his wife. He tries his best to put on a strong face and deal with the mental pain, but you can tell that he is dying on the inside.

3. What can you infer about the photographs the doctor hangs up? What is the significance of the major’s reaction?

The photographs hanging up on the wall were pictures of injured people who were able to rehabilitate their injured body part successfully. When seeing the images, the narrator thought he and others were the first people who used them, and that the pictures of the people are not real because the machines where not actually used in the healing those people, and he is skeptical that the people were actually healed from the machines. The reaction that the major had was looking out the window, and this was significant because it shows that his thoughts are elsewhere. This is significant because it gets back to the idea of being in another country.

Journal # 17

1. What is the significance of the poem’s epigraph? How does it relate to Prufrock?

The significance was that it talks about the idea of “shame and discrase.” This is because he would feel these because we are looking into his mind, but they are feelings that he would never confesses to the world himself. He is full of self doubt, and he is not someone who would put himself out there and let the world see him for who he is.

2. Make a list of questions that Prufrock asks. Do you see a pattern/theme to these questions or are they random?

Most of his questions that he askes throught the poem start with “Shall I? or Do I?” They are not really random questions, mainly just insignificant questions about what he should do about daily thigs such as combing his hair. These questions reveal that he is self conscience about himself and also very uncertain.

3. What do you think is Prufrock’s main flaw/problem?

Prufrock’s has many flaws that make him fade into the background instead of shining like a main character. Some of these flaws may include the fact that he is self-conscience about himself. Also he has no confidence in himself or the choices that he makes, and has many anxiety problems. These cause him to become more of an “extra” instead of the star character.

4. Why do you think this is called a love song? In what way is it a love song?

It seems as though that he has had a recent heart break. He talks constantly of women’s perfume and how the women come and go and they don’t notice him. This relates to a love song because he wants love for himself, but is not confident enough to go out there and get it. This is irony because the poem pretty much shows how he is to scared to solve his love problems.

Journal #15

1. Write a sentence that summarizes the story’s overall message, and provide three direct quotes from the story that best illustrate this message.

The overall message throughtout the story was that war is a good thing. Soildes fight for their country and for their freedom, and they should be glorified bcause of this.

“If he could do something worthy to have won her--be a hero, her hero--it would be even better than if he had done it before asking her; it would be grander.”

“They selected me for captain, and I'm going to the war, the big war, the glorious war, the holy war ordained by the pocket.”

“No, girls don’t; women don’t, when they give their men up for their country. They think they’ll come marching back somehow, just as gay as they went”

2. What tactics does Editha use to make George believe as she does about the war?

She does many things to make him think the same way about war she does. A few things that she does is say that he must believe the same way she does or else she will not marry him. Also she would try to convice him that being a soilder would make him look like a hero, and he would be loved for this. And then she plays with his emotions and says that she agrees with his beielf, which make him want to follow what his wife says and become a soilder.

3. Is there ever a time in which Editha truly understands what she has done? Does she ever experience an epiphany?

There is only one moment when she disocovers what she had done. She has lost the love of her life, and she would never be able to get him back. Though, even after realizing this, she still beeilves that she made the right choise sending him to war. After being yelled at by her late husband’s mother, she finds herself intears, but soon, at the end of the story, with a talk with a women in the park, she is back to the idealistic views about war.

Journal #16

“Determinisim governs everything … The writer must study the inherited traits of individual characterand the social condition of the time. Together, these elements determine the course of any action, the outcome of any life. Free will or self-determination is mostly an illusion, although chance is granteed a role in human affairs. Still, even the effects of chance are obliterated in the inevitable course determined by the interaction of inherited character traits and the social environment.“

This quote is pretty much saying that the events that occur in someone’s life all come down to their previous actions and chance/ free will. This applies to both the story that we read in class and the movie that we watched in very similar ways. It applied to the movie, because in the movie the Swede dies because of a combination of free will, bad judjment, and the enviorment it is it. His enviorment caused him to die because the blizzard was what lead him to the hotel. If it had not been snowing, chances are that he would of not entered the hotel, and he would still be alive. Also, if he would of left when he wanted to near the beginning, instead of drinking with the hotel owner, chances are he would of also lived. The bad judjemtn killed him because he should of left when he had the bad feeling about the place. Also because he should not of had so much to drink, therefore not getting drunk and assaulting the man. And Lastly, he died because of chance. This is because it was just unlucky that he chose that hotel, and that the man that killed him also chose that hotel to stay in. Also it was very unlucky that he just had conflicting personalities than the people who were there. Overall, the Swede’s death was just of comination of the enviorment and being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

This quote also applies to the story that we read in class because, just like the movie, the man died because of chance, poor judjment, and the enviorment he was in. He died of poor judgment because he should not of have been out in the cold alone in such freezing temperatures. Also he should not of have wondered so far from camp, so far in fact, that he would not be able to make it back in time before the sun went down. He died becase of chance because it was just unlucky that he fell through the ice and got wet and numb because of the water, and if he would had not of fallen through, he might have made if back in time. And lastly he died because of the enviorment he was in. If he had fallen into water in Florida, it would not of been a problem, but since he was in the harsh conditions of Alaska and it was seventy below, the water ended up killing him. Both men in both of the stoires died because of bad combination of chance, bad choices, and the enviorment they were put in.

Journal #14

Journal #14 - E. A. Robinson Poems

“Richard Cory“ (497)

Richard Corys life seems perfect to everyone else in thw world, but it comes with a twist because actually he is very unhappy. At the very end of the poem he kills himself and finally people understand that there were more things going on under the surface then anyone could of guessed. His name is also a way to describe him such as Richard means that he was rich, and Cory means that there was more things going on in the core. This is an example of real vs. ideal because people thought he was an idea person but in reality, he was sad like everyone else.

“Miniver Cheevy” (497)

Miniver Cheevy is a guy who lives in the present, but he does not want to. He wants to live in the past, such as time of knights and dragons. He does not want to wear a suit and go to work like normal people, all he wants is to suit up in a armoured suit like old. His name is a play on words that means “minimum achiever” because he hasn’t done anything with his life. This poem is also an example of real vs. ideal because in the real life, he is borning, has empty meaning, and drinks away his pain. In the Idea world, or fantasy world, he would be happy.

“Mr. Flood’s Party” (498)

Mr. Flood is a very lonely guy. He is having a party that is not really a party at all because it is a party of one. He drinks all by himself, and while he drinks he takes a look at the past. His name Mr. Flood could mean that he floods his body with alcohol. This poem is the last example of real versus ideal because in real life he is very lonely and drunk. In the ideal world he could go back in his past life, just like Miniver Cheevy.

Journal #13

Journal #13 – Edgar Lee Masters Epitaphs (p. 502)

1. What object symbolizes George Gray’s life? How is this object representative of him?

The object that reperesents him in the poem is a “boat with a furled sail at rest in the harbor.” This represents him well because with your sail furled, you cannot go anywhere because the wind will not catch the sail. This is much like the life of George Gray because just like the boat is not going anywhere, neither is he. Because his sail is furled he missed out on a whole bunch of life opportunities that he cannot get back. Now that he has lived his life like that, he is telling others to make sure that your sail is open and ready to “catch the winds of desiney” and expirence life for all it has to offer.

2. How was Lucinda Matlock’s life different than George Gray’s? How do you interepret the last line of the poem?

Lucinda life is very different from George’s life is a very different way. In George’s life, he just sat around waiting for something to happen and not ready to sieze the chance when it comes. In contrast, Lucinda lived life to the fullest and did everything that she could to love life. She was always willing to try something new and try anything to be happy. In the end of the peom it says “it takes life to love life.” I take this to mean that you have to expirence things for yourself before you can really love them. If a person just sits around hearing other people’s stories on life, they will not truly love it until they go out and try it for themselves

3. How are “George Gray” and “Lucinda Matlock” examples of realism?

Both of these peoms are excellent examples of realism. They are so because realism is described to be more about the everyday life, and not the extrodenary events that happen. Both of these poems fall untder that category because they both describe the everyday life of two people and how those two people lived.

Journal #12

1. “Young Goodman Brown” is an allegory (symbolic narrative). What do the following represent?

Young Goodman Brown – The Name Young Goodman symbolizes a person's innocence. He tries to combat the devil and not fall into temptation, but he is unable to stop it making him no longer a pure good man. The Brown part of his name could indicate that he is just an average man.

Faith – she represents religious faith, and faith in humanity.

The Elderly Traveller/Fellow-Traveller – He represent evil and the devil. He may also represent temptation that the devil sends.

Goody Cloyse – She is someone who Goodman looks up too, and becomes disappointed when he sees her. She represent hypocrisy.

The Ceremony – This is supposed to be the opposite of Baptism, which is the cleansing of original sin, here they celebrate sin. Also it could be like Confirmation because they are becoming a part of the religion that celebrates the devil.

The Pink Ribbon – This could represent the lose of faith because when Goodman sees it fall from the sky, he realizes that he has lost his "Faith"

Young Goodman Brown’s Journey – It symbolizes a person's journey of growing up and losing you innocence. Also it shows how when you grow up you see the world for what it really is, it is a place with good and evil.

2. Identify The following for "Young Goodman Brown":

Theme- Sin

Message- Sin is something that can not be avoided in life no matter how hard a person tries. Also that sin is everywhere you go and in everyone that you see and no one is free from the sin in the world other than Mary and Jesus. Also the message may be that the evil in the world is brought out through people and their natural tendency to fall into temptation

Element Used to Establish- Plot is the element used.

Quotes:

``With heaven above and Faith below, I will yet stand firm against the devil!''- Goodman Brown trying to avoid sin, but turns out to be unsuccessful.

``There is no good on earth; and sin is but a name. Come, devil; for to thee is this world given.''- A direct quote about sin in the world.

"Evil is the nature of mankind. Evil must be your only happiness."- This is to show that evil is everywhere and in everyone because it is in human nature.

Journal #11

Where I lived and What I Lived for

About a man who goes out into the wilderness and tries to live life as simply as possible. The main point about this essay is about not worrying about the little things in life and just trying to live off the necessities.

“To drive life into a corner, and reduce it to lowest terms.”

Sounds

He sits around and listens to the sound of society and notices that most people involve themselves in activities to enjoy and pass time, but he said if they took the time, they could amuse themselves just y sitting and listening to the sounds of nature.

“I had this advantage, at least in my mode of life over those who were obligated to look abroad for amusement to society and theater.”

Neighbors

In this passage, he was talking about the life of an ant, and it is as hard as life as a human. He says that they and us both grow through the same pain and hardships, and that they fight hard just like we do. In this passage, he compares the battle of the ants to the battle on Bunker Hill in the American Revolution.

“I was myself excited somewhat even as if they had been men. The more you think of it, the less the difference.”

The Pond in Winter

He wakes up in a dream asking himself about what life is all about. When winter comes, Walden watches the fishermen and realizes that they are living simply, just like he is. When the pond freezes over in the winter, he has to chop a hole in the ice to bucket out the water. The main point of this passage is that we have to go out and experience nature for ourselves; we can’t make others do it for us.

“But there was a dawning Nature, in whom all creatures live, looking in at my broad windows with serene and satisfied dace, and no question on her lips.”

Spring

With the beginning of spring everything starts to change; the flowers bloom and birds fly. He talks about a wise man, and how he has wisdom he could never imagine, and also talks about that a person should not hold grudges.

“As every season seems best to us in its turns, so the coming in of spring is like the creation of Cosmos out of Chaos and the realization of the Golden age.”

Journal #10

Often at the end of a play, Shakespeare’s tragic heroes often have a moment of insight. What is Othello’s insight?

Shakespeare's Insight

Othello, before he ever talked to Iago, lived a good life. He beleived in being pure until marriage,and always trusting your wife, and never hurting her. This all changed when he decided to put Iago into his life. Iago fed him lie after lie, slowly destroying Othello's morals and his good conscience. Because of this, Othell evetunally kills his wife. He later relized what evil he had done, and wanted to show the world he was sorry. He decieds he will kill himself as a penance, but before he goes he gives a speech.Near the end of Othello life he gives a speech on how he wants to be remember and tells what exactly happened that caused the tragedy. During this speech, he gives a great insight on how a person should live their life. He says that he trusted someone whom should not of been trusted, and that he was manipulated. This is a great life lesson in to teaching people that they need to be weary of who they trust. Sometimes the person may seem trustworthy, but in reality, they are not. They are really trying to use that person to do something for themselves. Othello is trying to make the point that people in this world are not looking out for you, and usually, people are just trying to put others down to get on top and to get what they want, or should have had.

Journal #9

Free Will - The power of making free choices that are unconstrained by external circumstances or by an agency such as fate or divine will.

Determinism - The philosophical doctrine that every event, act, and decision is the inevitable consequence of antecedents, such as genetic and environmental influences, that are independent of the human will.

Free Will vs. Determinism

In Othello, throughout the book there was the argument of free will versus determinism to which one was why the book ended as it did. It is unsure what was the main reason why those events happened the way they did and there are very good arguments augmenting both ways. One argument is that it was all free will. This is a good argument, because just like Iago said many times in the book, Othello did not have to believe that his wife was cheating on him, but he chose too, using his free will. Also another example is that Rodrigo did not have to do everything Iago asked him to such as trying to kill Cassio, but he chose too. Iago often says to Rodrigo that the whole world is based on free will, and everyone has the choice to control their own life and their own destiny. Iago believes in free will and the power of choices.

On the other hand, determinism, or something similar to the idea of cause and effect could have also been the reason that the terrible events occurred in the book. Othello did chose to believe that that his wife was cheating on him, but that was an effect to all the evidence that Iago was showing him. Also, none of this would of had happened if Othello would have had just given Iago the job he wanted, even though he may not of been as well suited for it as Cassio. Or, it also would not have happened if Rodrigo was not as gullible as he is, and would have said no to Iago. Put these flaws that cause the character to become manipulated was not their choice, it was something they where born with that they could not change, this being the cause, and the death and destruction that Iago caused was the effect.Overall, with both of the arguments, there is no clear winner. In my opinion it is a combination of both the idea of free will and determinism that both contributed to the final outcome of the book with three people dying and one going to jail. Others may argue differently, but they will never be able to prove one way or another without any doubt.

Journal #8

Emerson's Aphorisms

4. We boil at different degrees.

In this quote he is stating that every person has a different limit to where they will get angry. Some people can handle stress longer and stay calm, therefore they have a higher boiling point, the boiling point being the time when they get angry. Other people, every little thing gets them mad, so they have a lower boiling point, meaning that it takes less for that person to get angry then another person with a higher boiling point. I think that he is very on point with this aphorism. I agree with the fact that some people are angry people in general, and every little thing may make them angry or upset. I think he is trying to say that we need to be aware of other people’s boiling points before we say something that may cause them to go over the edge and explode.

9. What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not been discovered.

He is saying that people judge the things that they do not know. They name it something that might not describe it just because they don’t know its true function. This relates a lot to humans to the way that they may judge a person solely on looks and not what is inside. The judgment may be that the person is worthless, which is untrue, and the reason they are judging like so is because they don’t know that’s on the inside and what that person has to give to the world. I agree with this statement and I think that we, as humans, judge people more than we should. I think we should take the time to get to know someone before we start thinking and judging them.

13. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.

He is saying that life is about trying new things and having new experiences. We need to try things out and experiment to see if they work and if they are fun. He is saying that the more you put yourself out there and try new things, the more fun and successful life you will have. Also he is saying that if you just sit there and hide, only doing the things that you have done forever, your life will most likely be boring. I fully agree with this in the fact that I believe in trying new things. I think that you can’t really know if you like something or not until you try it out for yourself. You cannot rely on the opinions of others to tell you what you do and do not like. I also believe that we have to put ourselves out there, and try things that might be scary because it may end up as something that could change your life for the good. I think that a person should live life without the regret of not doing something because they were scared, and wondering what would have had happened if they had put themselves out there and tried something that may have been scary.

Journal #7

1. Compare/contrast the different views of nature that are being presented in the poems. Refer to the list of classical and romantic characteristics and provide specific examples from the poems to support your analysis.

The Poem the Waterfowl and The Raven are two different poems that both have very different views on nature and how the world work. They both state their views through rhyme and show how they felt through the use of neo-classicism and romanticism. Even thought they state their thoughts the through the same way, their views could not be more different.These poems and authors do not have many similarities on their views on nature, but one similarity is that both poems deal with a single bird. Also there is a mystery between both the raven and the waterfowl that both leave the reader questioning.

In contrast, the waterfowl deals with more the happy and positive view of nature with the calm feeling, and the poem shows his feelings that nature and everything else in the world is there for a reason. While, oppositely, Poe shows the dark side of nature showing his negative view on nature and that the raven is some type of demon and is there to torcher him. Also Poe tries to tell the reader that the world is chaotic and disorganized through the bird and its only word it knows which is "nevermore". These poems may deal with the same part of nature, but they show different views on almost everything else.

Journal #6

1. Franklin had many ideas for self perfection that were stated in this paragraph. These ideas come out in thirteen different virtues ranging from temperance to humility. At the end of this section, Franklin comes to the conclusion that these things may help a person get closer to perfection, but no one will ever be perfect.

2. Yes I think this virtues would help me because they are all things that I need to work on to be a better person. Also because they make you a more honest, friendly, and likable person. The top five virtues that I would pick as the most important for a person to have are: Cleanliness, humility, sincerity, industry, and order.

Journal #5

The American Crisis

Paragraph 1

Argument- The harder the conflict the more glorious the triumph. Things that you get cheaply are less valuable.

Appeal- emotional and logical

Counter Argument- How can you be sure that the colonist will win.

Logical- faulty analogy, begging the question

Paragraph 2

Argument-That God will not let them lose.

Appeal- ethical

Counter Argument- That God is not on either side because he may not want to start a war. No one can say what God wants.

Logical- begging the question

Paragraph 3

Argument-That America should go to war soon to get their independence so they can be a free country. This is because if we don’t fight them now, our children will have to fight them.

Appeal- Emotional and Logical

Counter Argument- Thing may work themselves out without a war and might not need to fight.

Logical- false dichotomy

Paragraph 4

Argument- We need to defend ourselves from the thief (the king)

Appeal- emotional

Counter Argument- Britain is more powerful and get punished if we lose.

Logical- argument by analogy

Overall the weaknesses are that he does not use many facts in his argument. The strengths are that he is really persuasive.

The Perfect Cookie

That perfect cookie. You know the one you just take out of the oven. When the chocolate chip cookie is taken off the cooling rack and the steam is coming off in perfect spirals. The scent it just an overwhelming smell of sweet that just

makes your mouth just want to water. When you break the cookie, some of the perfectly cooked golden brown pieces crumble to the floor while the melted chocolate chips cover everything in a thin layer of brown, chocolaty goodness. When you bite into it, the different textures of the cookie and chocolate combine to make a sweet taste that is hard to describe other than delicious. That’s the perfect cookie.

Journal #3

1. Cite three specific examples of Hodgman’s descriptive imagery that you find to be particularly effective.
1. There were chunks in the can, certainly-big purplish-brown chunks.
2. The meat was dark, dark brown, and it was surrounded by gelatin that was almost black. I knew I would die if I tasted it, so I put it outside for the raccoons.
3. Except for a lingering rancid-fat flavor, the gravy wasn’t beefy, but it tasted primarily like tap water, it wasn’t nauseating either.

2. What do you think Hodgman’s purpose was in writing this essay? What overall message/meaning do you take from the essay?

The purpose of the author writing the essay was to tell the world about the food that we are feeding our animals. She tries to convey the fact that the food is gross and unappealing. She also tells the reader that marketers, are just that; they are people trying to trick pet owners with pretty packaging to buy a product that may neither be healthy nor tasty to our animals. What I took from this essay is to never eat dog food, and also that most of the packages lie to get a person to buy the food.

Journal #2

1. How are the moths in the essay opening different from the moth at the campsite? What do the different moths represent?

In the beginning of the essay, the moths start out as already dead. They were killed by a spider in the web. In the campfire scene, the moths are flying around the campfire, obviously alive. The two moths represent of the two ways a person can take life and showing people how to live life by saying that take the risk and die bright and adventurous.

2. What lesson does the moth provide that Dillard takes back to her students?

The moths by the fire provide the lesson of taking risks and having fun with life, because you only live once. Also it is about “quality over quantity.” A good quote to describe this is the quote “life is not about how many breaths you take, but by how many moments that take your breath away.”

3. How many references are there to fire in the essay? What’s the larger significance of fire in the essay?

There are about three mentions mentions of fire in the essay. The significance of fire is that it burns up the moths, and that she leaves a candle lit while she sleeps. She leaves the fire burning to try to copy the moth’s life by taking risks.

4. Address how each of the following quotes connect to Dillard’s overall point.

a. “I would rather be ashes than dust!
I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot.
I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.
The function of man is to live, not to exist.
I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them.
I shall use my time.”

-Jack London

They are saying that they would rather be noticed, the will away in the background dull and unseen, which is much like the author of this essay because the author would rather take risks and have fun than be safe and bored.

b. “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”

-William Butler Yeats

It relates to the essay because they both refer to the idea of being passionate about learning and not just absorbing the information, but understanding it and being inspired by it.

c. “A book should serve as the ax for the frozen sea within us.”-Franz Kafka

It relates because they both talk about an ax, and how a person needs to approach life full, and not half heartily.