·What is "Poor Thing" about?Can you apply the meaning
of this story to situations in the modern world?This requires that you interpret the story,
but also apply it to contemporary situations
The story is about a person losing a pet. The person loses his friend even thou his friend is mean at times. This relates to modern world because anyone can lose something close to them. Also, people always have their ups and downs with people so sometimes they are not always nice to each.
"Poor Thing" is about Pepe the dog and his health problems. For the majority of his life, Pepe suffered from many different health issues and how his veterinarian refused to euthanize him. This situation can happen to anyone and that is how it relates to the modern world.
See my comments to Frances above. I think you want to do pre-med, right? It's worth considering the ethical questions this raises for anyone in the sciences.
This short story is about someones pet dog named Pepi who grew up with some health issues and owners that I believe to be kinda cruel. The pet lacked health care which is given when the author writes how they took Pepi to the vet that theyve often passed and never visited, Also it seemed as they disregarded the dog in the storage room, where they didnt notice how bad the dog got. The situation can happen at any time and relates to some situations in todays society.
"Poor Thing" written by Joyce Carol Oates discusses the narrators experience in choosing to end the life of her "beloved" Pepi. Pepi the narrator describes was an energetic and fun creature that filled her with love until he became ill. From that point on the tone of the narrator seemed to change into something more of a disdain for the animal. She almost made it seem as though Pepi became on a burden on her everyday life in the in a sense she left in a dreary cold cell like atmosphere to whither away. She describes memories with Pepi, but not all to informative as to who Pepi was characteristically only that he loved to eat and was very energetic. The narrator decides its time for Pepi to be "put down" as he no longer was able to eat well, and had been a pile of bones. The narrator and her husband than take Pepi to an animal clinic, where she regards the place as very cold, and the people would continue to stare at her and Pepi. She chose to shield Pepi's eyes away from the spectators in an act of dignity for him. When the narrator meets with the vet it becomes obvious that their is more to Pepi that the narrator did not provide. The Vet looked at Pepi and described him as a creature and refused to euthanize Pepi. The narrator forlorn was forced to leave with Pepi and finally taking matters into her own hands drowning Pepi. The narrator seemed to fight for some form of validation asking what we (the readers) would have done in that situation. Personally it seemed like a feeble act of guilt and denial. She turned the tables on us as the audience in a way to validate her actions in taking the life of what very well might be a her grandparent, child or even a horse from what I had thought Pepi was originally. I feel as though to care for something living must mean a regard of spirit. It is up to you to care for something properly as a human being, To disregard someones health and to abandon them in a cell goes to show the lack of humanity we have and what I feel the author hoped for us to regard in our own selves.
Some lovely details. I like the way you handle the narrator's change of tone. That "regard for the spirit" is a provocative and workable interpretation. Could it be a thesis?
"poor story" is mainly about the hard reality of giving up a companion. I also believe the author is trying to show the act of reaching out for help and not receiving any. in return she is trying to explain, "what if this was happening to you?"
absolutely. That last question, too, asks us to reflect on the moral judgements we passed on the narrator, and ask ourselves if we've ever done an act similar to the narrator's.
The story is about a person losing a pet. The person loses his friend even thou his friend is mean at times. This relates to modern world because anyone can lose something close to them. Also, people always have their ups and downs with people so sometimes they are not always nice to each.
ReplyDeleteRight. And sometimes we handle loss in regrettable ways. The story could be said to be about how we confront our own regrettable actions.
Delete"Poor Thing" is about Pepe the dog and his health problems. For the majority of his life, Pepe suffered from many different health issues and how his veterinarian refused to euthanize him. This situation can happen to anyone and that is how it relates to the modern world.
ReplyDeleteSee my comments to Frances above. I think you want to do pre-med, right? It's worth considering the ethical questions this raises for anyone in the sciences.
DeleteThis short story is about someones pet dog named Pepi who grew up with some health issues and owners that I believe to be kinda cruel. The pet lacked health care which is given when the author writes how they took Pepi to the vet that theyve often passed and never visited, Also it seemed as they disregarded the dog in the storage room, where they didnt notice how bad the dog got. The situation can happen at any time and relates to some situations in todays society.
ReplyDeleteGreat details. Let's think a little deeper about how this "situation" can translate into modern situations.
Delete"Poor Thing" written by Joyce Carol Oates discusses the narrators experience in choosing to end the life of her "beloved" Pepi. Pepi the narrator describes was an energetic and fun creature that filled her with love until he became ill. From that point on the tone of the narrator seemed to change into something more of a disdain for the animal. She almost made it seem as though Pepi became on a burden on her everyday life in the in a sense she left in a dreary cold cell like atmosphere to whither away. She describes memories with Pepi, but not all to informative as to who Pepi was characteristically only that he loved to eat and was very energetic. The narrator decides its time for Pepi to be "put down" as he no longer was able to eat well, and had been a pile of bones. The narrator and her husband than take Pepi to an animal clinic, where she regards the place as very cold, and the people would continue to stare at her and Pepi. She chose to shield Pepi's eyes away from the spectators in an act of dignity for him. When the narrator meets with the vet it becomes obvious that their is more to Pepi that the narrator did not provide. The Vet looked at Pepi and described him as a creature and refused to euthanize Pepi. The narrator forlorn was forced to leave with Pepi and finally taking matters into her own hands drowning Pepi. The narrator seemed to fight for some form of validation asking what we (the readers) would have done in that situation. Personally it seemed like a feeble act of guilt and denial. She turned the tables on us as the audience in a way to validate her actions in taking the life of what very well might be a her grandparent, child or even a horse from what I had thought Pepi was originally. I feel as though to care for something living must mean a regard of spirit. It is up to you to care for something properly as a human being, To disregard someones health and to abandon them in a cell goes to show the lack of humanity we have and what I feel the author hoped for us to regard in our own selves.
ReplyDeleteSome lovely details. I like the way you handle the narrator's change of tone. That "regard for the spirit" is a provocative and workable interpretation. Could it be a thesis?
Delete"poor story" is mainly about the hard reality of giving up a companion. I also believe the author is trying to show the act of reaching out for help and not receiving any. in return she is trying to explain, "what if this was happening to you?"
ReplyDeleteabsolutely. That last question, too, asks us to reflect on the moral judgements we passed on the narrator, and ask ourselves if we've ever done an act similar to the narrator's.
Delete