Littérature anglaise, personal writings

Sujet du devoir

Sujet : Present personal writings as a form of literature, use text THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE by Mary Ann Shaffer ans Annie Barrows, and the text THE COLOR PURPLE by Alice Walke. write 400 words.

Vous verrez en dessous ce que j'ai fait, mais c'est beaucoup trop long et je sais pas quoi réduire.. Aidez moi

Où j'en suis dans mon devoir

Personal writings are often translated by a diary or epistolary novel. The essential thing is the fact that it is written in the first person narrative. Following the written form is used, forms may change. The diary is a form of personal writings. The diary is very open, that is to say that the person trusts completely without fear, because it is supposed to be read by anyone. The person who keeps a diary is a daily record of his life and puts his thoughts and observations that are not normally intended to be read. The text is written in the first person, the narrator recounts events from his own perspective. His vision is limited to what he knows, he sees or can represent. In this form of literature, the narrator and the author should be involved, as one who says, is the one who is supposed to have written the entry. In a fictional diary, the character is seen as the writer. The writer is likely to use a specific tone. When listening to someone, it is quite easy to know the behavior of person. When reading a text, the tone is not so easy to spot, it must imagine the attitude of the writer. A letter in an insight on the writer’s life. The letters almost always begin with “dear” followed by the name of the person for we know from the beginning that he is addressed. The historical context may explain the writer’s attitude or some of his comments.

To illustrate the personal writings, we will rely on two texts. The first is a text by Mary Ann Shaffer and her niece Annie Barrows, two American of 21st century. The epistolary novel was published in 2008 named Potato Peel Pie. Its name is due to the company "Literary and Potato Peel Pie" located in Guernsey. The story takes place nine months after the Second World War, so in February 1946. The war is recent, and atrocities are still in memory. The subject is sensitive. Regarding the novel Potato Peel Pie he talks about the love life of Juliet in parallel with the history of the city Guernsey during the Second World War which is used by the German army. It is an exchange of letters between Juliet Ashton and Adam Dawsey, a friendship will be created between them with time.
The second text is written by Alice Walker, American writer of the 20th century. The Color Purple 1982 is a great success. The novel deals the story of Celie, a young woman in 30's who is now married to a "Mr" that she don't name it. She describes her father as a hard man, idiot and doesn't care about Celie. In fact, he told her, she must stand back as "Mr" is a better impression of her. His father wants to marry her with this "Mr", it is an arranged marriage. She is very close to his sister and admires her. This letter is addressed to God. Therefore, no answer is possible.

The two stories are completely different. It does not happen at the same time, and the writer did not want to get the same message. Indeed Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows tell the story by asking a historical context, the post-war in 1946 with the bombing London or the German Occupation in Guernsey. These two events are opposed and are transmitted by two characters, Juliet Ashton and Adam Dawsey.
Juliet is in London but during a trip to Guernsey she met Adam, and then they will continue to stay in touch by writing regularly. Juliet is naturally curious, warm, and friendly, her favorite flowers are white lilac, and in each of his letters it adds a personal touch. She appreciates Mr. Dilwyn, and does not understand why his wife is still moved by the soap. Adam sends her flowers, her favorite flowers, attention that affects many Juliet. During the war, he bravely came to the aid of Mr. and Mrs. Dilwyn are forever grateful. He is seen as someone kind and thoughtful.

While Alice Walker speaks of a story that takes place in the south of the United States. Celie is the main character, she is married to a “Mr”, but it does not tell us his name. This is an undesirable marriage for her, she was forced. This "Mr" she describes as not respectful, not courteous, he enjoys it. Celie talks a lot about her sister Nettie she admires greatly. It is very close to her sister, she tells us that Nettie goes to school and when she gets home , she teaches what she has learned as Celie does not go to school. She talks about her father that she does not in her heart. According to her, he has never done anything for her, or at least nothing good. In fact she says that it is a hard man, idiot who never cares about her. He was he who arranged the marriage between her mysterious "Mr”. The letter is addressed to God, it opens to him, and confides without any limits. She tells him what are most personal things in her life. But God is not real.

Both stories have the same characteristics: epistolary novel, fiction, informal letter, realistic dimension, realism, non standard.
The tone is set: Alice Walker is in confessional and narrative tone. Whereas the letter between Juliet and Adam has a different tone: surprised, delighted, friendly, grateful, ashamed, inquisitive, curious, shocked, and sympathetic. All these feelings found in the same letter.
Despite of the kind that is the same, the stories are very different.

Mr Fossey is furious, aggressive, outraged with Yeats. He clearly believes that he is incompetent. Juliet opens up to Dawsey and expresses many different emotions all along the letter, from being grateful for the flowers, or ashamed not to know about the life under the Occupation, to even shocked when it comes to Elisabeth, who has not yet come back from a prison camp.
When to Celie, the letter, God cannot read or answer, he came in the privacy life of Celie. I think she was forcibly married, she could not choose, it will feel as we do not see love in the letter when she speaks of "Mr".