Character Analysis

In the in the novel The Gilda Stories written by Jewelle Gomez, in chapter 2 called “ Yerba Buena: 1890” the character Eleanor is introduce to the reader. She is a vampire who is seen as royalty because her family has lived in Yerba Buena longer than anyone else. Anthony introduces Eleanor to Gilda, which she is described as a skinny, tall, red hair, provocative and elegant woman. Eleanor becomes right away interested in Gilda and starts to question where she comes from and soon after tells Gilda to let her dress her. Eleanor takes Gilda shopping and takes control on what clothes looks good on Gilda. Through the story Eleanor starts having problems with Samuel because he does not want her being with Gilda.

            Eleanor is the character that only cares about herself and no one else. She is the type of character that will do anything that will benefit her. On page 95, Sorel quotes “I love her as my own, but you will see she has only her own interests in her heart. There’s no room for any other.” This shows that the only thing that matters to Eleanor are her interests. Eleanor cannot care for anyone else but herself and in her mind all that is present are her needs. Also, since she likes to make other peoples life miserable since she is not happy with her life and likes to enjoy others stuffer. When she sees others suffer its like she feels satisfy because she is not the only one unhappy at that moment.

A struggle that Eleanor faces in this chapter is that she is not able to control Gilda. Eleanor seems to think that Gilda will do whatever she commands her to do, since Gilda did dress the way she told her to. Eleanor manages to make Gilda believe that she was not part of Samuel’s wife death, until Anthony and Sorel worn her not to fall into Eleanor’s trap. Eleanor tells Gilda some of her personal memories about her childhood, in order to get closer to Gilda and make her think that she is not like everyone says she is. Also, in this chapter comes a time when Eleanor kisses Gilda making her believe that she has feelings towards her. Eleanor takes this attention because she is aware that Gilda is attracted to her. Even though Eleanor helped Gilda dress better and took her to one of her special places that has meaning to her in life, Gilda manages to keep herself from commenting a crime. Eleanor thought that Gilda’s feelings that she had for her where going to be strong enough to make Gilda murder Samuel.

One flaw that is seen in Eleanor is wanting to have power over the people. Having too much power will make Eleanor abuse it, which will lead her into doing dangerous things.  Eleanor is a lonely vampire because she always wants to have power over the person, who makes the person not be around her or makes the person dislike her. Eleanor’s strength is the confidence she has in herself. The confidence she shows when she wants something and manages to get it.

A conflict that exists in this chapter is inner conflict. Eleanor experiences inner conflict with the character Samuel. Samuel accuses Eleanor of killing his wife. In this chapter Eleanor tries to get rid of Samuel, since he will not stop bothering her. The way that she tries to handle this conflict is to get Gilda to kill Samuel, by telling her that they need to get rid of him in order for them to be free from him. Even though Eleanor sees that Samuel is trying to kill Gilda for being with her, Eleanor does nothing to help save Gilda. In this situation Eleanor tries to use Gilda, in order for her not to kill Samuel herself. Eleanor struggles in order to get Samuel eliminated from her life, which does not end up happening in the end. Eleanor becomes aware that she could not control Gilda, as she has been able to control Samuel and other people.

I do not feel any empathy for the character Eleanor because in my point of view it is not fair to make others suffer. Also, I think it is not right to try and control other people and use them just for ones own benefit. People are not like toys where one can make them do whatever one wants hem to do. Persons have their own brain where they can decide what they want to do and Eleanor seems to see people like toys. I think that just caring about ones own desires and going after them without thinking if someone else is going to get hurt, is incorrect in a person.

           

Literature Reflection

There are five things that literature in this course have made me reflect on. The first one is knowing the definition of GLBT (Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender) and becoming more aware about how these people where treated in the pass. The second thing is improving my skill in working with groups, learned that communication with group members is important and reciting before presentations as well. The third is that writers express their point of view of society through the characters in their stories. Another thing that literature has made me reflect on is that stories can teach one things about society that one did not know about. The fifth thing is learning how to analyze and write about a character in a story.

1. GLBT knowing the definition
2. Improving skill work with groups 
3. Writers message through their wiriting
4. Learning things about society through characters in stories 
5.Analyzing and writing about a character

GLBT Motif

#8 Hiding/Secretiveness About Love/ Sex Relationships or Encounters

Homosexuals that hide their love relationships because they have not come out of the closet with their family and friends. Also, Homosexuals that keep their same sex attraction a secret because they do not want to be discovered and rejected by people they know.

Gilda Stories Quiz

#3.             Something I find interesting in this chapter is how Anthony becomes interested in Gilda when he first meets her. After the way he treats her like if she was his daughter or sister. He ants to protect her from people that want to hurt her.

Also another interesting thing I found in this chapter is how Gilda becomes sexually aware of her feeling towards Eleanor. The way she gets excited when she sees Eleanor coming to pick her up to go up. Also the way Gilda likes when Eleanor comments on the way she looks.

The way Sorel teaches to Gilda that for him and Anthony the most important thing is family. He makes Gilda realize that they are her family now and that she will learn from him the things that Bird did not teach her.

#4 On page 59 it shows how Anthony teaches Gilda that champagne is what they serve when family returns home. Champagne will be the drink that Gilda will drink while being with Anthony. Anthony shows to Gilda that he respects her ancestors.

On page 69 Anthony teaches Gilda about the responsibility of picking the people to become part of ones family. He explains to her that she will see in the future how there are families that where just created because of one persons own desire or need.

GLBT Quiz Response

Summery: David takes certain actions, which after he reflects on them and he is confused on what he should do with Giovanni and Hella. 

Of the 2 general categories for point of view, this selection is written from first person. Specifically, under this category, the Point of View is David not exposing that he is attracted to men, he wants people to know that he is into women.

The protagonist’s main struggle as the story progresses is admitting to himself that he is attracted to the same sex. Therefore, the type of central or main conflict is man vs. man. The reason for this main conflict is inner conflict which David the protagonist does not know what actions to take.    

Flashback is defined as a vivid memory of an event in the past. Foreshadowing is defined as an indication of a future event. In this selection, the author uses flashback. One flashback that is presented in Giovanni’s Room is when David remembers how he met Jacques again and they talk about their friend Giovanni and how he is sentence. Another flashback in book is when David describes when he met Giovanni at the bar and what happens between both of them.

Atmosphere and mood is defined in my glossary as the emotional tone in work most often established by the setting. I would describe the atmosphere of this story as troubled and puzzled.  This feeling is conveyed to the reader through first person point of view. An example of how the author conveys the mood or atmosphere in this selection can be found in chapter two part two of the book.

 A symbol is defined as a person, object, action or setting or situation that is charged with suggestions or meanings of something more or something other then itself. In this selection,  I do not find any symbols.

Two things I hope to gain by studying literture

• Learn different ways to express a certain point of view 
• Learn different forms of writing structures