In the short story Gooseberries by Anton Chekhov, Ivan tells a story about his brother and through the story he tells about his brother it is conveyed that Ivans understanding of happiness is that some one can only be happy  from the sadness and neglect of others.In the over analyzation of his brothers life and everything that he thought not to be the way to live he then wishes he could do things differently.“Everything is quiet, peaceful, and against it all there is only the silent protest of statistics; so many go mad, so many gallons are drunk, so many children die of starvation. . . . And such a state of things is obviously what we want; apparently a happy man only feels so because the unhappy bear the burden in silence, but for which happiness would be impossible. It is a general hypnosis.”Here Ivan is saying that there are a lot of things wrong in the world yet we still remain as if nothing is wrong and the world continues as if happy with this decision thus meaning happiness is in relation to the downfall of others and without it happiness would not exist.In contrast to the downfall of others in order to be happy Ivan in a tone of a favor says “don’t be satisfied, don’t let yourself be lulled to sleep! While you are young, strong,wealthy, do not cease to do good! Happiness does not exist, nor should it, and if there is any meaning or purpose in life, they are not in our peddling little happiness,but in something reasonable and grand. Do good!” In other words Ivan  is saying that happiness doesn’t just exist from the little things in life but possibly if it did it would be in the gestures and positive differences we do for others and make. In relation to Ivan’s definition of happiness one should live their life doing good.

-Kayla Ortiz

Joy Harjo’s poem  “Perhaps the World shall End Here” develops the idea that the conversations held at the kitchen table are related to important stages in life. Throughout the poem each stanza discusses a different aspect of life, although this is not discussed until after signaling the importance of the table in which Harijo stated  “The world begins at a kitchen table. No matter what, we must eat to live.” Relating the kitchen table to the world and the activities done at the table as the necessity to live emphasizes the table’s role. In one stanza it’s said that “ It is here that children are given instructions on what it means to be human. We make men at it, we make women.” The discussion that will shape children into the people they will become takes a serious and important tone of conversation which then goes on to develop the idea of the kinds of conversation that take place at the kitchen table.The poem then goes on to describe different aspects in life related to love,loss,anger and grief to then end on the unexpected probabilities regarding the end of the world.Harjo characterizes the end of the world as another event that will take place at the kitchen table once again emphasizing the table and conversations held at it. 

-Kayla Ortiz

After reading the Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti I’ve come to the conclusion that this poem is about the struggles two sisters faced in the attempt to overcome temptations through love and sacrifice and in doing so formed an even stronger bond for life. From the beginning Laura was warned time after time by her sister Lizzie not to be tempted by the Goblin men who sell fruits,these fruits according to Lizzie where unknown and could not be trusted.Unfortunately these warnings were not enough for Laura’s curiosity as she consumed the fruits anyway,even going as far as to hush her sisters second warning in which she stated “Nay, hush,”:“Nay, hush, my sister:I ate and ate my fill,Yet my mouth waters still;To-morrow night I will Buy more;” and kissed her:“Have done with sorrow;I’ll bring you plums to-morrow”. In consequence Laura would never hear of the Goblin men again or their fruits and would whittle away from the lack of their nectars. In an attempt to save her sister Lizzie sacrificed her own safety as she was forced and beaten by the Goblin men in order to retrieve nectar in  to save her sisters life .In the end both sisters share a new love and admiration for one another as they tell the story of the goblins to their own children now and how thanks to one sisters will was able to retrieve the antidote that binds them together.

-Kayla Ortiz