Book Emperor Of The Air English Literature Essay

Book Emperor Of The none English lit Es orderThroughout many of his stories in his book Emperor of the Air author Ethan Canin explores the theme of merriment in relation to his voices. Depending on which character reference one uses, happiness ranges from the quality or state of being beaming to a state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense bliss and according to the Oxford English Dictionary Good fortune or deal in lifetime or in a particular interest success, prosperity. Based on this, happiness is subjective to the individual. E actu totallyy trading floor in the book deals with the theme in its various forms hardly the three pieces I leave behind examine each deal with this subject and its various definitions in their own counselings, and I feel are the trump representations of happiness.In his support story The Year of Getting to issue Us Canin introduces the idea of happiness in a flash and very matter-of-factly. Canin fir st questions the happiness of Lenny while he is at the counselors when he is asked You sound as if you dont want to let hoi polloi get on youRight? and Lenny responds with Im a reasonably joyous man (Canin 26). After narration this, we get a sense that maybe Lenny is trickery, that he is holding something back. How finish someone be skilful, going through what he has, and will tarry to go through? The all the samets that are explained further in the story his fathers goal and his wifes contact, impose on this question further. On the very next scalawag Lenny goes on to talk intimately his life saying I am struck by the good fortune of my life (Canin, 1988). Perhaps Lenny really is happy, as he early states an exact definition of the word in his feeling of good fortune. Despite all that has happened in his life, he dust optimistic, and banks himself to be happy, and maybe he is.The opposition to Lennys apparent happiness is the some constant nagging he receives que stioning his emotions and ability to feel anything at all. Canin mentions such an instance immediately after mentioning Lennys good fortune in life when he states Anne says that I dont feel things (Canin 27). Lenny never questions whether or non if he is able to feel, and also never goes out of his musical mode to show any emotion other than stating that he is indeed happy. raze after witnessing his wifes affair firsthand, the only way Lenny can express himself is by writing down on a napkin you are a 40 year old man with no children and your wife is having an affair (Canin, 1988). Lennys apparent lack of any emotion that would come naturally to anyone in the same circumstance is quite intriguing and leaves the reader questioning his feelings, if he has any. Another moment where Lennys feelings are under fire comes when he is a child and his mother asks him if he is angry and he responds with I dont bed (Canin, 1988). This shows the reader that even though he was young, Lenny w as indecisive near his feelings, and whether or not he felt anything. Canin leaves the decision of whether or not this character is happy or if he can feel, up to the reader.I believe that Lenny is and was happy, and just because a person may not show outbound expressions of emotion, or whether they jazz exactly what they are feeling at a given time or not, does not mean they are not happy or unable to feel. Lenny has more than likely felt very conflicted about things as is stated by Canin near the end of the story after Lennys father has passed away But I didnt feel what I thought I would. Just the wind on my throat, the chill of the morning. (Canin 40). prone such circumstances it is easy to gather in why some may view him as being unhappy or without feeling completely, notwithstanding with that being said, it is all subjective.Lies is the third story in Canins collection and unconnected The Year of Getting to Know Us it does not introduce the imagination of happiness quite as clearly. From the very first paragraph we reveal a certain sense of naivety about the character fathead, which is no more evident than when he says to himself Some guys my age are kids, but Im eighteen and getting married and thats a big difference (Canin, 1988). This thought alone says a lot about shucks, and what he must be telling himself happiness is, and what happiness can be. We do not even so know that Katy, his girlfriend, is pregnant, or that he is soon to be a father. Canin does not tell the reader this outright, but hints at it, and leaves the reader to question get up motives, and his state of mind. Jack is trying to convince himself that things are good, and that everything will be O.K. but the truth of the matter is, that things will probably not be good, and he does not want to acknowledge this. He chooses to live in the moment, and lies to himself to be happy.Jack has no problems lying and Canin gives us an example of this when Katy says that she loves him, and Jack says to himself I dont mind lying, but not about that as if to say that it is O.K. to lie about some things, but not about others (Canin 50). When Jack does tell Katy that he loves her, it comes at the end of the story and almost seems forced, as if even he doesnt believe it and the lies he has been telling himself are commencement to fade through. For a while jack is happy, but it is only a false sense of happiness because he had to lie to himself, had to trick himself into accept it. He acted in ways he normally never would run through, and had to amend with the lies.A question one should take into consideration when thinking about Jacks situation is should he be happy? Does jack do the right to be happy by whatever means necessary, even if it means lying to himself with no mind of the repercussions? The answer to this is yes. Jack realizes his situation, as Canin states I think about how this bit with Katy started and how fast its gone, and it kind of stuns me that this is what happened, that of all the ways a life can turn out this is the way mine is going to go (Canin 52). Despite his circumstances Jack chooses to re primary(prenominal) optimistic about his future, and goes about this by lying to himself, hence the championship of the story Lies.Pitch Memory is similar to The Year of Getting to Know Us in a couple of ways. Both of the main characters swear that they are happy, both have dilemmas they need to overcome, and both have people in their lives who believe they are not happy. Lenny had both his mother and wife, and the main character of PM, who is suspiciously nameless, has her klepto-mother.Canin gives us insight into why she may not be happy through a first person annals perspective. Through this perspective it is not really necessary to know her name, and was a wise decision on Canins part because we are able to livelihood an objectionable distance from the character. Although we do not know her name, we do know about her fam ily and her profession, as Canin states on page one-hundred Tessa is a heart surgeon and I am a waitress (Canin 100). From here we can see as to why she may be not as happy as what she says or thinks, but then again, does ones occupation really witness ones overall happiness? The answer to this is no, people can love their project but still be miserable and vice-a-versa. It does not matter that she is a waitress, but this is a fact that her mother cannot seem to comprehend.I have dealt with similar issues in my own life. I once told my mother that I would be perfectly happy with a career at Pizza-Hut, so long as I was able to live how I wanted. apt(p) this was a lie, but I was trying to make a point, and she understand this. Sometimes it takes people a little longer to come around, but if they truly care they will. The first example Canin gives of her mothers thoughts occurs when she receives a phone squall from one her fathers old acquaintances who said Your mother is concern ed about what youre doing with your life. This shows not only that her mother cares about her life, but also that she is still fair confused as to how someone could be happy serving pancakes. She rattling goes on to tell her mother directly that she is happy as Canin illustrates Im happy, Mother. I dont want another job, I dont need a husband. Im happy (Canin 107). With this Canin directly tells us that she is happy, as she lists reasons to her happiness, and gives her a unique sense of logic about it. People make their own happiness, there is no standard as to what constitutes being happy. boon dinner is when she proclaims her happiness yet again during intercourse with her motherMy Mother asks the waiter whether he minds working on Thanksgiving Day and he tells her that everybodys got to earn a living.Thats right, my mother says when the waiter leaves.Mom, I am earning a living.Are you going to serve pancakes the rest of your life?I think I will, I say, and this makes my mothe r start to bid(Canin, 1988). This is the most obvious declaration of happiness in the entire book, as she is able to firmly stand her ground and tell her mother that she is happy, and will continue to do what makes her happy, be it serving pancakes or cleaning the bathrooms at the restaurant.Canins theme of happiness in each of these stories takes on its own forms, and leaves the readers communicate themselves questions about their own happiness. He addresses if one can be happy despite the gravest of circumstances, whether happiness can be attained by lying to oneself, and if someone can be happy despite not having the best standing in life and by doing what they love to do. He addresses each story with a realistic yet optimistic viewpoint on the subject, and is able to maintain it to the very last sentence in each.