Researched!

It has been an overwhelming experience looking for the sources for my research paper. I remembered when Prof. Lizzie said in class that it is a wise decision to research articles first, and then decide what to write on. But I did it the opposite, and got myself into a mess. But, I think after that "cocktail party" in class, I actually learned some ways to look for articles online. One of the trick that I learned to find resources is that to look at the footnotes and search it in the online database websites. I also learned how we can refine our search in order to get the best result whole searching for articles in Academic Premier, JSTOR, and others. I think, I still need to work on how to integrate all this sources and focus on the point that I am making in my research paper. Apart from all the difficulties, this research is actually helping me out build my skills , and I feel quite comfortable doing my research in other class that I am taking this semester. Thanks to 102!

Feast On Friday

The texts Babette’s feast and Short Friday, written by phonetically similar sounding authors, Isak Dinesen and Isaac Bashevis respectively, explores many ideas that are similar. Apart from being completely different texts on completely different settings and topics, these two texts surely have one thing in common; they both have a Feast for some occasion.

The Babette’s feast presents two christened girls, Martine and Philippa, who had given up any luxury, lavishness, or love in their life. They are religious and are deeply devoted to their father legacy of taking care of the congregation that once their father, Dean, had formed. “They lived in the ideal of heavenly love and did not let themselves be touched by the flames of this world” (Dinesen 147). They are, as most of the seriously religious person would be, very kind and humble to others. In the story, they also come across the situation where they are approached by two different male figures. Lt. Loewenhielm falls in love with Martine, but couldn’t confess his love easily but lets her know before leaving country that he loved her very much. In Philippa’s case, a great singer, Achille Papin, of Paris hears her singing in the church and from there knows that he was meant to be with her forever. In the daily practice session, during the Don Giovanni’s seduction duet, Papin draws Philippa towards him and kisses her. She being a pious girl didn’t like the idea of singing lesson and asks her father to write a note to Papin telling him about not having further singing lesson.

Living with the two sisters, is also a French catholic maid who flee from France because of the civil war rivalry and got into Dean’s Little Yellow house. She was, at her first appearance, a big, dark and pale woman who grew skepticism on two sisters about her abilities, but soon acquired the status of a respectable and trusted servant. “She had appeared to be a beggar but turned out to be a conqueror” (Dinesen 153). She is such a masterpiece in her zone that she author describes her having magnetic qualities and that she could arrange things very swiftly and properly. She is also a very good cook, as she used to be a cook in a French restaurant. Her food makes all the brothers, sisters, and general takes a ride of ecstasy. The long hate grown brothers and sisters starts confessing their mistakes and one more time shake hands forgetting the bitter memories. The two sisters also admire her cooking and serving by saying that she will be a great artist in Paradise and will enchant the angels.

In the Short Friday, Shmul-Leibele and Shoshe are the two Jews characters that are presented as a husband and a wife. They, like Dean’s daughters, have very simple way of living. Shoshe loves her husband a lot despite of the fact that he cannot bear her a child. Shmul-Leibele also loves his wife for being a graceful lady, and for being there for her always. They are, as Martine and Philippa’s, are religious too. Apart from being from different religion, Judaism and Christianity, they fear and respect every aspect of God. Shmul and Shoshe follow the Shabbat rules, go to synagogue for prayers, and read all the Hebrew religious books. Shmul even walks slowly back home, as according to the Jews law one shouldn’t walk home fast while coming from Holy Place. Just like two sisters, Soshe and Shmul are also portrayed to be a humble character. Soshe is shown to be a graceful woman, and Shmul lets other mock him and still don’t feel bad. In the story, they go through the love making which Soshe thinks that is not the way according to the law to make love. This personality of Soshe can be compared to Philippa when she doesn’t feel right about Papin Kissing her. But unlike Philippa, Shoshe lets her husband fulfill his wish of a different lovemaking. Soshe is also a great cook. Just like Babette, she is a master in her own zone of cooking. Author presents this idea by writing, “Shoshe braided the load so swiftly that it seemed to dance before Shmul’s eyes” (Bashevis 140). Just like the two sisters praises Babette’s artistry of cooking, Shmul also praises her food to be “nothing less than a taste of paradise” (Bashevis 138).

In this way, two completely different texts, Short Friday and Babette’s Feast, present the characters and situations that are similar, but a little different at the same time.