Mercedes Zuniga Essays (694 words) - , Term Papers

Mercedes Zuniga Professor Juarez English 1B February 2, 2017 Reader Response Analysis Everyone has different ways of interpreting literary work , because what one knows is based on the situation they are in. In Matthew Lewis' short story "The Monk", I notice an essential meaning behind aspects which relate to my world. Because of my gender, religious background and age, I find that marriage, religious life, and temptation can all b e damaging. While growing up, I was given the traditional female gender role tasks. Being raised by my grandparents meant I was going to be raised the old fashioned way. I was taught to do every household duty since young because I was raised to believe that I did not have to finish school, nor get a job, I just had to get married. Back then women were not seen as individuals, they could not live independently, they had to rely on a man for guidance and protection . I believe that is Antonia's m indset because the moment she finds her groom she looks relived. "Antonia seemed to look round the Church with anxiety She saw him; The blush of pleasure glowed upon her cheek; With a graceful motion of her hand She beckoned to him to advance." (Lewis 4) . I realize Antonia feels she needs to be wanted by a man to have happiness but this is incorrect . The so called " happily ever after" is only a fabrication . The more people beli eve in this ideology, the more people will be damaged and this only leads to divorce. My family lives a very religious lifestyle. I have been going to church for as long as I can remember. I recall the times my grandmother would wait until the end of Sunday Church' s Mass; we would gather outside in a line just to greet the priest. I did not understand why she would do that so one day I questioned her. She told me it was because he was of higher power and would guide us to greatness but what exactly made him of higher power? Was it the robe? Was it the knowledge? I thought all were equal and that day she told me otherwise. From then on I look ed up to these "holy men" but I have come to realize not all are holy. As stated in the text, some are frauds, "He longed for the moment destined to unmask the Hypocrites, and convince his Countrymen, that a sanctified exterior does not always hide a virtuous heart." ( 6). The Monk in this short story has twisted my way of viewing the sacred because they do not seem to be as pure as they port ray themselves to be. I have learned that temptation can make people do some crazy, out of character things. It is not something I have personal experienced but it is something I found quiet shocking, especially when coming from the monk. It is awful to think that a supposed righteous man committed such crime to a beautiful innocent girl. "She, who had so lately been the object of his adoration, now raised no other sentiment in his heart than aversion and rage. He turned away from her; or if his eyes rested upon her figure involuntarily, it was only to dart upon her looks of hate." ( 6-7). He only felt lust towards Antonia, so why take the most precious thing from her. Even after taking her virginity away he was a coward in looking at her differently, as if she had done the bad deed . Based on my situation, I can say t hese parts of the story have changed my ways of thinking because as a nineteen-year-old, Catholic, girl I find that I was raised blindly, without real thoughts of the ever growing generation. Times have changed and not everything is the same as it used to be ; that is just something I will have to teach my children about someday. I know what is considered to be right and what is wrong in this time period, it frames the view of the world for me today.