Month: February 2017

He took one last drag on his cigarette and snapped it away. Then with that faint, fleeting smile playing about his lips, he faced the firing squad; erect and motionless, proud and disdainful, Walter Mitty the Undefeated, inscrutable to the last.

        “On the count of three, open fire!” yelled one of the gunman. Just as he said three, one of the other gunmen stepped forward and shouted “No this is wrong!” …

“What’s wrong with you?!” Mrs. Mitty screeched as she stood in front of a dazed Mitty, her head cocked to one side, her eyes screwed and glaring at him.

“Sorry…I uh.” He looked down quickly at his hand, the cigarette had tarnished. “I just have to go buy another pack quickly, wait in the car for me.” Mrs. Mitty solemnly regarded his request and with no response walked in the direction towards the car. Mitty took a deep breath and walked across the street to a rusty little shop. The store had a small collection of fresh and baked goods, along with a large stack of newspapers and colored candy. The counter was covered with red cloth, and embellished with silver pom-poms.  Behind the counter stood a short lean man with dark hair.

“Could I get a pack please?” the store keeper turned around to the shelf, “Old gold, or Piccadilly, sir?”

“Old gold is fine, thank you…” Mitty replied.

Walter flung his arm out, holding a red fabric. He glistened in the ring, gold embroidering’s traced his arms and shoulders atop white trousers. Sweat trickled down the side of his face. His hair oiled, and slicked back, perfectly even. The red panels stood tall in a circle between him and the crowd. Ladies in white layered sundresses sat in the first few rows fanning themselves in the hot sun. Many accompanied by well-dressed suitors, their mustaches meticulously upturned. Mitty took a stance in the middle and waited. He could hear the bull clashing in its small pen, the boys poking at it making it angry. He knew only a few seconds left. A loud metallic scraping sound released. The bull charged at Mitty, he waved around his fabric derisively. He teased the bull, making it twist this way, and that way. It’s back steaming, and its hot breath, too close to Mitty neck. Mitty threw up his arms flamboyantly as if dancing with the bull. He stretched out bringing the fabric to his right hip, waving it slowly. The bull only a few feet away stared, and for a second there was a calm, with the sun shining down on them. It raced forward, insolently. Mitty’s shoes planted in the red dirt ready for impact. And at the last second he swirled his arm behind his back, bringing the fabric with him, the bull ran through empty air. Out of the corner of Mitty’s eye he could see the steam riding off its black back. Pandemonium broke amongst the crowd.

 

This Photo Compilation Story project, is taking certain quotes that are the most important and collectively explain the most important plot points. The short story that this project is based on is called, “Father and Son” by Morley Callaghan. It portrays the struggle of a relationship between father and adolescent son in the late sixties to early seventies in Ireland.

EXPOSITION: “He will stand in his bare feet, his shoes and socks in his hand, looking at me. I will sleep for him” (165.)

This shows that the father is still checking to make sure that his son is home, well, and safe. Even though their relationship is dysfunctional, they are the only ones there for each other still. The son sleeps for his father because he doesn’t want to talk to him.This fits exposition as it describes the father a bit in his behavior, that its set in a house and that the son does not want to have a conversation. 

RISING ACTION: “I let you go once—and look what happened” (167.)

The father let him go, as in out of the house out of pure frustration of not knowing what to do with son anymore despite his efforts. And he regrets it because letting his son go caused his son to involve himself, I’m assuming drugs.It leads up to the climax as t foreshadows that something bad could happen again. 

RISING ACTION: “I had to go collect you. Like a dog” (168.)

The father had to go to an institution, or hospital to pick up his son. Most likely the son had an overdose. The way that his father refers to his son as a dog shows that he is ashamed of his son yet still has a need to care for him. Again it shows the son has done something bad and that it could happen again which will lead up to the climax. 

RISING ACTION: “There is a bang. A dishcloth drops from my hand and I run to the kitchen door” (169.)

The father hears a bang and is obviously very worried. He was previously  washing dishes, and runs over to see if his son is safe. This is basically the last clue or line before the bi reveal of the sons life finale. 

CLIMAX: “my son is lying on the floor, his head on the bottom stair, his feet on the threshold” (169.)

This shows the climax as throughout the entire story we wan to know whether something dramatic is going to happen. At last we know that at this point his son is possibly dead. 

FALLING ACTION: “Your nose is bleeding” (169.)

At the bottom of the stairs bleeding.This line normally, we would associate with a punch to the face. He could have just gotten knocked out and hit his head at the bottom of the stair.  

FALLING ACTION: “something cold at the back of your neck” (169.)

This line really makes us think about whether or not he was punched in the face or shot, and its clarified. 

DENOUEMENT: “My son, let me put my arms around you” (169.)

This not only shows the wave of grief that the father has now experienced but confirms that his son is truly dead. And him asking permission to hold his is more of a surrendering permission which adds to the melancholic mood.

 

 

Smith, from the short story “Two Fisherman” is a traveling hangman. Hired by the mayor, he travels town to town. He doesn’t seem to have any education nor beliefs though he does stand for the death penalty. He is in his mid-fifties and is married to his wife with five children. He is a small man with a stout posture, and grey curls. He does respond to the nickname “Smitty”. Smith’s hobby is fishing and he enjoys to look to see if there’s a lake where he is traveling to, to fish. He enjoys fishing with his wife occasionally. Smith does not seem to have many friends despite his friendly nature, probably due to his occupation as the hangman. 

 Although friendly, he has a reserved side most likely due to the judgments of the public about his position. He is a good story teller and good friend, though in this case and future cases could be a weakness. His attitude to seek friends and be loyal could be perceived as gullible, and friends could take advantage of him.

Capital Punishment is described as the legal permission to kill someone for the crimes that they have committed. The last Capital Punishments to be executed in Canada were in 1962. Both deaths of Arthur Lucas and Robert Turnip were carried out due to murder, in the Don Jail in Toronto.  It was not until 1976, fourteen years later, that Capital punishment was removed from the Criminal Canadian Code and swapped for a life sentence with no parole.

The short story, “Two Fisherman” by Morley Callaghan, would have had taken place before 1976, for the executions to have been historically correct in Canada. Personally I think it took place around the 1930’s since the hanging was more of a “community activity.” Also the description of Smitty’s attire of being dressed, “in a long black cut away coat with grey striped trousers and a gate ajar collar” (Callaghan 3). On Thomas Delaney’s case I believe that he should not have received the death penalty. He was defending his wife from Mathew, who was wicked enough to not only have the audacity to approach a known man’s wife in such a way, but to also assault her. Mathew had no reason to do what he did. Thomas however, and understandably, had an aggressive reaction. Also, I seriously doubt Thomas’s wife could have effectively defended herself from Mathew.

 

Below is the last meal of an inmate before he is executed. It is one of twelve from Photographer Henry Hargreaves series, NO SECONDS.

NO SECONDS LINK