Friday, April 1, 2011
The Storm at Sea
Aside from the obvious, that the storm at sea allows Charles and Julia to get together, what other purposes--literal and symbolic--does the storm serve? That it happens on a journey (from America back to England, but it could be thought of as any journey) might also have some significance.
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Symbolically, the storm represents the trials and tribulations of the characters involved in the story. The storm showed how strong Charles and Julia was because they were two of the few people who were able to ride the storm out and it showed how insensitive they were because they were able to make love while others, mainly Celia, was suffering. What appeared to be calm and peaceful one day, literally turned their world upside down. In my opinion, the storm they went through on the ship, was really the calm before the real storm that awaited all three of them later.
Well, it could be thought of as any journey is going to have it's rough spots but eventually you make it and you get there. So maybe it symbolizes that Charles and Julia's relationship had some rough spots,they didn't even realize it was going to happen just like they didn't realize the storm was going to happen, but when it did or when they made it home it was good and a great happening. And it definitely had to occur for Julia and Charles to realize their connection and get away from Celia.
DeMetra-
I really like your comparison to characters because I didn't think of it like that before but it definitely makes sense. Both Charles and Julia have been such strong people throughout the novel. If you think about where Charles comes from, his father and losing his mother, he could have gone in so many different ways but instead he's this successful painter.Then Julia came from the same background as Sebastian and she definitely could have handled it like Sebastian especially considering her father was never really there which could result in many bad behaviors but she's very civil and intelligent. And Celia is weak, she's flaky and very dependent. constantly wanting approval from others as well as being trapped in her stereotypical role.
Comment to Maegan
Hey Meagan, you mentioned something that I hadn't thought of and that's the fact that Julia and Sebastian were afforded the same family benefits and Sebastian completely blew it whereas she was sensible and didn't ruin her life. It's funny how two kids can be from the same family and turn out so differently. Birdey and Cordelia seemed to turn out decently, but it is very clear that Julia was the family favorite.
I think the storm represent hardships and obstacles that will come in the future for characters whether it is life changing or something minor. You can predict a storm but you never know how severe the storm will be just like life. The storm tested Charles and Julia relationship and trust for each other. The storm could be seen as a test of their relationship.
The storm represents the inner chaos and confusion of Charles and Julia. It foreshadows the great adversities that they will have to face in the near future, for example, the death of Julia’s father, and her struggle to maintain her Catholic faith. As for Charles, his complex search to find God and his perplex relationship with Sebastian. Furthermore, the storm can be understood as an intense and powerful sexual craving. Both Charles and Julia seem to be unfulfilled and very unhappy within their marriages.
However, I believe that Charles is not entirely in love with Julia. When the storm came to a halt, it was a symbol of the end of their temporary affair.
To Felicity:
I completely agree with you. The storm ultimately foreshadows the many obstacles that they will have to face later on in future. Nature has a mind of its own, and we can never predict whether it is going to bring severe or gentle weather. Julia eventually has to deal with one of her greatest obstacle, which is deciding whether to continue the adulterous relationship with Charles or not. At the end of the novel, she decided to cut off the affair because she wanted to prove to herself that she is a good Catholic and she wanted to uphold her Catholic rules and traditions.
The storm while Charles, Julia and Celia are aboard the ship, I believe is an attempt to foreshadow the upcoming events of turmoil. The storm seems to be a sort of climax, because once they are off the ship everything changes. In a more shallow meaning, the storm also serves to show that Charles and Julia were fighters, and tough. They didn't allow a storm to get them sick when most of the rest of the ship is bed-ridden.
I feel the wake of the storm is representing all the pain and the long journey that these characters have been through. They have been through rough lives. Just like Charles, Julia had worked through pain and suffering. Charles had a hard life with his parents with his mother dying and his poor relationship with his father. Julia and Charles had a relationship and didn’t even realize what was going to happen. Like the storm, it was wild and undetermined. They didn’t know what was going to happen but it was going to happen regardless.
The storm may represent Julia's sin of adultery with Charles. Yet after all that is said and done, the storm calms. The storm also may foreshadow the troubles that will fall down the line in the relationship.
I think that symbolically, the storm does indeed represent the trials and tribulations, as DeMetra mentioned. It is a representation of the strength that Charles and Julia have; thus, being the only characters who were able to make love and be compassionate while others were suffering through problems. This helped both Charles and Julia feel their connection, not having realized that this storm would've occured.
I think that the storm represents the struggle between Charles and Julia. The storm shows that their relationship was unpredictable like the storm, and once when they get out off the boat everything will change.
Comment to Jeremy: that sounds like it could be quite possible. Once, they are in England, Julia and Charles separate ways which could mean that while Julia is with Charles her life is in turmoil, but once she leaves him, things settle down and she goes back to God.
DeMetra,
I agree with you on the symbolism that the storm represents. That storm was one that only strongs could survive, as did Charles and Julia. I see what you mean by the storm being a calm obstacle they faced before their actual troubles started coming to place. I also think though that this storm may stand for some of the hardships that Charles and Julia faced throughout their relationship.
- Lis
comment to Dakota
I agree with you the storm represented their pain of the relationship that Charles and Julia been through. As you said the storm is a wild thing and you can never predict the outcome of it, just like their relationship.
The storm could of represented the relationship that Charles and Julia have. Being together at sea was a like a test on their relationship. If they could get through the storm, they could get through very well in their relationship.
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