Mod 8 Discussion

Sum up the major argument that you created in Paper 1. Submit one  paragraph of at least 150 words from Paper 1 that integrates the secondary source you found–as it it would appear in a revision of the paper to further support  or illustrate the topic at hand. Also, provide a works-cited listing of the source as it will appear on the works-cited page.  Critique two peers’ posts: How well is the source integrated? Is anything to be edited to ensure a good flow between the writer’s own statements and the quotation? If the source is summarized or paraphrased, is it clear where exactly the writer starts using it?

1

Jamia S. Douglas

LIT 2010

Professor Jacob Henson

09/24/2020

Pity as Demonstrated By Culwin in The Eyes

“The Eyes” is a story by Edith Wharton, which she wrote in 1910. “The Eyes” is a major theme in this literary piece that employs a ghost story framework to showcase an internal experience. Andrew Culwin is an aging protagonist in the story who has absolute egotism. He has not allowed it to be threatened by any human being by becoming involved with them (Wharton). He is well educated and wealthy, and he has hosted his friends for a dinner party. Culwin’s friends are sharing tales of psychic encounters that they have witnessed, and it is at this time that Culwin offers to share his own story. “The Eyes” is taking place in Culwin’s home and, to be specific, in a library that is filled with cigar smoke. The leather chairs and cigar describes Culwin and his lavish life.

As he tells his ghost story, Culwin gives constant descriptions of other people through their wealth, intelligence, and looks, and an assumption can be made that these aspects are lower than his (Wharton). He consistently shows pity for other characters throughout the story, although the story mainly focuses on the set of eyes haunting him. Themes are literary devices, and pity and social norms are explored in “The Eyes.” Culwin emphasizes on the “other,” which implies individuals who are unsocial, unintelligent, poor, and unattractive. Showing pity to them in an aspect that is unavoidable and especially when being wealthy, having a good education, and being attractive persist being a prominent aspect of the social status. When there is a sharp divide between two classes of people in the society, the wealthy and the poor, they will always judge others. Through the ghost story, Culwin portrays the social normality where those who are inferior or the “other” are pitied.

Alice, in the story, is Culwin’s cousin. His perception of women is that they are only necessary because of the roles that they have to perform, such as cooking. He, therefore, sees Alice as an unfortunate woman. Despite the pity, Culwin goes ahead to describe her as follows, “she was neither beautiful nor intelligent-poor Alice Nowell!—but it interested me to see any woman content to be so uninteresting…” (Wharton, Part 11 para 5). Culwin could not understand how a woman can be contented despite being unattractive and uninteresting.

In another instance, Alice kisses Culwin showing her bravely, and in return, he promises that he will marry her (Wharton, Section 2, para 7). Further into the story, it is evident that he does not want to hurt her, and the reader gets insights that Culwin’s proposal to Alice is due to pity. However, in a pretentious manner, he reassures himself that he consciously commits a good act towards her (Wharton, Section 2, para 9). In the 21st century, pity would be among the last reasons for proposing to someone. The story, being written in 1910, an engagement out of pity could have been something that an individual makes the other party feel good about themselves, not because they are attracted to them but because they are fond of them and do not want to hurt them. Not long after the proposal, Culwin shows some regrets in proposing and even shows annoyance because “he had been so slow in making this discovery.” A discovery that he does not want to be with Alice, and after this time, he encounters the eyes for the first time. “They were the very worst eyes I’ve ever seen; a man’s eyes—but what a man! My first thought was that he must be frightfully old” (Wharton, Section 2 para11). Culwin assumes that he sees the eyes because he had betrayed Alice, who was his supposed fiancé.

Culwin described his aunt through her appearance and mainly with her lack of hair. He sees Alice’s hair, which is “fairly thick and pretty,” and her only feature that is beautiful that it will look exactly as his aunts when she was older. Culwin describes the eyes of Alice as “Wholesome as fresh water” (Wharton, section 2 para 13) and thinks they might be more interesting if only her lashes were longer. Culwin constantly looks at the flaws that Alice possesses, and this emphasizes how he pities how she looks or her appearance. Although he believes that she is a good girl, he is always looking for undesirable or unattractive features about her.

Culwin encounters Gilbert Noyes when he travels to Europe. Alice had sent this boy, and she introduced him to Culwin as her young cousin. This was the first letter after they had broken up (Wharton, section 2, para 23). According to Culwin, Gilbert is appealing for him to befriend. Culwin judges women by their looks, and in this case, involving a man, Gilbert, he judges by intelligence. “At any rate, poor Noyes wasn’t a predestined genius” (Wharton, Section 2 para 24). However, he was charming and beautiful, but since he is not as smart as Culwin would like, Culwin shows pity towards him as he did to Alice and his aunt. The stupidity that Noyes displayed is considered in the story as a natural grace. “The worst of it was that his _betise_ wasn’t of the too obvious Sort. Ladies who met him at picnics thought him an intellectual; and even at dinners he passed for clever” (Wharton, Section 2 para 26). These were observations that Culwin made about Noyes but asserts that himself being educated knows Noyes as stupid despite his charming appearance.

As the story begins, Culwin is visiting his aunt with aims that she will leave them the house. He initially did not have all the wealth that he has now. During the dinner party, the narrator described the cigars and servants in a manner that portrays that Culwin has money. As a young boy, Noyes struggles to make ends meets as he is not very well talented in writing, and Culwin comes to his aid by lending him some money. Looking at Culwin’s wealth now and his social status, a sense of pity can be seen towards those of a lower social status. This implies that his sense of pity towards others is due to his power from the wealth he has now.

In conclusion, Culwin’s judgment about others is what he perceives as the most important aspect. These include wealth, good looks, and intelligence. According to the narrator, Culwin however, partied with other people with a lesser social status. This is because, “Culwin’s sociability was a night-blooming flower, and we knew that he expected the nucleus of his group to tighten around him after midnight” (Wharton, Section 1 para 10). He pities them and their status in society, but he has some value for their company because it will help retain his status and power and be above everyone in his company. Wharton’s sense of pity, social status, and judgment of other people in the society is indeed accurate and heavy. People constantly judge others, especially if they have less than what they possess, and what results through human interaction is a pity for those in the lower social class.

Works Cited

Wharton, Edith. “The Eyes.” 1910. The Literature Network. http://www.online-literature.com/wharton/2938/. 21 09 2020.