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I didn't like this story the first time I endured reading it. I mean, what was there to like about it? It's about a bunch of people at the type of stuffy party I avoid like the plague. Beyond that it's about the sort of guy who gives other men a bad name when it comes to "sensitivity training." What I wanted to do more than anything was write a satire of this story, but that wouldn't exactly fulfill the requirements of this paper.
But, because I had to try and write a decent paper about the story, I was forced to look more closely, and more deeply at the text. I was shocked. Hidden there, among all the mundane sociality party drek of the tale, was symbolism and imagery so effective and profound that even I was able to pick up on it (and that is no small feat, mind you). Now, having said that, I hope that this paper does that symbolism justice...
Poe is a god. I would give up certain key portions of my anatomy to be able to write with his skill. That's why it pains me every time I have to analyze one of his short stories: I know that I simply can't do the man's writing justice.
I also feel presumptuous, thinking that I have the skill or knowledge to be able to say what Poe "really meant." None the less, I feel that I do a good job of looking at his work through the lens of Freud's theories...
My lord, does every small town business hire the same worker drones to manage it? The small mindedness of the manager in this story is way too similar to that of women I worked with at JC Penney back in Hastings. I remember how angry I used to get at how they'd discriminate against my friends or people I knew simply because of how they looked.
Because of that I really want to defend Sammy. I can't quite bring myself to do it, however...
For years I've suffered because of the negative stereotypes that surround role playing games. Too many people feel that they have the right to pass judgment on games that they know next to nothing about. I've been accused of being a satanist and a witch, I've had people implore me to change my evil ways before I was corrupted, doomed to an eternity of perdition. If they bothered to learn about the games they'd realize just how wrong their misconceptions are.
I've also suffered through the stigma of belonging to "Generation X." Many of my elders feel the need to make derogatory comments about my generation's "whining." If they'd only think back to what life was like for them when they were growing up, trying to grow and make something of themselves while being held back by the obstacles put in place by the generations before them, perhaps they wouldn't be so quick to make those comments. "Never trust anyone over thirty" indeed...
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