William Mason High School
To Rise Again at a Decent Hour: Creative Summer Reading Project
Riddhi Chopra
AP Literature and Composition
Ms. Nichole Wilson
October 5, 2015
I have read and understand the sections in the Student Handbook regarding Mason High School's Honesty/Cheating Policy. By affixing this statement to the title page of my paper, I am certifying that I have not cheated or plagiarized in the process of completing this assignment. If it is found that cheating and/or plagiarism did take place in the writing of this paper, I understand the possible consequences of the act, which could include a "0" on the paper, as well as an "F" as a final grade in the course.
2009. A symbol is an object, action, or event that represents something or that creates a range of associations beyond itself. In literary works a symbol can express an idea, clarify meaning, or enlarge literal meaning. Select a novel or play and, focusing on one symbol, write an essay analyzing how that symbol functions in the work and what it reveals about the characters or themes of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.
Riddhi Chopra
Ms. Nichole Wilson
AP Literature and Composition
5 October 2015
To Rise Again at a Decent Hour: Creative Summer Reading Project
As adolescents mature, it is in their nature to often question themselves and their belonging in their surrounding society. Occasionally, however, their uneasy outlooks carry on into adulthood, as in the case in Joshua Ferris’ To Rise Again at a Decent Hour. The protagonist of the novel, Paul O’Rourke, continuously finds himself in situations of self-doubt in his dental practice as well as personal relations. Upon discovery of an unexplained online presence under his name, Paul begins to idolize his online representation over his real self. Throughout the novel, Ferris depicts Paul’s conflicting identity by applying his reality and fantasy world as a symbol emphasizing his inconsistent perceptions of his notions about logic and validity in addition to his eccentric social interaction rate. These concepts vocalize Paul’s struggle to owe any form of allegiance to his surrounding society, thus revealing the theme of his pursuit for personal fulfillment.
Paul’s lifestyle could be described as eminently mundane and monotonous. He does not strive towards any goals significant to him; neither does he hold a definite agenda for his future. His dedication to his work is a result of mere boredom, rather than true passion- “I never wanted to go back to work” (95), “Beyond the oppression of my familiar surroundings…” (95). He certainly acknowledges his lack of substantial purpose within the realm in which he lives, a worry that prevails in his mind. Therefore, the outcome of the impersonator’s posts and comments online for Paul is rather unexpected. Although at first enraged over the inordinately religious content “Paul” appears to be posting, he develops a warming attitude towards the subject and towards the impersonator’s knowledge of Paul that far supersedes his own. Indeed, he is left in a state of bewilderment when the impersonator asserts accurate statements about Paul that he himself had never scrutinized, such as “You are too much in your own head, trying to unravel the mysteries” (133) and “There is a lot of emotion coursing through you at any given moment of the day” (133). Comprehending his inner emotions in such a manner intrigues Paul to the extent where he is uncertain of the distinction between his real self and his popular online portrayal.
Throughout the novel, Paul self-identifies as an atheist, though originating from a Jewish background. His notions about logic and validity are influenced by the analytical mindset he possesses, one that obliterates any potential of spiritual belief he may retain. However, this view gradually develops into a state of ambiguity as the strikingly juxtaposing online “Paul” convinces the real Paul otherwise. Constant updates on Twitter, such as “Imagine a people so wretched that they envy the history of the Jews” (155) and “Of all the species of vanity man indulges in, none is so vain as worship” (144), relay messages of religious implications, affirming claims that Paul is an “Ulm”, a descendent of a historical enemy group of Israelites. Eventually fostering an affinity for such statements, Paul now finds it challenging to distinguish between his genuine views and those he supposedly makes towards the public. This dubiety adopted in his mind serves as a representation for the unpredictability his logical and rational traits present as a result of the perplexing situation for both the characters and the reader.
As a socially stiff individual, Paul often struggles in responding to others and to unusual situations using an acceptably civil approach. He frequently fails to emotionally connect with both familiar and distant persons. Online, however, Paul reaches new heights in bonding with strangers and promptly gains multitudes of Facebook friends and Twitter followers, even receiving emails from those captivated by “his” words and stating that “[his] tweets were always compelling” (150). The two contradictory personalities force Paul to embrace either counterpart in order to fulfill the social gap in his real life, resulting in repeated trials of both aspects. He attempts to briefly evaluate his online persona by complimenting the work ethic of Connie, his office manager and past girlfriend, by expressing thoughts utterly unlike his real nature- “I’ve been meaning to tell you how much I appreciate everything you do around here” (158). These eccentric efforts in suddenly replacing his current social mannerisms with ideal ones are embodied by the internal battle he remains the main contender for throughout the extent of the novel.
Paul eventually reverts back to his authentic self, though after being rewardingly exposed to the wonders bestowed upon him during his self-discovery trip to Israel. The symbolic internal dispute in which he fights during the components leading up to the climax emphasize his skeptical beliefs bolstered by his inherent notions about logic and validity all the while professing the inelegant social techniques Paul uses in his everyday life. He eventually finds himself unaffected by the incidents in the distant future; however, the experience of having faced desirable aspects of his “ideal” life yet still electing to continue as he is enables Paul O’Rourke to achieve a satisfactory level of personal fulfillment.
Works Cited
Ferris, Joshua. To Rise Again at a Decent Hour. New York: Little, Brown, 2014. Print.