Angel and Alec are very different people. Angel is actually looking to find a wife. He wants to find someone that will help and support him in his goal of becoming a land owner. On the other hand, Alec was never going to marry Tess. I think that his motive behind giving Tess the job and forcing the relationship was her was to do exactly what he did. Angel is a way better man than Alec was to Tess. For Tess’ sake I hope that Angel stays that way and does not turn out to be just as bad as Alec. However with the luck that Tess has had so far I am sure that something will happen to ruin Angel for Tess.
I agree that Angel is the opposite of Alec. Alec tried to manipulate Tess and scare her into doing what he wanted, like refusing to slow down unless she allowed him to kiss her. Angel never tries this on Tess, if he wanted to he could have insisted on a kiss when he was in the middle of carrying her across the flooded road. Instead he decides that he should not push the point then because he would be taking advantage of the situation.
Angel and Alec are of extremely different motives. Alec did not have trust with Tess and had forced himself upon her because he could. Angel got to know Tess by simply talking to figure out their chemistry. Angel is looking for someone to spend his life with where Alec is just looking to have fun. Angel is thoughtful and kind to Tess where Alec was pushy and demanding of her.
Like Janice and MaryBeth i find that Angel and Alec are opposites. They both have the motive of love but show it in different ways. For example, Angel respects Tess more. His nicknames for her are compliments (Demeter and Artemis)while Alec's nickname is "Coz". Also, like Janice said, when Angel goes to kiss Tess he apoligizes saying that he should have asked. Alec forces Tess to kiss him; he does not care about her feelings as much as Angel does.
I hate to play Devil's Advocate... oh, who am I kidding? I love doing that. Anyhow, Alec and Angel are as vastly different as everything seems to assert they are. Sure one of them raped her, but does that heinous act truly differentiate them that greatly. All that tells me is that Alec is aggressive and immoral; it does not tell me that he is completely different when compared to Angel. Let's see... they are both infatuated with Tess. They both pressure Tess into situations that she truly does not desire, such as marriage for Angel and sexual relations for Alec. Truly, Tess does not want to marry Angel. She loves him, but she does not want to marry him because of her past. However, Angel pressures into marriage and halts any attempts for her to share her secrets with him before the marriage. And from my understanding of people like ANgel, this whole "I was raped and had a unbaptized, now dead child out of wedlock" will not fly over to well. Most likely this information will destroy the marriage, violating the Tess's trust in people. In the end, Tess will be hurt by Angel just like Alec hurt her. If this at all seems offensive or outlandish, at least it stimulated some diversity and opinion in the discussion.
ECURTIS4 Alec and Angel are very different. Alex forces himself onto Tess on numerous occasions and he does not back off even when she tells him no. He is rude and only looking for a good time. In fact, he is known for that. On the other hand Angel is kind and loving. He wants to get to know Tess and does not push himself on to her, but waits for her to be ready. I believe Alec and Angel are two very different people and while Tess is just a knotch on Alec's belt, Angel actually loves her.
I am inclined to agree with Puneet. Angel and Alec are worlds apart in terms of standard superficial qualities- Alec is mean, Angel is nice; Alec lusts for Tess, Angel loves her; Alec is forceful, Angel gentle, so on and so forth. But when it comes down to what really makes up their core beings, both of them fail. intensely. Although in different forms, arrogance is burning alive in Alec and Angel, and has the tendency to penetrate and corrupt any and every other slightly virtuous trait; Alec's corruption is obvious, Angel's is not. Even though their desires for Tess were seemingly different, neither of them wanted her for what she truly was, at that moment. When she was pure and maidenly, Alec looked at her as this experienced Victorian era sex kitten; when she refused his advances and he realised her prudence, he came to the rational conclusion that rape was the next option. Angel, however, saw her as Astraea herself, a celestial virgin of sorts, and he fell in love with that perfect image in his mind. But when he found out her marred history, he put her to shame and shunned her. Both of them hurt Tess in ways which cannot be forgotten nor forgiven, and which alone cancel their differences and remain as one big lump of jerk.
Wow sorry, I digressed far too much from the point I was originally trying to make, which is arrogance. Basically, Alec and Angel wanted Tess as a symbol of their status, of their own nobility (even though Angel wants to go into farming and whatnot, he still cares about reputation and his good name). And when they realised that she would not be able to fulfill said trophy wife symbol, they dumped her (or in Alec's case, raped her, which really isn't all that different). This exposes their arrogance in that only their vision of a perfect woman is good enough for them- anything less must be thrown away (or raped). Tess is of no use to Alec if she wont sleep with him, and though Angel claims to love her, he really just loves her virginity, as it only compliments his own virility. Neither of them consider Tess' existence for anything other than pleasure, and when she fails to meet their irrational standards, they make a fuss about how she has ruined their lives (or they rape her), and act all wounded and hurt, as if she meant to hurt them. Grow up. But seriously, this blatant outrage at the fact that she wasn't who they wanted her to be only highlights their arrogance, and subtly distracts the reader from Tess' own fails, which will be discussed in another blog.
Upon first glance Alec and Angel may seem polar opposites. Alec is a rapist; Angel is, well, an angel. However, after reading phase five I have changed my mind- Alec and Angel are very similar. Both of the men are to a great extent exploiting Tess. Alec, a very sexually charged man, exploits Tess for her body. Angel, a man yearning for a virginal, pure wife, exploits Tess for her good, pure heart. Yet, there is a difference in their exploitations. Tess wants to give Angel a good and pure wife, (which I honestly think she is pure, even if she was raped. Also, I think that Tess really is a pure woman who has been tainted by a cruel world), but he will not accept her. Tess does not want to give Alec her body, but he still wants Tess. It’s a vicious triangle. I predict that later in the novel Angel will realize that Tess is actually a pure woman, and he will learn to accept that she had been taken advantage of. Possibly Angel will try to get revenge upon the rapist. Maybe… In conclusion, Alec and Angel are similar in their exploitation of Tess, but different in various other aspects including their relationship with Tess.
Jfriedler How are Angel and Alec different? – First I would like to say I agree absolutely with everything psharma said. Alec and Angel differ greatly in personality and character, but does that make either of them true opposites? A significant thing to note about the two of them is that a) Alec is openly a sleaze-ball. You know he’s going to try something – even if you don’t know exactly how far it will go and b) Angel is a sweet-talking hypocrite. He may tell you everything’s all rainbows and sunshine regardless of mistakes, but the second what you’ve done messes with his if-I’ve-done-it-doesn’t-mean-you-can-do-it morals he’ll start chanting eternal damnation and pouty faces. Alec is rude and just wants some action from any half attractive female. He’s gross, manipulative, insulting, and inconsiderate, but at least you know it. Angel is kind, considerate – an exact opposite of Alec as many post-ees mentioned, but he also promises things he doesn’t keep to. Yes he wants a wife and has great intentions, and yes, Alec does just want to get into Tess’s “pants” and so plots a whole job/cousin distraction to do so, but here’s the million dollar question: is it better to hurt people on purpose and not care, or to hurt them on accident, worry about it, and then continue hurting them regardless? I think that’s the most important difference – Alec hurts Tess and then moves on – Tess can’t come to terms with it, but at least it’s a “one time” hurt. Angel hurts Tess, almost seems to apologize for it, then continues to hurt her by not fully cutting off their relationship (though I must admit moving to Brazil is one way to toe the line without snapping it.) By mentioning this difference I think it also brings to light their greatest similarity – they both do what they do because they “love” Tess and they both hurt her because of it. All of this (stealing a line from Viveka) cancels their differences and results in “one big lump of jerk.”
Addressed to those hoping the best for Angel and Tess – from my standpoint Tess has no luck with men and should just ignore them: the sweet talkers, the do-gooders, and anything else in between. Would someone please tell me if I'm being too informal for english class blogging?
Education: Bachelor of Science in Education with English and Speech certification; Masters of Liberal Studies with English and History as majors and Art as a minor.
Experience: I teach 12th grade English at Aurora High School including the Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Programme courses. I have been a teacher for 23 years.
personal: I am married and have two sons, ages 12 and 13. I love to read and enjoy many genres. My family also enjoys camping, biking and outdoor activities.
mpavlick6:
ReplyDeleteAngel and Alec are very different people. Angel is actually looking to find a wife. He wants to find someone that will help and support him in his goal of becoming a land owner. On the other hand, Alec was never going to marry Tess. I think that his motive behind giving Tess the job and forcing the relationship was her was to do exactly what he did. Angel is a way better man than Alec was to Tess. For Tess’ sake I hope that Angel stays that way and does not turn out to be just as bad as Alec. However with the luck that Tess has had so far I am sure that something will happen to ruin Angel for Tess.
I agree that Angel is the opposite of Alec. Alec tried to manipulate Tess and scare her into doing what he wanted, like refusing to slow down unless she allowed him to kiss her. Angel never tries this on Tess, if he wanted to he could have insisted on a kiss when he was in the middle of carrying her across the flooded road. Instead he decides that he should not push the point then because he would be taking advantage of the situation.
ReplyDeleteAngel and Alec are of extremely different motives. Alec did not have trust with Tess and had forced himself upon her because he could. Angel got to know Tess by simply talking to figure out their chemistry. Angel is looking for someone to spend his life with where Alec is just looking to have fun. Angel is thoughtful and kind to Tess where Alec was pushy and demanding of her.
ReplyDeleteLike Janice and MaryBeth i find that Angel and Alec are opposites. They both have the motive of love but show it in different ways. For example, Angel respects Tess more. His nicknames for her are compliments (Demeter and Artemis)while Alec's nickname is "Coz". Also, like Janice said, when Angel goes to kiss Tess he apoligizes saying that he should have asked. Alec forces Tess to kiss him; he does not care about her feelings as much as Angel does.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea how to blog/change my name so I'm really snuccio6 i guess...
ReplyDeletepsharma6
ReplyDeleteI hate to play Devil's Advocate... oh, who am I kidding? I love doing that. Anyhow, Alec and Angel are as vastly different as everything seems to assert they are. Sure one of them raped her, but does that heinous act truly differentiate them that greatly. All that tells me is that Alec is aggressive and immoral; it does not tell me that he is completely different when compared to Angel. Let's see... they are both infatuated with Tess. They both pressure Tess into situations that she truly does not desire, such as marriage for Angel and sexual relations for Alec. Truly, Tess does not want to marry Angel. She loves him, but she does not want to marry him because of her past. However, Angel pressures into marriage and halts any attempts for her to share her secrets with him before the marriage. And from my understanding of people like ANgel, this whole "I was raped and had a unbaptized, now dead child out of wedlock" will not fly over to well. Most likely this information will destroy the marriage, violating the Tess's trust in people. In the end, Tess will be hurt by Angel just like Alec hurt her. If this at all seems offensive or outlandish, at least it stimulated some diversity and opinion in the discussion.
ECURTIS4
ReplyDeleteAlec and Angel are very different. Alex forces himself onto Tess on numerous occasions and he does not back off even when she tells him no. He is rude and only looking for a good time. In fact, he is known for that. On the other hand Angel is kind and loving. He wants to get to know Tess and does not push himself on to her, but waits for her to be ready. I believe Alec and Angel are two very different people and while Tess is just a knotch on Alec's belt, Angel actually loves her.
I am inclined to agree with Puneet. Angel and Alec are worlds apart in terms of standard superficial qualities- Alec is mean, Angel is nice; Alec lusts for Tess, Angel loves her; Alec is forceful, Angel gentle, so on and so forth. But when it comes down to what really makes up their core beings, both of them fail. intensely. Although in different forms, arrogance is burning alive in Alec and Angel, and has the tendency to penetrate and corrupt any and every other slightly virtuous trait; Alec's corruption is obvious, Angel's is not. Even though their desires for Tess were seemingly different, neither of them wanted her for what she truly was, at that moment. When she was pure and maidenly, Alec looked at her as this experienced Victorian era sex kitten; when she refused his advances and he realised her prudence, he came to the rational conclusion that rape was the next option. Angel, however, saw her as Astraea herself, a celestial virgin of sorts, and he fell in love with that perfect image in his mind. But when he found out her marred history, he put her to shame and shunned her. Both of them hurt Tess in ways which cannot be forgotten nor forgiven, and which alone cancel their differences and remain as one big lump of jerk.
ReplyDeleteWow sorry, I digressed far too much from the point I was originally trying to make, which is arrogance. Basically, Alec and Angel wanted Tess as a symbol of their status, of their own nobility (even though Angel wants to go into farming and whatnot, he still cares about reputation and his good name). And when they realised that she would not be able to fulfill said trophy wife symbol, they dumped her (or in Alec's case, raped her, which really isn't all that different). This exposes their arrogance in that only their vision of a perfect woman is good enough for them- anything less must be thrown away (or raped). Tess is of no use to Alec if she wont sleep with him, and though Angel claims to love her, he really just loves her virginity, as it only compliments his own virility. Neither of them consider Tess' existence for anything other than pleasure, and when she fails to meet their irrational standards, they make a fuss about how she has ruined their lives (or they rape her), and act all wounded and hurt, as if she meant to hurt them. Grow up. But seriously, this blatant outrage at the fact that she wasn't who they wanted her to be only highlights their arrogance, and subtly distracts the reader from Tess' own fails, which will be discussed in another blog.
ReplyDeleteAlec and Angel are indeed different. I would argue that their differences can be summarized by comparing their ultimate goals: Angel wants the Tess that was, a symbol of the purity of maidenhood, and Alec is interested in the Tess that exists in whatever state of maidenhood she is. I have difficulty seeing Alec as being a sex-crazed demon who only wants Tess physically; rather, I think it would be more accurate to view Alec as being a man of his time. Such aggressive courting tactics would not have been out of place in the setting of the plot. Alec's actions are indeed inappropriate, especially by our modern standards, but taking advantage of a woman like he did Tess would not have been so uncommon. This is even more true since up until that point she never truly and wholeheartedly spurned his advances. I would argue that Angel took advantage of Tess as well, if not physically then mentally and emotionally. Angel's crimes are in many ways more terrible than Alec's in that Angel exploited the very being of Tess' soul. Angel is motivated by imaginary ideals that he projects onto Tess, exploiting her own naiveté and idealism. Alec is motivated no doubt by physical attraction to Tess, however it seems that he continues his courting maneuvers following the rape from afar and in genuine concern for her wellbeing. Angel is unable to truly love Tess because he is never interested in Tess, but rather in the personification of virginity which he fabricates.
ReplyDeleteBrandon Lambert
ReplyDeleteUpon first glance Alec and Angel may seem polar opposites. Alec is a rapist; Angel is, well, an angel. However, after reading phase five I have changed my mind- Alec and Angel are very similar.
Both of the men are to a great extent exploiting Tess. Alec, a very sexually charged man, exploits Tess for her body. Angel, a man yearning for a virginal, pure wife, exploits Tess for her good, pure heart.
Yet, there is a difference in their exploitations. Tess wants to give Angel a good and pure wife, (which I honestly think she is pure, even if she was raped. Also, I think that Tess really is a pure woman who has been tainted by a cruel world), but he will not accept her. Tess does not want to give Alec her body, but he still wants Tess. It’s a vicious triangle.
I predict that later in the novel Angel will realize that Tess is actually a pure woman, and he will learn to accept that she had been taken advantage of. Possibly Angel will try to get revenge upon the rapist. Maybe…
In conclusion, Alec and Angel are similar in their exploitation of Tess, but different in various other aspects including their relationship with Tess.
Jfriedler
ReplyDeleteHow are Angel and Alec different? – First I would like to say I agree absolutely with everything psharma said. Alec and Angel differ greatly in personality and character, but does that make either of them true opposites? A significant thing to note about the two of them is that a) Alec is openly a sleaze-ball. You know he’s going to try something – even if you don’t know exactly how far it will go and b) Angel is a sweet-talking hypocrite. He may tell you everything’s all rainbows and sunshine regardless of mistakes, but the second what you’ve done messes with his if-I’ve-done-it-doesn’t-mean-you-can-do-it morals he’ll start chanting eternal damnation and pouty faces. Alec is rude and just wants some action from any half attractive female. He’s gross, manipulative, insulting, and inconsiderate, but at least you know it. Angel is kind, considerate – an exact opposite of Alec as many post-ees mentioned, but he also promises things he doesn’t keep to. Yes he wants a wife and has great intentions, and yes, Alec does just want to get into Tess’s “pants” and so plots a whole job/cousin distraction to do so, but here’s the million dollar question: is it better to hurt people on purpose and not care, or to hurt them on accident, worry about it, and then continue hurting them regardless? I think that’s the most important difference – Alec hurts Tess and then moves on – Tess can’t come to terms with it, but at least it’s a “one time” hurt. Angel hurts Tess, almost seems to apologize for it, then continues to hurt her by not fully cutting off their relationship (though I must admit moving to Brazil is one way to toe the line without snapping it.) By mentioning this difference I think it also brings to light their greatest similarity – they both do what they do because they “love” Tess and they both hurt her because of it. All of this (stealing a line from Viveka) cancels their differences and results in “one big lump of jerk.”
Addressed to those hoping the best for Angel and Tess – from my standpoint Tess has no luck with men and should just ignore them: the sweet talkers, the do-gooders, and anything else in between.
Would someone please tell me if I'm being too informal for english class blogging?