Balzac Test: The Ending

Although the ending surprised me, it made sense. The two friends spent their free time trying to read and acquire books and their imagination grew in the process. The author became a better storyteller, instead of just being envious of Luo. Also, the author's extremely detailed dreams of the Little Seamstress' death articulate his growing imagination. However, what made the ending so relevant is that in the duration of their re-education, the two friends actually made the Little Seamstress more open-minded of the rest of the world. After Luo and the author describe the books by Balzac, she is directly affected, re-educated, and compelled to leave the mountain girl life behind to explore what she has been missing. She strives to become a city girl and the Seamstress will not let her two friends, or her father, stop her. The one lesson that she learned from Balzac is "that a woman's beauty is a treasure beyond price." That is a lesson she will have to experience on her own as she grows up.

Othello Test

A tree that is struck by lightning burns, falls, and crushes everything around, like how Othello allowed himself to be instigated by Iago to bring down everything he worked toward; his reputation, respect, and his love. Tragic vision requires that the hero, despite their efforts, cannot escape their fate and/or death. More importantly, the characters that surround the hero have to be affected strongly as well. Othello was at the "highest point" in his life, but Iago sets in motion a train of events that causes Othello's downfall as well as everyone else around him. Although the events that occurred were not all Othello's fault, Iago uses Othello as an instrument to spin a web that draws the characters to be tangled in tragedy.
The aspect that adds to the tragedy, however, is that the character's strengths become their weaknesses. Roderigo displays his loyalty toward Iago without doubt, "I have no great devotion to the deed; and yet he hath given me satisfying reasons," but does not reap any rewards. Cassio is a heartthrob who has lust for love for "the divine Desdemona," but has the obstacle of "Othello's guard." Cassio trusts Iago to "draw the Moor out of the way," when really he is helping the plan work. Desdemona is not aware of the situation that is taking place and more oblivious to how she is involved and what she has been accused of doing; "since guiltiness I know not; but yet I feel fear." She eventually becomes the center of the tragic vision in Othello. "And out of her own goodness make the net that shall enmesh them all." Desdemona dies because of inflamed, raging, unjustified jealousy encouraged by Iago.
As the web of tragedy unravels, the characters fall from grace and cannot return to the position of safety that they once knew. Desdemona's innocence and apologetic nature along with Othello's love has vulnerability that apparently can only be mended by death. Hence, the tragic vision combines fate and death to equal a viable solution to cancel out the evil that has occurred.