Point of View:A First person narrative told by the main character Rabo Karabekian.
Setting:The novel takes place during the (1916-1988), in addition, there are occasional flashbacks to the Great Depression, Armenian Genocide, and World War II. Rabo Karabekian lives in a nineteen-room house on the waterfront of East Hampton, Long Island. The story also takes place in a little town called San Ignacio, California and New York City.
Plot:Rabo Karabekian is a seventy-one year old man who lives alone in his nineteen room mansion in the Hampton's. Rabo lived through two marriages in his lifetime and has two children. Nevertheless, he has no friends and lives with his cook Allison White
World War II
, the cook’s daughter Celeste, and Paul Slazinger a poor writer who feeds off of Rabo’s wealth. However, one odd evening Rabo meets Circe Berman who brings life back into the Karabekian mansion. Berman’s constant criticism of abstract art and her excessive personal questions, causes Rabo to share his life story. As the story progresses, Rabo soon reveals the secret about the potato barn, which holds his prize possession. Countless art collectors as well as Mrs. Berman suggest outrageous offers; however, Rabo is determined to keep the barn shut until his death.
Potato Barn
Theme:
I believe that the theme of Bluebeard is rebirth. Throughout the book there are countless examples of deaths within life, these examples include: Marilee, Rabo’s parents, Slazinger, Terry Kitchen, and Pollock. On the other hand, at the end of the book Rabo finds peace within himself with the help of Mrs. Berman. The last lines of the novel Bluebeard reads “Oh, happy Meat. Oh, happy soul. Oh, happy Rabo Karabekian” (Vonnegut 318). The death of Terry Kitchen led to Rabo’s first death, but with the help of Edith he was brought back alive. However, the death of Edith led to Rabo’s second death, but with Circe Berman’s help Rabo was back again. The painting inside the barn symbolizes his soul’s peace with his meat; after all the resentment Rabo felt toward his meat his soul could finally
Abstract Art
thank his meat, after his final masterpiece.
Symbols Meat:The body itself. (actions)Soul:The Conscious mind. (emotions)Spray Paint:A sense of rebirth which brought Terry Kitchen back to life.Final Painting:Similar to the spray paint, the final painting symbolizes the rebirth of Rabo Karabekian. In addition, the painting illustrates his life accomplishments and demonstrates that he has come to terms with his meat.
Pub (Three Musketeers)
Characters
Rabo Karabekian:Rabo is a 71 year old one-eyed veteran and is known as a former painter. He lives in a 19 room house on the waterfront of East Hampton, Long Island. Circe Berman:Circe is a multi-millionaire writer who ends up in Rabo's mansion to research working class adolescents living with multi-millionaires. In addition, Circe has an obsession of knowledge and invading people's privacy. Dan Gregory: Rabo Karabekian became his first apprentice at the age of 17. He truly admired Mussolini and hated the idea of abstract art. Marilee Kemp: Marilee was Dan Gregory’s mistress who convinced Gregory to first allow Rabo to become his apprentice. Rabo and Marilee share a brief affair; however, this lead to the end of the friendship of Marilee and Rabo. Edith Taft:Rabo's 2nd wife. Dorothy Steel:Rabo's 1st wife, who left with his 2 kids.
Literary Analysis
Theme:I believe that the theme of Bluebeard is rebirth. Throughout the book there are countless examples of deaths within life, these examples include: Marilee, Rabo’s parents, Slazinger, Terry Kitchen, and Pollock. On the other hand, at the end of the book Rabo finds peace within himself with the help of Mrs. Berman. The last lines of the novel Bluebeard reads “Oh, happy Meat. Oh, happy soul. Oh, happy Rabo Karabekian” (Vonnegut 318). The death of Terry Kitchen led to Rabo’s first death, but with the help of Edith he was brought back alive. However, the death of Edith led to Rabo’s second death, but with Circe Berman’s help Rabo was back again. The painting inside the barn symbolizes his soul’s peace with his meat; after all the resentment Rabo felt toward his meat his soul could finally
Symbols
Meat:The body itself. (actions)Soul:The Conscious mind. (emotions)Spray Paint:A sense of rebirth which brought Terry Kitchen back to life.Final Painting: Similar to the spray paint, the final painting symbolizes the rebirth of Rabo Karabekian. In addition, the painting illustrates his life accomplishments and demonstrates that he has come to terms with his meat.
Characters
Rabo Karabekian:Rabo is a 71 year old one-eyed veteran and is known as a former painter. He lives in a 19 room house on the waterfront of East Hampton, Long Island.
Circe Berman: Circe is a multi-millionaire writer who ends up in Rabo's mansion to research working class adolescents living with multi-millionaires. In addition, Circe has an obsession of knowledge and invading people's privacy.
Dan Gregory: Rabo Karabekian became his first apprentice at the age of 17. He truly admired Mussolini and hated the idea of abstract art.
Marilee Kemp:
Marilee was Dan Gregory’s mistress who convinced Gregory to first allow Rabo to become his apprentice. Rabo and Marilee share a brief affair; however, this lead to the end of the friendship of Marilee and Rabo.
Edith Taft: Rabo's 2nd wife.
Dorothy Steel: Rabo's 1st wife, who left with his 2 kids.
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