Anastasia Farinas
Literary Analysis

In The Count of Monte Cristo and Blessings, they explore the theme of freedom or escape in different ways. Escape or freedom to many people means getting away from reality and this world that most people don’t want to be in. Blessings think that to obtain freedom or want to escape, you would do it through artistic ability like painting or writing. The Count of Monte Cristo think that to obtain freedom or want to escape is by trying to get out or dying.

Firstly, in The Count of Monte Cristo, the main character, Edmond Dantes, thinks of freedom in a different way than Blessings does. In paragraph two through three, it says: “It was a continual scratching, as if made by a huge claw, a powerful tooth, or some iron instrument attacking the stones. Although weakened, the young man’s brain instantly responded to the idea that haunts all prisoners-liberty!” This explains that he realizes that there may be some hope for Edmond to escape and get his freedom. Edmond seems to think that heaven has sent him a sign that there is a hope for him to escape the jail rather than dying to escape the world. In paragraph seventeen it says: “It is a prisoner,” said Edmond joyfully.” This text evidence explains that he finds out that the thing that is making the noise is a prisoner trying to escape. He then thinks that he now has hope for escape/freedom. In conclusion, in The Count of Monte Cristo, the theme for freedom/escape is explained by getting out of one place or in this case, getting away from the jail.

Secondly, in Blessings, the main characters, Jesse and Rene, help us picture how this story explains the theme of freedom/escape. In paragraphs twenty-six to thirty, it says:  

Rene- “Man, I’ve got to bring my paints up here.”

Jesse- “You paint?”

Rene- “Watercolor.”

Jesse- “What of?”

Rene- “Maps. Picture maps, of places.” This explains that the way Rene escapes or get her freedom, is from her artistic ability. Blessings shows us that one way to escape is to do something that we like to do often. In paragraphs thirty to thirty-four it says:

Rene- “Uncle Randy says you make amazing mirrors. From redwood.”

Jesse- “Don’t know how amazing they are. But I make ‘em. And sell ‘em. So people can see themselves in the- through the wood.”

Rene- “What else do you do?”

Jesse- “Like to cook. Like poems. Ever written a poem?”

Rene- “I don’t do poems. Too many words.” These quotes from the story explain how Jesse escapes or gets freedom from his writing. This story shows us that through writing, we can express our feelings and escape through our words and gain freedom from writing too. In conclusion, Blessings, shows us how we can escape through doing things that we love through our talents.

From learning all this from to different ways to escape or gain freedom, what can you do to escape or gain your freedom?