"The Bunner Sisters"

After all of the trials and tribunes the sisters endured throughout the final section of "The Bunner Sister"; succumbing to poverty, mental illness, and ultimately for Evelina, death, I was confused by the ambiguity of the ending. "Ann Eliza went out into the thronged street. The great city, under the fair spring sky, seemed to throb with the stir of innumerable beginnings. She walked on, looking for another shop window with a sign in it."Personally, I took this as a further evolution as Ann Eliza as a new women. Despite having lost everything after giving her full life savings to her husband's ultimately drug-addict husband, selling off the few belonging they held in their shop, and having to pay Evelina's doctor (Because Evelina's mental and physical heath declined after she found out about her husbands addiction, than furthermore when he left her with her friend after she'd just lost the life of their newborn child) who was also a male, Ann Eliza still had the courage to go on with her life. All her life she'd been diminished by a society dominated by male presence (Ramy wanted to marry her though he had little to offer, Ramy took her life savings in marrying her sister, the rest of her money was taken by the male doctor who cared for her sister after a male drove her crazy and furthermore) yet nevertheless she looked not for a man who could provide for her, but rather, for a career so that she could take care of herself. Ann Eliza is truly an embodiment of the "New Woman" because of her drive to succeed independently, without any help financially or otherwise, from a man.

Bunner Last Part

“She perceived that to refuse the gifts of life does not ensure their transmission to those for whom they have been surrendered, and her familiar heaven was unpeopled. She felt she could no longer trust in the goodness of God” (80- Ebook)

When everything finally materializes between her sister and Remy, something changes in Anne Eliza. Although it is not often referenced, her religious feeling, there was always some lingering hope that when things were taken from her, it was for the good of another. on some level she believed that there was a balance or purpose in the universe. What happened to her sister however was on a different level of destruction. Not only was her sister brutalized and one could even argue murdered by Remy, but also Evelina had been able to adapt to a world where that was what was to be expected on the daily. Watching her innocent sister be transformed into a person she couldn’t even recognize through nothing but evil, was more than she could have ever accepted in a God. I like that she brought up God because it shows how alone she really was in the end. Remy did more than destroy Evelina, he destroyed their universe and their faith in existence. 

The Bunner Sisters

"As far as she could remember, it was the first time in her life that she had been taken care of instead of taking care, and there was a momentary relief in the surrender. She swallowed the tea like an obedient child, allowed a poultice to be applied to her aching chest and uttered no protest when a fire was kindled in the rarely used grate."

Wharton, Edith (2009-10-04). Bunner Sisters (p. 72). Public Domain Books. Kindle Edition.

This quote was significant to me because it was the first time that we are able to see Ann Eliza in a vulnerable state. Throughout the novel, she spends most of her time caring for others and hiding her feelings. In this passage we see how she surrenders herself to be cared for by another woman. This could signify how she never really grew up with a mother to care for her. This is also seen through the way that she describes herself as "an obedient child." She refers to herself as a child as if she has never been in this position of vulnerability before. The way that she describes herself being taken care makes it seem as if this is the first time that she has ever been cared for in this way. If this would have happened earlier in text I wonder if it would have changed the relationship between her and Evelina.

The Bunner Sisters

There is a section at the beginning of part two chapter six where the sound of a sewing machine is compared to Ramy’s clock.  In class we discussed how the sound of the ticking clock could serve as a reminder of time slipping away, reminiscent of a woman’s biological clock.  The sewing machine is representative of woman’s work and independence.  It is interesting how they can sound similar but how the clock had to leave and be sold in order for Ann Eliza to hear the sewing machine.  This reminds me of Ann Eliza and Evelina’s choice (much like many women at the time) between love, marriage, and starting a family or working and having a career. 

Bunner Sisters (wrap up)- Emily Armstrong

Through the novel both sisters underwent enormous changes in character as they experienced the highs and lows of love, societal pressures, sisterhood, and individualism. Ann Eliza of course becomes the forefront in these changes which can be seen in the way Edith Wharton uses a rich description of the setting to open and close the novel. In class we discussed how setting played a key role in distinguishing how Ann Eliza may have felt about the world outside of her shop. When first describing it she sees the street as falling from “shabbiness to squalor” (kindle 2%). Upon the closing of the novel and following Evelina’s untimely death Ann Eliza again goes out into the street, leaving her shop forever behind, to find a new beginning. Wharton describes the day as “a beautiful morning, and the air was full of a warm sunshine that had coaxed open nearly every window in the street, and summoned to the window-sills the sickly plants nurtured indoors in winter” (kindle 97%). Ann Eliza, though completely alone now in the world, seems to face her leaving the shop as a “freedom” so to speak to embark upon a new beginning. Interpreting the vast differences in the description of setting from the start to the conclusion of the book one could say that Ann Eliza has underwent an awakening of her spirit to become a New Woman.

The Bunner Sisters - Part Two

Ann Eliza and Evelina have been described as “new women” in our class discussions of this novel. At first, it was because of their business ownership and single status. As the story went on, several events occur between the sisters and Ramy which change their lifestyles a bit. This made me wonder if both sisters would still be considered “new women” at the end of the novel. When Ramy first started visiting, Evelina dressed up and acted more “girly” than usual to gain his attention. She eventually becomes the wife of Ramy who is trapped in an abusive marriage. She continues to change herself when she converts to Catholicism. In this sense, Evelina lost her way as a modern “new woman.” Ann Eliza, on the other hand, stayed true to herself throughout the entire novel. She took care of both herself and her sister. Although there were times of weakness for Ann Eliza, she always did what she had to do to stay alive. Because of this, I think Ann Eliza was the best example of a “new woman” in The Bunner Sisters.

The Bunner Sisters Part 3

I thought the juxtaposition between the woman with the puffed sleeves and Evelina's return was very interesting. Wharton was showing us first what Evelina wanted to be, then presenting us with what became of her after her marriage--given that they were so different, it almost made it worse when we learned Evelina's fate. It was also telling that right when Ann Eliza was considering expanding her tiny social circle and thinking about reaching out to this elusive woman she's watched for so long, her little sister returns to her life. She is literally anticipating introducing herself to this well off woman, this woman that Evelina idolized, and her sister walks into the shop and drives all thoughts of the woman with the puffed sleeves from her mind.

Bunner Sister Wrap Up

I liked that Edith Wharton gave this book a mysterious feel because it propelled me to read on. However, some of her writing made me gnash my teeth as it teemed with descriptive passages about feelings and moods. The story was pretty dark and depressing in my opinion as it dealt with greed, abuse, sacrifice, sickness, deceit, and death. The ending is distasteful too in my opinion, as Ann Eliza is trying to get hired at a little shop and the lady doesn't even consider that that's  what Ann Eiza is doing there. "A bright and stylish girl...good manners...and under thirty"? And Ann Eliza just leaves, she doesn't even say anything! She gets shut down and then feels a ne beginning? Sounds like a load of whoo Ha to me.

Bunner Sisters Pt. 3- [Minori Wisti]

Throughout this novel I have been drawn to look at Ann Eliza's growth as a character, especially in reading the last part. The passage that struck me was, describing Ann Eliza, "For the first time in her life she dimly faced the awful problem of the inutility of self-sacrifice....Self-effacement for the good of others had always seemed to her both natural and necessary; but then she had taken it for granted that it implied the securing of that good. Now she perceived that to refuse gifts of life does not ensure their transmission to those for whom they have been surrendered; and her familiar heaven was unpeopled." I think this also becomes really interesting in terms of part of the women's movement. Perhaps Wharton also meant to touch upon a collective consciousness of women who are realizing they can do something else to make lives better.

The Bunner Sisters-Naja Tatum

This novel completely surpassed my expectations and left me feeling that it was a rather dark novel. I knew there was something strange going on with Mr. Ramy because his "sickness" was very questionable. The part of the book that stuck out the most to me, and is honestly a little confusing is the fact that Evelina converted to a Roman Catholic and Ann Eliza seemed somewhat upset. I don't quite understand why this is such a big deal, maybe I am just clueless! For some reason and it may not be related at all, Evelina's final moments reminded me of Mew', A White Night. There seems to be something dark going on in Evelina's life and the relation to the priest, leaving her,  "I  have left your sister in a very beautiful state of mind," he said in a low voice like a woman's. "She is full of spiritual consolation."it makes me question what this sentence really means.

Imagery in the ending of "Bunner Sisters"

In the final chapter of the book, I was struck by the imagery on page 365 as Ann Eliza leaves "Bunner Sisters for the last time.
"She walked to Broadway and down to the office of the house-agent to whom she had entrusted the sub-letting of the shop. She left the key with one of his clerks, who took it from her as if it had been anyone of a thousand others, and remarked that the weather looked as if spring was really coming; then she turned and began to move up the great thoroughfare, which was just beginning to wake to its multitudinous activities" (Wharton 365).
Both the image of spring evoked by what the clerk said and the "awakening" neighborhood evoke images of new life (365). This is juxtaposed to the recent discussion on page 359 between Ann Eliza and Evelina on her deathbed about her dead baby. This novel ends with the loss of two lives, but in this imagery, it brings the hope of two more, but in different ways. They are not human lives, but images of life that people like Ann Eliza need to keep living. This hope for life is what allows this story to end on a happy note, unlike the sour tone of Evelina's return to New York.

The Bunner Sisters- Chelsea Estes

While finishing the novel,The Bunner Sisters, there was a particular passage that stuck out to me because this particular quote shows the first time Ann Eliza's walls of being independent coming down. "Ann Eliza, having so far abdicated her independence, sank into sudden apathy. As far as she could remember, it was the first time in her life that she had been taken care of instead of taking care, and there was a momentary relief in the surrender" (Wharton 339). This quote shows that giving up her role of caretaker was taken away from her for a moment, as well as part of her identity. She was so helpless and ill and it almost was a relief to give up her  role as care taker and for once, be taken care of. Ann Eliza's role of being independent is a main characteristic that she posses, which contributes to her as being a New Woman. However even a New Woman has times of weakness. Although we see Ann Eliza as being the backbone for the Sisters, what do you think would happen if she did not take on the "motherly" role?

The Bunner Sisters -- Kori Cramer

"The Bunner Sisters" is an intriguing novel that has not only kept me in utter suspense throughout its entirety, but also has spurred me toward reading it again after the semester, as I found it THAT great! On a more serious note, I found that Evelina's inability to write to her sister resembles many of the ascetic actions of women of this time, as found in our literature. It appears that with Evelina's maturity, after marrying the horrible Ramy, is much like that of Ann Eliza'a, introverted and alone. Evelina keeps her feelings, hurt, and anguish to herself as she goes through the most trialing time of her life, and further keeps the secret of her religious conversion from Ann Eliza far after. Something notable in this regard is the fact that where Evelina was so flamboyant to display her feelings prior to her marriage, it was much easier for her to hide her hurt once she was in a situation that seemed all but escapable.

Moreover, I felt as though Ann Eliza's conquest to win back her sister from Ramy was much like that of a mother who goes in search of her runaway, rebellious daughter. A mother never stops trying no matter the cost. It could be argued that Ann Eliza did give up, but she also worked with every resource she had within her power to find Evelina and bring her home. Ann Eliza has a "Mama's Heart", which is constantly exuded throughout this piece of writing.

The Bunner Sisters

Throughout the second part of the novel, I really found myself questioning several of the character's intentions. For starters, what was the significance of Ann Eliza's response to Mr. Ramy's proposal. At the beginning of "The Bunner Sisters", I truly thought Ann Eliza had her sisters well being placed first no matter what. However, from this selection I am not sure. The quote "She was glad of this; yet there was a touch of humiliation in finding that the portentous secret in her bosom did not visibly shine forth. It struck her as dull, and even slightly absurd, of Evelina not to know at last they were equals (page 317). In my first blog I discussed how Ann Eliza was reserved, decided she was not to marry, and supported her sister. However, I now believe she just wanted what her sister was able to have that she saw impossible for herself. When she was given the opportunity, she wasn't entirely flattered. Instead her reaction is troubling. She says sincere remarks to Mr. Ramy, yet she does not share her pain of saying no. I am still not entirely sure of Ann Eliza's intentions for certain, but I do know I see her differently that I did in Part 1. Another person's behavior I find confusing is Mr. Ramy. Ann Eliza was worried to confront him after the proposal and uneasy conversation. However, "outwardly he made no sign" (page 319). He quickly moves on to Evelina, and its hard to determine if this is because of Ann Eliza's advice or his desperate need for a companion. It is constantly stated that Ann Eliza is embarrassed. Is she embarrassed of her jealousy for her sister, her true lack of feelings for Mr. Ramy, the fact he proposed in general? I look forward to depicting Ann Eliza's character even more as she is a dynamic, interesting individual.

The Bunner Sisters - Parzyck

I was very confused with the proposal between Ann Eliza and Mr. Ramy and how it all panned out. First of all, I understand Ann Eliza's reaction and not wanting to marry and I was thinking it was because of Evelina, but as I continued to read on it sort of seemed like she had no feelings for him in the first place, like it was a competition for who could win him between her and her sister. Also Mr. Ramy's decision really confused me, he said he liked Ann Eliza but then goes and asks Evelina to marry after he is refused, " I always thought it was Evelina-always. And so did everybody else," "Well you was all mistaken," which makes it seem like he just wants to marry to marry. Did Ann Eliza not want to marry because of her sister or because she told herself so many times she wasn't marriage material, or was it because she didn't really love him?

The Bunner Sisters - The Proposal

I was shocked when Mr. Ramy proposed to Ann Eliza. Yet, what surprised me most about the event was Ann Eliza's reaction, especially after he left. On page 316, Wharton writes: "She felt unutterably thankful to be alone. She knew the crucial moment of her life had passed, and she was glad that she had not fallen below her own ideals. It was a wonderful experience; and in spite of the tears on her cheeks she was not sorry to have known it". She goes on to say that Ann Eliza regretted that it happened in the shop and that she was not wearing her black silk. I was confused upon reading this, as I wonder how Ann Eliza felt about Mr. Ramy. I understand that she probably didn't think she could marry him because she knew how Evelina felt too, and that she gives priority to her sister's feelings. Yet, to me, this passage seems to make me think that Ann Eliza simply has a rule that she cannot marry, as she says she is clad she "had not fallen below her own ideals". Did she reject Mr. Ramy simply because she feels that she cannot or should not marry? It seems that she feels she must be a sacrifice in someway - that her following her heart cannot be. I suppose she is simply glad to have been proposed to, as Wharton later writes of how "no impoverishment could rob it" (317). I was just a little surprised by this entire exchange and Ann Eliza's feelings afterward.

The Bunner Sisters, Part II - Me Young Hong

From the beginning part of this story, I knew that the clock, somehow, would take important role in this story. I thought that the time ticking would show the changes in relationship between Ann Eliza and Evelina. The Bunner sisters, who lived, worked in a small store and shared time together. start to avoid each other; espeically the part where Ann Eliza is jealous about her younger sister especially after she got married. Also, I thought that as the time passes and can never go back, I am assuming that their relationship would change and it would never go back.

Bunner Sisters, Part I - Me Young Hong

I think the conversation between Ann Eliza and Evelina about a store-keeper from a store Ann Eliza bought her the clock. I believe not many people would talk about a store-keeper who met the first time; especially the part where Evelina asks Ann Eliza about his name and age, "What you say his name was?... Herman Ramy... How old is he?" (p. 279, Wharton), was interesting. I thought that 'why would she get interested in a guy who her elder sister met in a random store and she has never met before?' In this chapter, the narrator tries to show that it is the prediction of relationship betwen Ann Eliza and the guy named Herman Ramy. 

Bunner Sister II

I found it really interesting, especially after our discussion last week, that Wharton brought up the shop window again. Ann Eliza describes how the shop has become less profitable now that she is the only one behind it, especially since Evelina used to bring in customers with her bonnets. She says that without Evelina's bonnets in the shop window, she loses customers drawn to their beauty and freshness. This can be read as a metaphor for Ann Eliza's life; without her sister's youthful presence, she becomes less like herself and feels less valuable. What's also interesting is that the lady with the puffed sleeves is mentioned again, but this time she seems withdrawn and mentions she is leaving. Before she was a symbol of hope and aspiration for the sisters, but again, representing Ann Eliza's transformation, she now represents a failure and temporality of prosperity.

The Bunner Sister Part 2

In part 2 of the story I feel we are able to get a real picture of how Ann Eliza acts. I believe from this part we are able to see that she is really a jealous person and she is very jealous of her sister especially after her sister got married. I believe Ann Eliza wants to be happy so bad and she is unable to find happiness because of her envy of her own sister.

Bunner Sisters Part 2

In the second part of this story I was left feeling confused with the character Ann Eliza as a whole. Throughout the whole story thus far the reader has every reason to believe she is deeply in love with Mr. Ramy, but keeps it quiet. I think it is a very respectful thing to do because of the obvious feelings her sister, Evelina also has towards Mr. Ramy. However, when Mr. Ramy chooses to ask Ann Eliza to marry him she is quick to refuse. As Mr. Ramy prepares to leave he tells her to think about his proposal only to receive the answer of "Oh, no, no. It ain't any sorter use, Mr. Ramy. I don't never mean to marry" (202). Shortly after her refusal, Mr. Ramy asks Evelina to marry him and she says yes. Ann Eliza dramatically changes from desiring to be with Mr. Ramy to happily allow him to marry Evelina.
What surprises me the most is that it appears any feelings Ann Eliza may have toward Mr. Ramy have disappeared upon hearing of her sister's engagement. They not only seem to have disappeared but she seems to feel no sadness or betrayal. Her emotions throughout this story are rather puzzling. Though she has shown many sorts of emotions, it seems a contrast that if feels such as her love for Mr. Ramy can vanish that quickly, maybe the case is that she really has no feelings or emotions.

The Bunner Sisters, Part 2

I saw that throughout this section, the clock was said to be ticking all the time. Ideas on why this would be an important factor come to mind. Perhaps, this is a sort of 'ticking time bomb' for the newlyweds to be? A countdown to how long this marriage will last, or if it is even 'real' or not. The marriage ending would definitely show that Mr. Ramy only proposed in a selfish manner to gain a companion to take care of him, not out of true love or desire.

Bunner Sisters pt. 2- Leah Short

I find it interesting that in the letter Evelina sends to her sister she shares that she is also lonely. "...How can I help but feel lonesome at times" (330). Ann Eliza is constantly talking about how lonely she is now that her sister is gone and I find it peculiar that they are both lonely even though Evelina has a husband. Ann Eliza would assume that once one was married this loneliness would not be a factor, but it seems to be something that has consumed Eliza as well. I find it to be very selfless of Ann Eliza to pass up Mr. Ramy even though she is clearly in love with him. I almost see her as a weak character to give up something she clearly desired all for her sister who seems to be selfish.

"Drug-fiend"

I was initially very suspicious of Mr. Ramy and his intention regarding the Bunner sisters, but I tried to disregard it because of all the nice things he did with them. However, I could not suppress these feelings first when he offered to help invest their money and second when he did not have enough money to travel to Pittsburgh. I assumed he had a gambling problem or was an alcoholic, but never a drug addict. This twist made me recall all of the times he was leeching off of the sisters and helped me understand his proposal to both Evelina and Ann Eliza. Mr. Ramy was a corrupting force in ruining these two very independent and happy "new women." He turned them against one another and then separated them even into eternity. One scene in particular that shows this is when Evelina tells Ann Eliza that she has converted to Roman Catholicism. Mr. Ramy impregnated Evelina and through this act he broke their sisterly bond and caused her, in a way, to choose her "day old" child over her loving sister.

Stevenson- The Bunner Sisters Part Two

Mr. Ramy visited the sisters more frequently throughout the second part of the book and the sisters became more dependent on him. "Evelina now took the precaution of putting on her crimson bow every evening before supper, and that she had refurbished with a bit of carefully washed lace the black silk which they still called new because it had been bought a year after Ann Eliza's" (298). The crimson bow stood out to me because it is associated with wealth, power and importance. Evelina and her sister are struggling throughout the story so it is interesting that Evelina wears this red bow to symbolize something that she is not. "Refurbish" also stood out to me because again she is trying to portray this character that she is not. Throughout the second part of the book Evelina and Ann Eliza become dependent women. They are always worrying about Mr. Ramy and when he is going to come over. They would drop whatever they were doing to take care of this older gentlemen that they really know nothing about.

THe Bunner Sisters

On pg. 324, Ann Eliza compares the pain of losing her sister because of her marriage to Mr. Ramy to the pain mothers experience when they lose their daughters to marriage.  However, Ann Eliza seems to pity herself because mothers "had their own chance first," whereas Ann Eliza did not have her chance to experience the joys of marriage.  However, just days earlier, Mr. Ramy gave Ann Eliza the opportunity to experience marriage.  But, because Ann Eliza did not view herself as the marrying type, she turned him down, even though she had been interested since she first met him.  I believe that this speaks to Ann Eliza's personality.  She so desperately wants to be happy, but she will not let herself.  So, in turn, Ann Eliza pities herself and the life that she built for herself, making her a very frustrating main character. 

Bunner Sisters (pt. 2)

What I noticed to be most significant about this second part in the Bunner Sisters was how quickly Mr. Ramy became the most central aspect of Ann Eliza and Evelina's lives. Wharton positions the women solely in relation to Mr. Ramy; on pg. 298, the narrator says "there was something at once fortifying and pacific in the sense of that tranquil male presence in an atmosphere which had so long quivered with little feminine doubts and distresses; and the sister fell into the habit of saying to each other, in moments of uncertainty: 'We'll ask Mr. Ramy when he comes,' and of accepting his verdict, whatever it might be, with a fatalistic readiness that relived them of all responsibility." I thought this passage was key in explaining the Bunner Sisters' relationship with Mr. Ramy; he is almost posited as a brother or paternal caretaker. Mr. Ramy's presence enables Ann Eliza and Evelina to temporarily retire their responsibilites. I don't think this is a necessarily "good" or "bad" thing. In this second part, Wharton seems more interested in humanizing Ann Eliza and Evelina. Wharton illustrates how significant these social interactions are for them, and how a male presence opens them up to another world; literally we see this happen when Mr. Ramy takes them to the countryside.

I also thought Ann Eliza's anxiety that she experiences when traveling to the countryside (on pg. 308-309) seemed  to largely represent Wharton's role within the modernist canon. The modernist era posited anxieties about an industrialized and technological world. We begin to understand these anxieites through the narrative of Ann Eliza's emotions and thoughts about Mr. Ramy, her sister, and the world outside of their shop.

Part 2 Bunner Sisters

In the first part of the story I made the assumption that Mr. Ramy would come and visit the Bunner sisters much more frequently. However, the way that the Wharton described how Ann Eliza consistently thought about Mr. Ramy I assumed that something more obvious would have happened between the two of them as opposed to his secret proposal. I am starting to grow a suspicion about Mr. Ramy. He comes down with this interesting "illness" and then suddenly appears well enough to get married and move to St. Louis. However, I do believe that his intentions for marrying Ann Eliza were self-fish. I think that he proposed to Ann Eliza in hopes that she would marry him and would take care of him. I am very interested in finding out what happened to Evelina and Mr. Ramy. There is something about him that makes me question his judgement. I feel that Evelina is so blinded by love that she would do anything Mr. Ramy asked her to do.

The Bunner Sisters (V-IX) -Kate Ferraro

As much as I expected Mr. Ramy to visit the sisters more frequently, I never expected Mr. Ramy to ask Ann Eliza to marry him. Ever since Evelina met Mr. Ramy, and he started coming around, I thought he was attracted to her since he always gave Evelina attention. I was even more surprised when Ann Eliza admitted she "never thought of marrying (315)" and declined his offer hoping, "this should not make any difference between us" (316). I could not believe after her obsession with Mr. Ramy that she would not marry him having the chance. After denying his marriage proposal, I figured Mr. Ramy would not continue coming every Sunday, or to ask Evelina to marry him. I found it interesting how the clock was continually described as ticking in the background throughout. After Ann Eliza completely lost touch with Evelina, I am curious to see what happens in the ending chapters. I am hoping Ann Eliza and Evelina will be reunited, and she comes back from St. Louis to New York.

Bunner Sisters (V-XIII)

There is so much that happens between the first section and the end! When I read that Mr. Ramy asked Ann Eliza to marry him I was astonished, but also happy for her. I was secretly rooting for her because of the way she expressed her lost dreams and lack of hope for herself. I could not believe that even when her hearts desire wanted her, she still chose her sisters happiness over her own. And, boy, what a mistake that was. I could and at the same time could not believe she never told her sister of Ramy's first proposal, but when Ramy and Evalina move off quickly after their wedding I immediately became suspicious. In all of Ann Eliza's attempts to protect and mother her sister, she ultimately was too naive to save her. I thought that passion and effort Ann Eliza showed in trying to find her sister proved how much greater this motherly bond was than any romantic passion. She would only contemplate leaving the shop to go see Mr. Ramy earlier in the book and had to make excuses, but when it came to finding her sister she didn't think twice about leaving her shop. When Evalina finally returns she comes with stories Ann Eliza can barely comprehend. She seems different not only in appearance but in her personality. It seems as though venturing out of their shop had opened her eyes to the terrible things that could happen. Sometimes marriage didn't just whisk you away to a beautiful house with healthy children and it wasn't this fairytale desire they had always made it out to be.

The Bunner Sisters- Part 1

When reading about Anna and her sister relationship brought me to think about me and my little sister relationship. Me and my younger sister are extremely close and we are 6 years apart. However from the first part of story I was a little unclear as to why did she find the need to not tell her sister about the money?? I think that was somethings which she could of shared with her sister seeing as if they did have some sort of relationship with one another, seeing her hide the money from her sister only brings myself to believe that she is hiding something from her sister.

The Bunner Sisters-Naja Tatum

This novel starts off kind of slow but in the beginning of Chapter 2, I started to notice that Ann Eliza seemed to have a thing for Herman Ramy. She talks about him and seems very intrigued. In the rest of the novel you also start to see that Evelina seems to have a better connection to Ramy while Ann Eliza seems to do nothing but daydream! In Chapter 4, I notice that Ms. Mellin brings up that she also see's a connection between Evelina and Ramy. Ann Eliza seems to get very jealous. This part really stood out to me because I think that jealousy is a very natural trait. Ann Eliza began to point out Evelina's flaws despite the fact that she is her sister, I think this a very common characteristic even in women today! I am very interested to see how the story progresses.

the bunner sisters-ali pepin

The way these sisters are so clean and organized is somewhat interesting to me. They are poor and struggling for money, yet they manage to keep everything in their shop clean. They also seem very frail to me. There is a quote that goes, "A plan so steeped in duplicity had never before taken shape in her crystalline soul" (page 16-on my ipad). While this is more about Ann Eliza's plan to follow her sister to see if she's possibly meeting with Mr. Ramy (at least that's what i got out of it) and how the plan is too much for her perfection and angelic air to actually take on. The use of crystalline is an interesting choice that gives a fragile connotation that's pure and very sensitive. This is another illustration of how women were seen as fragile and dainty within the New Woman ideal. Their cleanliness and frailness is almost too much and falls under the title of bland and untouchable. Another quote that symbolizes this is, "and for the first time in her long years of drudgery she rebelled at the dullness of her life" (page 18-on my ipad). She even notices how safe she's been living. Something is spurring inside of her to change her.

The clock is some sort of large symbol that I have yet to see fitting, but it is mentioned quite a lot-and the ticking is almost like the ticking of the brain with new ideas and thoughts that may lead her to come outside of her safe box.

Bunner Sisters Pt. I

    "It struck her as dull, and even slightly absurd, of Evelina not to know at last that the were equals." (Wharton, 33) This passage sums up my accusation that Ann Eliza, although she loved Evelina, was extremely jealous of her through out the passage. She constantly remarked on her beauty or talent, but also made her flaws known in order to make herself feel better. I felt very sympathetic for Ann Eliza because she clearly had feelings for Mr. Ramy, but was too respectful of her sister to tell her. This leads me to something else that really caused me angst while reading. Why didn't Ann Eliza just tell Evelina? It just reminds me of when you read a book or watch a movie and you want to scream out "JUST TELL THEM!" The lack of communication made me so mad. I know that the plot cannot progress if everyone is out in the open, but in real life people talk and tell each other how they feel. This could have saved a lot of heart break on all three sides.

The Relationship between the Bunner Sisters - Amanda Fulco

"The purchase of Evelina's clock had been a more important event in the life of Ann Eliza Bunner than her younger sister could divine. In the first place, there had been the demoralizing satisfaction of finding herself in possession of a sum of money which she need not put into the common fund, but could spend as she chose, without consulting Evelina, and then the excitement of her stealthy trips abroad, undertaken on the rare occasions when she could trump up a pretext for leaving the shop; since, as a rule, it was Evelina who took the bundles to the dyer's, and delivered the purchases of those among their customers who were too genteel to be seen carrying home a bonnet or a bundle of pinking—so that, had it not been for the excuse of having to see Mrs. Hawkins's teething baby, Ann Eliza would hardly have known what motive to allege for deserting her usual seat behind the counter" (14).

This scene illustrates the relationship between the sisters very well. Even though Ann Eliza Bunner is the oldest sister, she seems to portray a child-like behavior. In this quote we can see the struggle that she has working "underneath" her younger sister. She felt satisfaction when she was able to possess money without adding it to their mutual funds. Ann Eliza describes this possession as an "important event in her life." Something so small as having a little bit of ownership of money, allows Ann Eliza to feel independent. This is significant because it demonstrates this feeling of dependency that Ann Eliza may be experiencing. Even though she is also a contributor to the funds, it seems as if for her it's a struggle of feeling dependent on her sister. This reminded me of other texts that we have read such as The Yellow Wallpaper and The Awakening where the woman were under the control of their husbands. As much as they longed for their own voice and independence they still felt "underneath" their husband just like Ann Eliza.

This quote also portrays Ann Eliza as a weak woman because Evelina is the one who takes care of all of the "bundles to the dyer's and delivered the purchases of those among their customers who were too genteel to be seen carrying home a bonnet or a bundle of pinking." This makes me also wonder if Ann Eliza is not a reliable person. Why can't she also take care of these responsibilities? Since she does not leave the shop much, she needs to come up with excuses in order to leave her seat behind the counter. This illustrates the power that Evelina has over her older sister because she has to tell her sister where she goes, every time she leaves. This text is interesting because instead of seeing a struggle within a male/female relationship we are able to see almost the same dynamics between sisters.

Accents in "Bunner Sisters"

What I found interesting in this novel is the accents. The story is set in New York, but I can't help but hear the dialog between Ann Eliza and Evelina with a southern accent. For example, when the sisters are arguing about how much the clock cost and why she did not but a new pair of shoes, Ann Eliza says, "Well, and s'posin' I didn't want 'em [the shoes] - what then? I've patched up the old ones as good as new - and I do declare, Evelina Bunner, if you ask me another question you'll go and spoil all my pleasure" (Wharton 278). They way that she contracts "s'posin'" and the phrase "I do declare" just don't sound like something a New Yorker would say but maybe I'm missing something, or just reading too much into it (278). Also, I was perplexed by Mr. Ramy's accent. I understand that he is German, so he should have an accent, but I feel like it adds to something about his character that I do not understand.

Bunner part 1

I was quite interested in Ann Eliza's jealously of Evelina. It is like she is jealous of her youth, and thinks she is wasting it to become like her. She knows her time has passed, and when she meets this new German clock man, she wants to be able to fall in love with him and have babies. Evelina is not past her 'prime,' yet she isn't meeting someone and getting married as her sister thinks she should. Therefore, Ann Eliza is really jealous and angry that her sister isn't taking advantage of her youth and beauty.

The clock is most probably a symbol of the time that is running out for the women of this time period. Once they have reached a certain age, they are just going to be lonely for the rest of their lives. The clock was purchased to show Evelina that her time is running out and that she should hurry and get married so she can make something of herself.

Also, I really like the name Evelina...

Bunner Part I

"That night, long after Evelina slept, Ann Eliza lay awake in the unfamiliar silence, more acutely conscious of the nearness of the crippled clock than when it had volubly told out the minutes." this quote happens right after the clock gets broken. I have a lot of suspicions about the clock as symbolism as time or fate, and i lie the way in it's crippled state, she felt more conscious of it. The way she puts her self in the path of this man who sold her the clock, but never fully seeks him out, and then per chance the clock breaks, sealing some pending sequence of events. I like this idea because i often feel like following some sort of universal flow, takes you where you wanted to be wether you meant it or not. the things we desire seem to find us, wether we plan it or not.

Bunner Sisters- Leah Short

In terms of considering the "new woman" I think it'd be fair to categorize Ann Eliza and Evelina as representing what we have discussed as what being a new woman consists of. They are definitely independent and rely on their shop to earn a living and to survive. It may not be a glamorous new woman that we have seen glimpses of, like in Lady Tal where she has complete financial stability and doesn't need to literally sustain her survival with work. With that being said, I feel that Ann Eliza and Evelina represent a genuine and hard working version of the new woman. Especially the pure excitement that is described by Ann Eliza from working for and purchasing the clock in the beginning of chapter 2 conveys how hard working and self sufficient these women are.

The Bunner Sisters- Lauren Reschke

What I found most intriguing with this reading was Mr. Ramy and the role which he plays in the story. His character is quite mysterious and his motives appear unclear to me. I’m still struggling to see what the sisters find attractive in this man and why they are so interested in him. However, for such a quiet character, he seems to set the tone for this story. What was apparent during the reading was how this mysterious character was starting to put a strain on the relationship between Anna Eliza and Evelina. There was an unspoken competition for this man’s attention which seems to foreshadow the rest of the story and the events to take place. I think I’m excited to read further because it is something I can somewhat relate to. I have a sister who is only a few years older than me and we have very similar taste in guys which sometimes leads to competition. It’ll be interesting to see how women of this time were expected to act and behave in situations like that in comparison to modern day.

Bunner Sisters

I thought the comparison of Evelina's current life as a business owner to what her intended life was, 'she had been meant to marry and have a baby, to wear silk on Sundays, and take a leading part in a Church circle' (pg. 284).  Evelina was a self sufficient woman who owned a business with her sister.  However, she had always wanted to marry someone and to be a stay at home mother and a wife.  Evelina was so desperate for contact with a man that she jumped at the opportunity to entertain Mr. Ramy.  I feel as though she did this because she wanted to fill the void that she had in her failed attempts to secure a man. 

The Bunner Sisters- Meagan Niles

The first thing I noticed when reading The Bunner Sisters was difference in some gender roles compared to the other books we have been reading in class. In the first chapter, Ann Eliza and Evelina are described as business owners. The shop they work in “enabled them to pay their rent and keep themselves alive and out of debt; and it was long since their hopes had soared higher,” (274). This passage seems to say that the Bunner sisters are perfectly capable of taking care of themselves and this is all they ever really wanted out of life. This characteristic definitely makes the sisters “new women” in this era. In the second chapter, we are introduced to Mr. Ramy. His role is also a bit different. He is described as sad and lonely which made Ann Eliza “wonder why he had never married, or if, on the other hand, he were a widower, (281). I found it interesting that Mr. Ramy was originally looked at by Ann Eliza as different for being single. In our other class novels, it has only been strange for a woman to be single at an older age. This may have only been because the narrator is a woman, but I thought it was refreshing to see an analysis of a single man rather than a woman for a change.