Antigone Journal 3

Dull vs. Vivid
"The whole world was gray [...] [a]nd now [...] [i]t's [...] all pink, and green, and yellow" (6).
This is said by Antigone and she is describing the world before she buried Polynices and after she did so. This contradiction is very useful here because it emphasizes the relief and happiness Antigone feels. It is as though her purpose in life has been realized and she now sees the world in a new light.

"Haemon,[...] From whom?
Antigone, Ismene.
Haemon, And the rouge? and the face powder [...]?
Antigone, Ismene.
Haemon, And in whose honor did you get yourself up so eleganly?"(16).
Although this is not directly the condradiction between dull and vivid the elements are still seen. If Antigone is view as having a dull beauty then Ismene is vivid. In the previous encounter of Antigone and Haemon, Antigone dresses herself up because she wanted to feel more like a woman. The idea of vividness in this scene is different from the one on page six because the vividness describes the new realization of the world and Antigone understanding herself. If vividness describes beauty then Antigone has no understanding of gerself because she trying to be more like Ismene than being herself. Antigone here is desperate and above she was content.

Impulsive vs. Rational
"Creon[to Antigone.] And was it you who covered the body the first time? In the night?
Antigone, Yes, it was. With atoy shovel [...] [i]t was Polynices' own shovel [...] [t]hat is why I left it with him. But these men took it away; so next time, I had to do it with my hands" (28).
The first time that Antigone buried Polynices it was a very rational action because she had a well thought out plan where she was to do it in the night so she was hidden and she brought a shovel to assist her. She even left the shovel as a memory of their childhood for Polynices. The next time was in the day where there are little chances of hiding and she assume that the shovel remained with the body. wothout the shovel she resulted in using her hands to bury Polynices. Antigone rushed to rebury Polynices which was an impulsive action that made her make other actions that were not rational.