In this journal, you are asked to write a close reading of your chosen novel, in the style of new criticism.
New Criticism is directed against the prevailing concern of critics with the lives and psychology of authors, with social background, and with literary history.
New Criticism is directed against the prevailing concern of critics with the lives and psychology of authors, with social background, and with literary history.
With New Criticism, we are asking you to shed your preconceived notions and focus solely on the text itself. While histories and reputations of authors are important they should not be the focus of your criticism. Instead, you will be conducting what is referred to as a close reading of your text. The main idea is that you will be taking apart a text and looking at its individual elements, such as theme, setting, plot, and structure.
By focusing on the text, new criticism involves intentionally ignoring both the author and the reader, and it works on the following two premises:
Premise #1: The Intentional Fallacy
It is impossible to know the author’s reasons for writing a text without directly asking him or her, and even if we did determine the author’s intentions, they don’t matter because the text itself carries its own value.
Even if we are reading a book by a renowned author like Shakespeare we shouldn’t let the author’s reputation taint our evaluation of the text.
Premise #2: Affective Fallacy
We shouldn’t waste time thinking about the effect a text may have on the reader because then we are polluting the text with our own personal baggage.
We should ignore how beautiful a poem may be or our reactions to an emotional novel. If we give in to our emotional reactions we are less able to evaluate the text objectively
Historical and cultural contexts are also irrelevant in New Criticism.
Example of a close reading (To Kill a Mockingbird):
Tom Robinson trial shows ways in which Lee’s use of repetition, coupled with careful, deliberate word choice, creates a tone of accusation and agrivation. This can be seen toward the beginning of Tom Robinson’s trial when Atticus is questioning Mr. Ewell: “Mr. Ewell,” Atticus began, “folks were doing a lot of running that night. Let’s see, you say you ran to the house, you ran to the window, you ran inside, you ran to Mayella, you ran for Mr. Tate. Did you, during all this running, run for a doctor?” (175) This deliberate structure ties emphasizes important aspects of the plot of the novel.
For your close reading this week focus on doing the following as you read:
- Read with a pencil in hand, and annotate the text.
- "Annotating" means underlining or highlighting key words and phrases—anything that strikes you as surprising or significant, or that raises questions—as well as making notes in the margins. When we respond to a text in this way, we not only force ourselves to pay close attention, but we also begin to think about the evidence.
- Look for patterns in the things you've noticed about the text—repetitions, contradictions, and similarities.
- Ask questions about the patterns you've noticed—especially how and why.
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Craft Technique
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Possible Questions
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Imagery, including comparisons:
· Similes
· Metaphors
· Personification
· Figurative language
· Symbols
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What is being compared?
Why is the comparison effective? (typically because of the clear, strong, or unusual connection between the two)
What symbols are present? Why did the author choose these symbols?
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Word choice
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What word(s) stand out? Why? (typically vivid words, unusual choices, or a contrast to what a reader expects)
How do particular words get us to look at characters or events in a particular way? Do they evoke an emotion?
Does the text use nonstandard English or words in another language? Why? What is the effect?
Are there any words that could have more than one meaning? Why?
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Tone and voice
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What one word describes the tone?
Is the voice formal or informal? If it seems informal, what makes it informal? If it's formal, what makes it formal?
Does the voice seem appropriate for the content?
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· Sentence structure
· Short sentence
· Long sentences
· Sentence fragments
· Sentences in which word order is important
· Questions
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What stands out about the way this sentence is written?
Why does the text have a short sentence here? (for example, so it stands out from sentences around it, for emphasis)
Why does the text include a sentence that is really long? (for example, to convey the "on and on" sense of the experience.)
Why does the text have a fragment here? (for example, for emphasis or to show a character's thoughts)
Based on the order of the words in this sentence, which word do you think is the most important? Why? What does the text have by placing a particular word in a certain place?
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The entire book is a metaphor about humankind trying to find themselves and where they belong in the world. Harry uses a metaphor when talking about how they all might die, ""....smashed into pancakes....""(265). This metaphor serves as great imagery and conjures a vivid picture in your mind. Verne probably chose this to evoke a strong image in the readers. I think that Arne Saknussemm is a symbol. He serves as the beginning and the end of "A Journey to the Center of the Earth." The whole adventure started because of the parchment Hardwigg found that belonged to Saknussemm. Then, the group was shot out of a volcano and returned to the surface after following traces they found of him. The most vivid words are used when describing the environment. Which makes sense because the surroundings receive the most attention in the text. When Hans responds with short or monosyllabic words, it emphasizes that he is the calm and unmovable force in the group. Hans also does not speak English, which puts more emphasis on him when he does talk. I did not notice any words that could have more than one meaning.
ReplyDeleteOne word to sum up the tone of this book is sophomoric. There is a lot of intellectual conversations between Hardwigg and Harry where they bounce ideas off of each other. Each one can also sometimes be pretentious, overconfident, or conceited. The voice is formal because of the way it is written; it is very old fashioned and not the way modern authors write. The voice seems very appropriate for the content and fits the story nicely. The voice is smart and it makes it believable that Harry knows all of this seemingly random knowledge; it's a lot to remember. Harry's sentences often get longer when he is talking about very emotional experiences. This is used to convey how strong his feeling were and how it still affects him later in life.
Are there any other metaphors that come up to mind in the book? Also I agree with you on how Han's not speaking much has a bigger effect in the book but what do you think the book would be like if Han's spoke more than he actually did. Did you like the way it was written old fashioned? Was a sort of exciting or relaxing to read it like that? Also you told about how Harry speaks longer when he get emotional. However what about Hardwigg. He talk's quite a bit. There must be a reason about behind why?
DeleteAs of right now, there are no metaphors off of the top of my head. I am sure that there are many more metaphors describing the environment in the book. If Hans had talked more, he would have played a bigger role in the story. Maybe he would have turned into a dynamic character instead of a flat one. I didn't mind reading the writing. However, I am more into a modern scholar type of writing style. Hardwigg talks a lot to give the book subsistence. Hardwigg's dialogue gives the reader background information. Harry's thoughts give the book feeling.
DeleteIn the book Animal Farm by George Orwell, it focuses a lot on animals rebelling to humans. In this text, it ties back a lot of times to two sayings or phrases. The first phrase is said by the goats who always interrupt someone talking about ways to improve the farm. They always say, "Four legs good, two legs bad." Why do the goats always interrupt people when talking about ways to improve the farm? Are they working with Napoleon? The other phrase that the book always ties back to is the song, Beasts of England. This is important because when Major was a young piglet, his mother taught everyone the song. Then when he was older, he taught everyone else the song, but when Napoleon is in power, he forbids the song. The night after Napoleon learned the song, Major died. Was Napoleon trying to eliminate Major from the start so all he had to deal with was Snowball and then it would be his own farm?
ReplyDeleteAll in all, when reading the text, there is a lot that can be missed. Someone who is reading the text at the very beginning of the book may think that Major died of natural cause, whereas someone who has read the book all the way through may be able to infer that after hearing the song, Napoleon may have killed Major.
I think the sheep could be working for Napoleon secretly to influence the other animals into agreeing. Sometimes I think of them like protesters. They are always interrupting people when someone has an idea that not everyone likes. The phrase "Four legs good, too legs bad" is like their chant. Did you notice that this is a form of symbolism? What about the other forms of symbolism he used, did you notice them?
DeleteI didn't notice the symbolism being used here. Other than this symbolism, I did notice that the other farms represent countries, and that Napoleon symbolizes Joseph Stalin.
DeleteIn "The Light in the Forest" True Son struggles between the integrity of killing a child. He never gave it much thought before but once he was with his white family and had a younger brother. His Indian tribe is not above killing children, and while True Son wants impress his Indian brethren, he can't help but fee it is wrong. This can be seen very clearly in these paragraphs: "Once the child spoke to it's mother and the sound of the slender voice, True Son felt himself shaken. 'Take him back! It's an ambush!' He suddenly screamed".
ReplyDeleteHe had little problem marching off to war with his tribe. In fact, he was excited to go and excited to prove himself again. While he may have felt a little remorse about killing Englishmen he was glad to be back with his tribe. It wasn't until he saw the child on the boat that True Son gave his future actions any thought. I believe that in the child and mother on the boat he saw himself and he saw his young brother Gordie.
Why do you think that this quote is so important?
DeleteIn the book “ Light in August” by Faulkner there are many different ways to interrupt the story. The whole story is based on violence and racism and a lot of different or odd factors. The story takes places in a small town where everyone knows everyone. The whole story was based on racism like everyone agrees that it is bad. A big thing they say in the story is “ Blacks need to leave the town.” The always seem to add it in the conversation. It always comes back to racism and how its bad and wrong etc.
ReplyDeleteAlso in the story Lena is a pregnant women and people don’t like that. They think it is morally wrong to be pregnant and not have a father. People always seem to harass and get mad at her because she can’t find the father of her child and because she's alone and has no money and has no home. In the book it shows that being pregnant is wrong explicitly without a father because in the story you never hear about any other pregnant women.
How did you interpret the story? I found it has a journey to solve a mystery of where Lena's babies dad went. Do you like the racism in the book? Does it add to the story? I think it adds to the story, but don't accept it. Did you think it was wrong for Lena to be pregnant? I think it was normal for women to have babies.
DeleteI thought the same thing. I don't know if I would call it a mystery but I was thinking almost the same thing as you. Well personally I think racism is wrong si I didn't like it but it fit the story well I thought. It makes the story more interesting I suppose. I totally agree she had every right to be pregnant and oh well she was single that shouldn't matter. I think its okay and right to be single and have a baby.
DeleteIn "The Red Badge of Courage" Henry has trouble coping with the troubles of war. He always thought war would be a glorious thing. Sadly he couldn't think things through before he sent himself off. Stehpen Crane shows a foreshadowing by a youth soldier asking, "Think any of the boys'll run?" Crane used this to help sink in the readers mind that someone will more than likely run from war. That person just happened to be Henry. Henry seems to have a problem with authority and questioning their decisions. This is shown by the colonel saying, " Don't forget the cigar box." Than underneath it states " the youth wondered what a box of cigars had to do with war"(24).
ReplyDeleteThis novel was very well described. Crane did this to allow the readers to have a clear image of what is happen and when it is happening. With this being said it can be difficult to read with whole paragraphs dedicated to nothing but describing a scene. Describing people though this book does not do. The most a person is described is using simple words. Words such as tall, young, wild eyed. We never get a solid visual description of what they look like or how they speak.
I forgot about the foreshadow of the boys running, nice pick up. The book was really easy to read and I was able to get a good picture in my mind. Did you like this book?
DeleteIn the beginning of the novel it was a little slow for my taste. How do you feel Henry will react when he does receive his "red badge".
DeleteIn “Lord of the Flies” there is one main phrase that is said over and over again. In the start of the book they say “Kill the pig! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!” They simply just want the pig dead so they can have protein to eat. However, later on they change that phrase. It soon turns into “Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!” The tone they use emphasizes their anger. Besides just anger they are also filled with fear and they want that fear eliminated. These chants are the almost the purpose of the entire book because it revolves around the beast and fear.
ReplyDeleteUsing new criticism in this particular book makes you miss many things. There are many things we need to infer or look deeper in the text for. If we only look at the text we aren’t able to understand why people did certain things. For example if we look deeper into the real text we notice that the chant has more meaning. The chant raises their emotional level making them yearn for the kill more and more. Using this chant also helps more people follow Jack because it gives the people meaning to kill the pig/beast.
So you think you think they are killing the animals because they are angry and scared. What are they angry about? It isn't really anyone's fault that they got stranded there so who or why would they be mad?
DeleteIn my opinion I think they are mostly angry because they are scared. When someone is scared you aren't usually happy, but rather mad. So this fear they have about the beast drives them to be angry and want to kill it and other animals.
DeleteThe book Light in August uses excellent description to describe the scene. The first two chapters, in particular, describe the scene with great descriptors, such as, "walking down an old dirt road among the fields of Mississippi."(4) William Faulkner puts the reader into the characters shoes, through the use of description. The book also characterizes the characters in an enhanced fashion. It makes sure to provide every essential detail, along with a background of the character, to better develop the character.
ReplyDeleteThe book repeats the theme of being careful. It starts with Lena being abandoned, then with Miss Burden's murder, and also the story of Joe Christmas's up bringing. This theme is used in the form of repetition, being found in multiple locations of the book. The word nigger is also emphasized in the writing to help develop the racism. This is present in the quote "She came down here to stir up the niggers."(55) The writing uses these words and messages multiple times, to make sure the messages get across to the readers.
How do you feel about his type of writing? His style and the way he says things. I like his style because it makes sense to me in a way that I enjoy and engages me in the book. Do you feel sometimes he goes into too much description? Sometimes it feels like to me that he goes too deep into detail when he should be just continuing the story. Do you feel like Lena stirred up the Niggers? I don't think she did, I believe she was looking for her love and her baby's father.
DeleteI found his type of writing fairly difficult to understand at first. I think the excessive description helped me visualize the book better. I don't think Lena stirred them up.
DeleteIn the novel of Kidnapped, I think that Robert Louis Stevenson was trying to compare the needs of different cultured people. I think that this comparison is effective because throughout the book are multiple trials among David and Alan that require them to aid each other to reach their ultimate destination without losing their lives by being convicted of murder. Words that specifically stand out are the Latin and the ones he uses in order for the guys to the be talking in slang. Sometimes, as the reader, it is difficult to understand what point he is trying to get across or say because without knowing which words he is combining, its hard to indicate a definition. The Latin words that are carefully placed within the novel can give you a more formal look on the piece because they are used to explain parts of the piece but when the actual characters speak, it is non-the-less formal.
ReplyDeleteOne word to describe the tone is suspenseful. With all of the action and daring choices the characters make, their next move is always unknown. The voice is very informal because through the dialogue the characters use multiple slang words and often slur their words together just like everyday people do. This sets the tone at more friendly level. I think that this is appropriate for the text because two friends on an adventure wouldn’t be speaking in a formal voice especially when their lives are at stake. They would speak in a comfortable way just as we ourselves speak to our friends.
The text also includes more short sentences in the more suspenseful and action packed parts to show that it is all happening in a small amount of time. They are functioning at a fast pace and a lot is going on at one time. This text tends to include longer sentences in the times that they are working at a slow pace towards back home. This gives a little bit more of an explanation of how and why they are doing things. It also symbolizes that it is taking them a longer amount of time to do things because they are more calm and elaborate.
I agree with what he is trying to compare but what do you think got him thinking to compare that?
DeleteI feel like he was comparing those needs of Alan and David because even though the story takes place a long time ago, the needs of different cultured people still appear today in society. They may have been different back then than what it is now, but the concept remains the same. What do you think?
DeleteIn the book Little Women a recurring pattern is music. It seems that the more feminine the sister is the more musically inclined they are. That is showing that to be feminine they must have musical talent.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with using new criticism is that a lot of times authors purposely make meanings behind things hidden. If you don't try to dig deep in this book, just like many different books, you don't get to fully understand what is happening and why it is so important to the story.
“The Pearl” has shown many things relating to money and the power that it holds on people. John Steinbeck seems to have attempted to show many rises and downfalls of the power of money and its effect on men. Steinbeck uses symbolism of the pearl to display that money is a beautiful yet dangerous thing in the eye of men. This can be seen when Kino’s wife speaks to him that, “‘It will destroy us all,’ Juana cried. ‘Even our son’” (page 50). It shows that Kino’s wife can see the misfortune that the pearl could bring. She could the the possible outcome of keeping the pearl and that it can only lead to bad situations for the family as a whole. Of course Kino does not agree with this and he replies, “‘Do not speak any more. In the morning we will sell the pearl…’” (page 50). Which shows that people can be blinded by money and there want for their future power to not see the correct path clearly.
ReplyDeleteI agree. But, on the other hand, do you think that anything in "The Pearl" relating to money relates to work ethic? I do, and I can see it when Kino talks about his wife, Juana. I think even though women are considered "lesser", John Steinbeck uses Juana to serve as a role model for her husband, Kino.
DeleteI think that Steinbeck tries to use his writing to show that work equals to the amount of reward you receive. But, the recognition of a reward can take away from the real reward making it less than the initial reward.
DeleteThat is very interesting, as I did not really look at it that way. It's also interesting how recognition lessens the reward.
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ReplyDeleteThe "Red Badge of Courage" is written in a simple way. By that I mean that it is not very difficult to read. This book is very detailed when it comes to putting an image into minds. One officer insults Henry's fighting as he says they "fight like a lot'a mule drivers" on page 112. Could this mean that he is not on the hero's journey at all? Henry has left the darkness of running away from battle and now is starting to fight back, but not hard enough?
ReplyDeleteSome patterns in this book happened in the first fifteen chapters. Henry would get scared and run away from battle. Why does Henry keep on running from battle? Since Henry sees his friends die, wouldn't that make him want to go and kill the enemy more? Henry says he wants to become a war hero but cannot get himself to do so. Does he have some sort of mental block?
I find it interesting how you use the officers insult to show that while even though Henry fighting he is still doing it poorly. Do you think Henry will learn to fight?
DeleteI feel like he will learn to fight it he is wanting to become a war hero. I don't think that he is the type to be teachable due to him not learning to fight this far into the book.
DeleteI agree with how your saying he can't be taught. I don't feel that you can be taught how to fight in a war it's either something you do or don't
Deletethe book Shane is a short but great book. at the core of the book is how to treat others, when Marian says, "if Joe hadn't called you back, I would have done it myself." on page 11, this is a form of hospitality. I think the author is showing that we shouldn't forget to stay humble and kind.
ReplyDeletea number of questions appear in the first few chapters. Who is Shane? Where does he come from? you start to see him as the main character when Bob is the protagonist. this raises more questions about Jack Schaefer's meaning of the book.
Your last sentence leads to another question.. What do you think this book means?
DeleteI personally think he was trying to give an accurate account of the times threw fake, interesting characters
DeleteA Farewell to Arms is a very vividly written book that if you do not pay attention to who is talking, chances are you will be lost. Ernest Hemingway wrote at the end of chapter 16 between Lt. Henry and Catherine with Henry saying " 'You're sweet.' " " 'I'm good. Aren't I good? You don't want any other girls, do you?' " "'No.' " Once in awhile he will write as Lt. Henry saying "I said" after speaking to show a little recovery. Hemingway uses the word "and" a lot, especially when describing a setting of the outdoors. I like to think he says that because he likes to extend his description.
ReplyDeleteMost paragraphs are written to be more than half the page that continues onto the next page. When the sentences appear long it usually is in the midst of an outdoor setting being explained. Hemingway is just unique in putting more detail into the surroundings rather than the relationships between characters, giving it a vivid imagination feel when reading the long sentences and paragraphs.
Do you think the characters were uninteresting because they're based off real people instead of something eye-catching, or another reason? Why do you think Hemmingway didn't make it clear who is speaking? Did he want there to be specific parts that were paced faster, do you think?
DeleteI think the characters are based off of real people and I do agree that he wrote in that way for the reading to go along quicker because who really wants to read huge paragraphs of people talking? I'm not sure why Hemingway did not specify who was talking, maybe he did it to keep the reader paying attention or just didn't want to have to write it once in a while.
DeleteReading my novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer through this lense I find that the way they talk in the book is very different. They speak in an old southern Dialogue reflecting that this book is sort of informal. Some examples of how they speak would be how Tom says "I don't feel comfortable a bit". Normally we would word it as "I don't feel a bit comfortable".
ReplyDeleteLooking at this through this lens I feel it is written casaly.
I also think that there are a lot of things that stand out through this lens such as how when tom told Huck that "it's a name that can open this door night or day." I believe that this was refering to how his friend Huck is welcome to come in any time he wants to.
Apathetic would describe the tone of the novel most accurately. The main character seems much less than interested in his endeavors. He doesn't emotionally connect with many characters either. And other characters around him seem to lead not much but a normal life. Catherine is simply a nurse and his lust-interest. Even the description of the landscape is often Autumn-like. "...a house in Goriza that had a fountain and many thick shady trees in a walled garden and a wistaria vine purple on the side of the house", reads page 5, which isn't bad by any means, but gives the novel a very sleepy tone. The voice is formal, which goes well with the overall nature of the book-very descriptive and very realistic. This also reflects the maturity or at least the calm composure of the main character. If the voice were more immature, it would probably be hard to like the character throughout a war setting. Wartime is serious, so the dialogue should reflect the serious mood.
ReplyDeleteThe sentences can be really long, especially in the beginning. "The trunks of the trees too were dusty and the leaves fell early that year and we saw the troops marching along the road and the dust rising and leaves, stirred by the breeze, falling and the soldiers marching and afterward the road bare and white except for the leaves", states page 1. These run-on sentences are usually a result of heavy description. Ernest Hemmingway does use commas, but seems to prefer long, joined sentences. Fragments seem to be very scarce for the same reasons aforementioned. The rhythm seems to be clumsy at times, but it's not a glaring problem. The novel itself seems to be a little bit rushed at times, but in its favor. It doesn't have the typical action-packed writing style common to wartime novels.
Why do you think Hemingway put more effort into visuals rather than relationships towards one another? Also, why do you think he didn't write paragraphs shorter? Was he trying to cramp one setting's visual in one paragraph? How come you say that Hemingway's description of the wartime isn't as action-packed?
DeleteI think he really wanted to convey his experiences, and he seemed to have characters that were understandable, but didn't have interesting interactions with each other. I also believe that yes, he was trying to constrain a wide scope of senses into as little narrative as possible. As for the novel not being as action-packed, h tended to really focus more on Catherine and Henry and their relationship than the war itself. This was to dig more into the psyche of the people rather than narrate the war going on. However, is still a wartime novel and war is ever present in it.
DeleteThis book is about one person’s obsession. Hardwigg is so obsessed in going to the center of the Earth that he doesn’t notice how worried and afraid Harry is. Has tries many times in the book to stop is Uncle. Harry tries to stop his uncle multiple time with example like, “ I could see many sprouts of steam rising in the air. These white vapors, called in the Icelandic language “reykir” come from hot water fountains, and indicate by their violence the volcanic activity of the soil.” (Loc 791(kindle) Harry tried this multiple times even before they left for the journey. He in the beginning of the book almost burned the parchment when he learned what it said. He knew how his uncle would react. This shows just how obsessed Hardwigg is. Every time that Harry tried to convince his uncle not to continue this journey he alway came up with a reason another reason to go. One of his reason he says after disproving Harry was, “‘Enough, my boy. When science has sent forth her fiat--it is only to hear and obey.” (Local 802) This really stands out because of how unreasonable it sounds. He is say that since science say it could be possible then it should be done.
ReplyDeleteThe sentence structure I would say is formal. They talk to each other very formally. Besides Hans of course. Han’s only speaks Danish throughout the book. When Harry talks he normally his sentences aren’t that long. They get longer whenever he seems excited or really emotional about something. Hardwigg on the other hand doesn’t seem to want to be quiet. His sentences are always the longest because how much he wants to talk. But I think that he makes up for Han’s. It seem that Verne’s made Hardwigg such a talker is because he is compensating for Han’s. One word that I would use to describe this book is guileless. The book just instantly jumps into the journey. Then the characters instantly jump in guilelessly not knowing what was ahead of them.
Did you notice any imagery in the book? How some similes or metaphors? Did you see any symbols used in the text? What did you think about Verne's word choices? I agree with your analysis of the characters' speech. Why do you think Verne decided to have Hans only speak danish? What effect does it have on the book? I disagree with your tone. Literally half the book is them preparing and getting to the location of the beginning of the journey. No real action happens until half way through the writing.
DeleteI notices some quite a bit of imagery whenever Harry or Hardwigg talked about their surroundings. As for similes and metaphors there were a couple in there. then for if I noticed any symbols. I would say the volcano they are headed to is a symbol. It is the final destination and beginning both. It the final destination above ground. They had to manage to get up to the volcano from all the way back in Hardwiggs study. That itself is a journey and then the volcano is the entrance to the center of the Earth. So it is the beginning as well. As for Vern's word choices. I believe that it is appropriate for it;d time and modern enough for us to still know what it's saying. Why didn't Han's speak much. I think Verne's was trying to put in a character that always the quiet one in the group.
DeleteIn "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," Jules Verne repeats the subject of a mysterious identity throughout the novel. It all began with the identity of the giant narwhal which turned out to be a submarine. Then came Captain Nemo. He was a mysterious man who did not give anything but subtle hints about his identity or why he left land. At the very end of the novel Aronnax says about the captain,"'Will I finally discover his name?'" (352). His identity is a mystery. The identity of the crew is also a mystery. When the giant squid attacked the Nautilus a crew member cried out in French. They normally speak in an unidentifiable language.
ReplyDeleteOne word which describes the tone of the novel is educated. The characters in the seem to know everything about history and the sea. Endless facts about sea flora, fauna, and countless other categories are listed throughout the book. The tone for a specific part of the novel can change quickly. It may go from the educated tone of Aronnax naming a hefty list of fish to Captain Nemo talking with his air of mystery. The voice of the novel would be described as formal. It's formal because it is written in an old fashioned way not used by authors today. This formal voice fits with the educational tone of the novel.
Its truly extraordinary the amount of fascinating facts and vocabulary related to the sea that Jules Verne was able to include. Despite revealing so many wonders to the reader throughout the story it is shrouded in mystery leaving you begging for more. Personally I prefer the more contemporary form of writing used in modern novels. What about you? Do you prefer this more formal style?
DeleteI usually read a more informal contemporary style of writing in my free reading novels. This is probably due to the genre of these novels to be more of a romance rather than science fiction. However, I did enjoy the style of writing in this novel.
DeleteOne interesting thing about White Fang is that even though it is mostly told from White Fang’s perspective, a lot of the book is told from the third person omniscient point of view. That meaning the reader can see or read all the thoughts of all the characters. A passage the intrigued me follows, “Life itself was meat.” This sentence is extremely short and to the point. I think this sentence is there to show how simple White Fang’s thought about food was. This shows that often time wolves’ thoughts are quick and short, precise and to the point. Another example of a short sentence is as follows, “Nearer and nearer it came.” I believe this is to truly show how short and quick beasts’ thoughts are and how they aren’t always full drawn out ideas.
ReplyDeleteIf I were to describe the tone of White Fang in one word it would be survival. The whole book has ups and downs constantly, varying greatly in the way the protagonist White Fang thinks and acts. Well, it all varies except for the fact that most of the time White Fang decides he hates something new. One word that stuck out to me was god. The word god is often what White Fang used to describe his human overlords, and this struck me as interesting. Of all the words that could be used to describe someone in power, god was used, which makes it seem like they have ultimate power over him but then this quote makes it seem more like a trade. “Food and fire, protection and companionship, were some of the things he received from the god. In return, he guarded the god's property, defended his body, worked for him, and obeyed him.” This to me shows that even though humans are not perfect and omnipotent, they can be seen as “gods” to those below them.
Do you think the short sentences help the story out because of the way it is written? I think it does because you get this idea of exactly what White Fang is thinking about in a certain situation. This quote you have from the book reminds me of the actual God, as he provides for us what we need. Do you get the same feel from that passage?
DeleteYes, I do think that the short sentences help the story, because it helps us get how and what he is thinking. I do agree with you that the final passage I have does remind me a bit of our God, but White Fang does a service for his God, which we don't necessarily do.
DeleteIn the book Shane, there aren't many similes and metaphors deliberately put into the text. However, there is some strange word usage. I would consider this as an old type of writing. Reason being is that in much of the dialogue, the English they use is different than from what people use today. For example, on page 183, it says "'Great Godfrey, Shane, be sensible. Don't make it harder for me. You can't do this.' Shane stepped near, to the side of the table facing my father across a corner. 'Easy does it, Joe. I'm making this my business.'" In this quote Joe uses the words 'Great Godfrey'. In all the time I have been alive, I have never heard the word 'Godfrey' before. I have also not heard the phrase 'Easy does it' in a long time. In other parts of the book, the writing used is used in a way that I wouldn't normally say. Part of this is because it is such an old book.
ReplyDeleteThe one word that describes the book Shane is probably 'hero'. There are many heroes in this story ranging from Shane, to Joe, to Bob. Shane is most definitely the hero of this story though. He saves the Starrett family from getting booted out of their home, he saves Joe from being killed, and he saves Bob through his actions. Shane is Bob's hero. The voice of this book, being formal, fits the book. While reading, it makes the reader speak differently in different spots. It also makes the reader read in a sense of respect and care for the other characters in the book. Throughout the book, I have noticed that the text is old, but yet interesting in the way I read it. I find myself looking at the text in a way I have never looked at it before.
can you agree that when similes and metaphors are used they are used in such detail it feels like you are there?
DeleteSometimes. However, I did't see many similes and metaphors in this book. I did see the book as a whole as a metaphor though.
DeleteIn the novel , Kidnapped, I feel that author Robert Stevenson was trying to describe the living styles. For example the two classes. One is higher than the other so that the lower class wasn't praised as much. I believe that the author is doing this to show us that life will not be fair, but there can be a positive outcome.
ReplyDeleteA word to describe the novel is intriguing. It is always suspenseful and keeps us predicting what will happen next. It also helps us make inferences and keep us interested. It also shows us the literary elements in that time period.
I totally agree with the word intriguing to describe the book! But what words actually stood out to you in the book? The Latin and slurred stand out to me because meanings can go separate ways with them and it makes it hard to understand.
DeleteI honestly can not say what words stood out to me. I feel like different parts stood out to me.
DeleteFair enough. Do you think it was because of those words that, that specific part stuck out to you?
Delete"Kill the pig" is a frase that is said a lot through out this book. In the beginning they started talking about it when they wanted to kill the pig. Chapters later it is changed to fit the killing of a beast. When the children say these things it shows how much they have changed. Before the crash they were innocent children who had never killed anything. Now they have killed animals and a person.
ReplyDeleteThis book is now showing the theme of anger. It shows how children can be changed in just a few months. When you looks at everything a step closer it changes how you see the book. Looking back at it for a minute you realize how much the children changed since they have gotten there. They are no longer regular children they are crazy mean beasts.
Do you think that Jack uses that killing phrase to get people on his side and do what he wants?
DeleteNo, I think he does it because he doesn't know what else to do. He doesn't want to seem like he is a baby and he wants to be taken seriously. I think that is why he does it not really to get people on his side.
DeleteIn Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, the text is predominantly dialogue. The author's way of telling the story is to have characters give exposition. This is opposed to having the narrator explain what is going on the entire time. The use of words is rather modern for a book of this age. Yet as this is a novel about pirates, there are many slang terms that aren't often used. On page 89, the term foc's'le is used. A quick Google search reveals that this is slang for forecastle. This is the upper deck of a ship near the foremast.
ReplyDeleteDescribing the main character, Jim, in a few words would be difficult. Unlikely hero would fit the bill best. He was a young child who was afraid of big men in the first few chapters. This is evidenced when he cried for his mother when he felt threatened. In later chapters, he becomes more heroic. He dragged his mother's body to safety when she fainted. He looted a dead body to find a key which allowed the rest of the story to happen. He even denied an officer the key that he found. Over the course of the story, he gains his mentors' trust.
I agree with what you are saying. It really caught my eye when you said that the text is just diologue. If you ignored your thoughts and feelings about the book and what the author wants you to think, and you just looked at the words and text, does the story change? is it different in any way?
DeleteIt would be the same story for me because I have no preconceived notions about the book. I do, however, suppose that the stereotypical pirate personification is represented in this book. Perhaps that's where the stereotypes came from.
DeleteThat is a good observation. Maybe the characteristics of these characters set the image for the pirates everyone knows today
DeleteThe word usage that Dumas used when writing “The Counte of Monte Cristo” helped give the reader a better insight into what the characters were feeling and how they were being viewed by others. A perfect example of this is looking at how the characters viewed Dantes at the start of the book versus how they view him more towards the center of the story. Dantes was always looked at as a “... kind and thoughtful person…. always attempted to stay out of trouble”. He was viewed as a high figure in the eyes of many of his peers. This gave the reader the feeling that this character could never do anything bad but this changed drastically.
ReplyDeleteAfter all of the tragedy and hardships that Dantes went through, it can be seen that other characters start to fear him. Once he starts his revenge on his enemies, Dantes is often criticized and shown and a “good man that turned to revenge”. Other characters start to believe that he is a completely changed person after his hardships. This touch that Dumas added to his story greatly upped the amount of detail and created a story that was even more intriguing.
I agree that his peers respected him in the start of the novel. I also think that he was a "good man who turned to revenge". I believe that this adds to the drama in the novel. Do you?
DeleteThis for sure adds lots of drama to the story. The whole story is essentially Dantes trying to get revenge on those who framed him. Without Dantes wanting revenge, the whole story wouldn't have happened. This whole revenge thing added lots of events to the story.
DeleteThis week, I used New Criticism while evaluating Pride and Prejudice. I tried to focus on the words and tones of specific sentences in the story. The sentence that I looked at the most was, "Elizabeth had the satisfaction of seeing her father taking pains to get acquainted with him; and Mr. Bennet soon assured her that he was rising every hour in his esteem (302)." Something that stands out in this piece of writing is the phrase, "taking pains". It refers to Elizabeth's dad doing everything, even if it's a pain, in order to get to know and like Elizabeth's love, Darcy. That phrase almost sets the tone of the chapter as being stressful, at least for the father. It would make one look at Darcy, whom the father doesn't like very much, as a bad man. However, the rest of the sentence suggests he could maybe be a good man due to the father having to reassure Lizzy that he was becoming okay with him. If Elizabeth didn't care for Darcy, her dad wouldn't be reassuring her.
ReplyDeleteFor the second thing I looked at, I used the same sentence. This time, I focused on the word "satisfaction". It set a different tone in the book. While looking at this new word and looking at the other one, "taking pains", one could become a little confused about the vibes going on. Although other phrases and words, the the other, may make the tone sound stressful, the term "satisfaction" makes it sound like the stress is beginning to die down. Elizabeth, whom was beginning to become "satisfied" with her father's opinions, seems like a hopeful person. She wouldn't be so happy about her father becoming okay with things if she hadn't been hoping and wishing for it. If she wasn't, she's be neutral, but it being satisfied usually means becoming more happy in some way.
Do you think it was easy to pick out you quotes you chose? What stands out the most about those quotes to you? Do you think other ones would have made your explanations and observations different? I like how you were able to relate it deeply to the characters. For me it's easier to relate to the character's when you're describing certain things in the book. What was most difficult about doing this journal for you? Was it more difficult to look at a different perspective as you were talking about in your second paragraph? I also agree with you about how the tone in the quotes and in the book are very exaggerated and noticeable.
DeleteTo me, it was pretty easy to find a quote since I focused on it so much this week. What stands out about the quotes to me is the meanings behind them. Most of them are the same, full of drama and desperation.
DeleteThe most difficult thing about this journal for me was actually analyzing the specific words, the whole quote altogether was simple, but each word was tricky and confusing. Perspectives were also difficult in a way, but not as much as the word by word stuff.
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ReplyDelete“The Pearl” by John Steinbeck can be interpreted in a couple different ways. I would say that the one that stuck out the most to me is trying to better the life you have. Kino, the main character, is completely focused on this throughout the story. From the very start, on page 3, Kino notices the hard work ethic of his wife, Juana. Already being the hardest worker in the house, he decided to really step it up. We see this again when his son, Coyotito, gets stung by a scorpion (Chapter 1). His work ethic shines throughout the novel to really give it it’s theme. With all of the the decisions the Kino makes, he seems to have his family’s best interest in mind.
ReplyDeleteUsing the “New Criticism” lens for this novel is quite interesting. There is emotion attached to this text, and attached with this story. Author, John Steinbeck uses long, poetic sentences. Following these long sentences, he writes short sentences. This writing technique is quite effective. It really emphasizes not long the sentences with lyrical elegance as well at the short, blunt sentences. The change of tone comes from serene morning, to chaotic scorpion sting. Steinbeck uses many different writing styles that brings in interest to the book. Looking at the text this way is a simple way to see the text as more than just a simple story.
Reading your view on the topic actually helps me see the way to use New Criticism. Do think that the use of Steinbeck's mentioning of songs has anything to do with New Criticism? How does it or doesn't it?
DeleteYes, I do thing the songs have something to do with it. I feel like there is a lot of emotion attached to these songs, along with history and family.
DeleteLondon has a simplistic way of writing that is very understandable when reading. He is very short and to the point, which we are often told not to but London does this. He writes, “The aim of life was meat. Life itself was meat. Life lived on life. There were the eaters and the eaten. The law was: EAT OR BE EATEN. He did not formulate the law in clear, set terms and moralize about it. He did not even think the law; he merely lived the law without thinking about it at all.” He uses these short sentences to show how animals think. They may have brains but they base many things off of instinct. This is one example and another is, “He had no conscious knowledge of death, but like every animal of the Wild, he possessed the instinct of death. To him it stood as the greatest of hurts. It was the very essence of the unknown; it was the sum of the terrors of the unknown, the one culminating and unthinkable catastrophe that could happen to him, about which he knew nothing and about which he feared everything.” This instinct they have gets them through life and another interesting thing that London does is that he writes the book in third person but the stories are told through the eyes of White Fang. This helps the reader get a view of both sides, they get the view from White Fang and the view from stepping back and watching it happen.
ReplyDeleteLondon uses this pattern of many short sentences together to make connections and then using a longer sentence to explain the smaller sentences. A great example is the one above about life being meat, and meat life, so life lives on life. The voice used throughout the book is very informal. The wording is off slightly to get the idea of seeing the book through two different views, an example is, “It was the worst hurt he had ever known.” This wording is not something someone would say because it’s off slightly. This informal voice makes the connection with the audience because if you speak too formally you don’t understand it. It gets too complicated and London doesn’t let this happen, using a simplistic informal voice throughout the book. Throughout the book there is only one thing, survival. That is what the book is about, the ups and downs of life and how one changes during those time periods.
Jack London's simplistic way of writing is nice for a change, but is it really the best way to tell the story? I actually think it is. Between the diverse characters and their individual motives, I think the book would be difficult to understand if it was written differently. Also, do you think London's "connections" actually contribute to the story? Or just complicate things?
DeleteI think that in this case the short sentences are the best way. The way London writes it puts it together. Like you said if it was written any other way I don't feel like the book would work. You wouldn't know about the connections that London has to the book unless you researched him. If we hadn't done the historical lens we wouldn't have known about it and I think that it's cool how London has written it. He has put himself into a wolf in his own book.
DeleteEvaluating White Fang through the new criticism lens works nicely. Jack London writes in a very blunt style. For the most part, it is straightforward and simple. However, some of the text is actually so simple, it makes you question what Jack London was trying to get across. The phrase "Life lives on life." is easy to understand. Animals live off of each other. Simple, right? However, does he mean this in a sense that animals eat each other? Or perhaps all species are connected and play a role in the community? It can be difficult to tell just what exactly the meaning behind the message is.
ReplyDeleteWhile this style of writing is unusual, I find it refreshing. I prefer simple statements rather than longer complex ones. The style fits nicely with the tone of the book. As far as the authors intentions, some people believe White Fang is a variation of his life story. I would have to disagree with that. Other than the fact they both had hardships early on in life there is not a whole lot of similarities. I do agree that the same passage from a book can be viewed many different ways. It is all about how the reader sees the situation, as well as the book as a whole.
Do you think that London's blunt style helped or hurt the progression of the story? You say that the sentence structure helps the overall tone of the book, but what would you say the tone is?
DeleteI think his simple writing style makes the book easier to understand. With everything going on, the last thing a reader needs is trying to figure out what London is talking about. When I mention the tone of the book, I think his easy writing style highlights the simplicity of nature. Many things are in motion at once but he manages to slow things down to an understandable level.
Delete20,000 Leagues under the sea is a fascinating science fiction novel narrated by Professor Pierre Aronnax from first person point of view. Aronnax is also the protagonist of this story, despite being a generally misunderstood character it seems to me that Captain Nemo takes on the role of the protagonist. The text overall coveys a dark and mysterious mood.
ReplyDeleteThe major theme of this story is man versus nature and how we might utilize it but it will never be over taken. ther is soke interesting symbolism represented by the giant pearl. Captain Nemo wants to leave it undisturbed so that it will become greater. This is comparable to his treatment of the Nautilus. The longer the vessel remains undiscovered the more powerful it becomes. Through their experiences on the ship, Captain Nemo and Aronnax will be able to significantly contribute to the scientific community and benefit mankind. However, the ship is also used to destroy humanity. Good versus evil, nature versus man.
I never thought of the pearl symbolized that way. I would not say that Captain Nemo ever became the protagonist of the story. I think he is the antagonist, but at the beginning of the novel I thought he was a great man and it didn't bother me that he was holding the men on the submarine against their will. Although, as the story progressed to its end I found him seeming less fascinating and more menacing. Did you have the same feeling?
DeleteI never thought of the pearl symbolized that way. I would not say that Captain Nemo ever became the protagonist of the story. I think he is the antagonist, but at the beginning of the novel I thought he was a great man and it didn't bother me that he was holding the men on the submarine against their will. Although, as the story progressed to its end I found him seeming less fascinating and more menacing. Did you have the same feeling?
DeleteHe definitely became more menacing to me as well. I actually meant to say that he became the antagonist but I said protagonist again because I wasn't typing what I was thinking obviously. I greatly value my freedom as an individual and perhaps that is why I was more opposed to the way Nemo treated his passengers when I interpreted this story.
DeleteI think that it didn't bother me that they were held against their will was because I wanted to see where Nemo would take them. If they had been allowed to leave they would have left long before they had had some of their most thrilling expeditions on the Nautilus. Of course, if being held captive was not part of the novel, the men would probably not have had the desire to leave so soon.
DeleteRepetition is used quite often in Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five. One particular phrase phrase repeated in the novel is, “So it goes.” When the novel references a death, Billy says, “So it goes.” This book being a book about being a solider in World War II, a large amount of death occurs. Another form of repetition used in this novel is describing different aspects of the book. For example, Billy takes a pair of silver painted shoes during the war since the boots given to him were too small. After he puts them on, he speaks of wearing a toga and silver boots throughout the rest of the novel.
ReplyDeleteSlaughterhouse Five had descriptions that were very helpful to understand what was going on in the novel. As a reader, there was really no need to infer what was going on in the book. The author gave descriptions about the war and how Billy felt throughout the novel. The novel has some German words in it making the plot of the story very realistic. Later in the book, the American prisoners of war are lead to a building that said “Schlachthof-fünf”. In English this means “Slaughterhouse Five” This stands out to me because it shows how Americans had to learn another language to survive.
In “The Call of the Wild”, one pattern has been death. Buck saw a dog die pretty early on in the book, right after he had been taken from his home. Later on when he is in Canada, Buck kills another dog on the team. A little while after that, one of the dogs has to be put down because he can’t work anymore. Then Buck is sold to another person who doesn’t know what they are doing, and they had to put one dog down because of an injury. Not long after that, the dogs start starving to death. Four of the new dogs died first, then one of the older members of Buck’s team. Things don’t look like they are going to end well for Buck.
ReplyDeleteRight now where I’m at in the book it is kind of hard to read, because all of the dogs are struggling, and it seems like Buck isn’t going to last much longer. I think it’s really sad to read right now, but what he author is doing to the dogs also makes sense with the storyline. If he wouldn’t have made some of the dogs die, it wouldn’t have been realistic at all. The tone of this book is definitely tense. Ever since Buck was taken from his home at the start of the book, he hasn’t had any rest. Buck, along with the dogs on his team, have gone over 2,500 miles in one year, in the frozen tundra, with almost no rest. So even though it is sad, it makes sense that a recurring theme is death.
In George Orwell's Animal Farm, there are many patterns in the text. A common pattern is that of theme and symbolism. Theme is used in the story to show how napoleon is constantly breaking the written law or "Seven Commandments" as they call it on page 43. He used the original seven commandments to show that napoleon was doing what they all agreed not to do. For example, when Napoleon executed the animals siding with snowball,the animals remembered that the 6th commandment decreed, "No animal shall kill any other animal"(43), they remembered that this was so, and when they went and read the commandments again they saw that the words "without cause" were at the end of the sentence. What the animals didn't realize was that this was added after the fact, to protect Napoleon.
ReplyDeleteSymbolism is used heavily in the story. Nearly every aspect of the story represents someone or something from Europe's history. The author based his entire writing on events of his time period. This is important because all the characters represent a European leader at the time. Symbolism is all the book contains.
I agree completely that this book is full of symbolism. Do you think that George Orwell did this to Napoleon to maybe show how many imperfections Joseph Stalin had? Why?
DeleteYes, I do think that he did this to show exactly how Stalin and all the other leaders were at the time. However he did it in a way that wasn't incredibly obvious so people could read the book and decide for themselves who was right and who was wrong. The book is based heavily around Stalin's character, so it could be hard to see the other perspectives.
DeleteReading my novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer through this lense I find that the way they talk in the book is very different. They speak in an old southern Dialogue reflecting that this book is sort of informal. Some examples of how they speak would be how Tom says "I don't feel comfortable a bit". Normally we would word it as "I don't feel a bit comfortable".
ReplyDeleteLooking at this through this lens I feel it is written casaly.
I also think that there are a lot of things that stand out through this lens such as how when tom told Huck that "it's a name that can open this door night or day." I believe that this was refering to how his friend Huck is welcome to come in any time he wants to.
A lot can be learned about "Treasure Island" by just looking at the text. By ignoring what I think and focusing solely on the text itself, the mood of the book and how a character feels can be figured out with simple key words and phrases like the setting. If something sad is happening, the setting would be dark and gloomy. A good example of this is at the beginning of the book. "So things passed until, the day after the funeral, and about three o'clock of a bitter, foggy, frosty afternoon, I was standing at the door for a moment, full of sad thoughts about my father, when I saw someone drawing slowly near along the road." (17) Jim was upset about his father's death and it was the first time he met the blind pirate. The setting was a cold, foggy, bitter afternoon, representing what was going on. This set the mood to be sad and gloomy. Robert Stevenson tries to make the reader feel for the characters and realize the emotions going on inside the book.
ReplyDeleteThe way a story is written and the words it uses can completely change the way it's viewed. Small things can change the mood completely. Another good example of this can be found on page 21. This is when the blind pirate and his men are on the way to the inn, and Jim has to do something. He hurries to town to try to get help from the people there. The setting was a dark, foggy night with a full moon. I think that by doing this, Stevenson was trying to give the story a spooky and edgy feel. He was able to make the readers feel nervous for Jim by doing this.
I like how you talked about the setting setting the mood for the story, and your use of the word "spooky". What kind of mood could other weather conditions induce in the reader?
DeleteRainy and gloomy days are usually associated with being sad or upset. bright and shiny days are used a lot of the time to set a bright or happy mood. Small things like that can change how a story is seen.
DeleteI agree. Later this book has many bright days in it which really showcases the happier mood.
DeleteThe statement that Parson Elder makes in “The Light in the Forest” (Chapter 9) directs toward True Son, “It is not only the white man who breaks the sixth commandment…. Evil and ugly things have been committed against the will of God on both sides.” It is the only point in the novel in which a character speaks out against the violence perpetrated by both Indians and whites, and yet it expresses a crucial truth about the frontier and the novel itself.
ReplyDeleteEven after that True Son became excited about fighting with the Indians. When push came to shove, True Son change his mind and decided to save a child; Parson Elder might be to blame of that because of his statement. It opened his eyes that the White Man isn't the only one to blame for all the violence.
Why do you think that the Parson said this to true son?
DeleteI think Parson said this to True Son because he wanted to show him that not everything is what it seems. White Men aren't all evil, Indians aren't all evil either. They're just men, prone to mistakes and both sides are guilty.
DeleteIn the novel “The Count of Monte Cristo”, there is usage of many French words. This is an unstandard language choice because most other novels don’t use French words. In the text, there is the use of the word monsieur, mademoiselle, and madame. This changes the tone of the book in a few ways. A major one would be that it creates a more formal tone. It also adds to the knowledge that some of the characters are partially French. The voice seems appropriate because it truly adds to the depth of the novel. It makes the story line more complex as well.
ReplyDeleteWhen Dantes escapes from prison, he plunges into the ocean. This is symbolic because it is almost his new birth. He is renewed in the Lord when this happens. This is showing that he died while he was in prison. Not physically, even though he tried, but metaphorically. He came out of prison as a hateful and vengeful man. By jumping into the ocean, he is reborn into his new being of an angry man. This is what carries him to go through with his revenge.
I feel like the word usage used in this book is a great example of an author using his native tongue in his books. You definitely see lots of examples of French words. When you said Dantes was "renewed", I completely agree. This is spot on and he was for sure a different man out of prison. Do you believe this was the case with the author too when he was released from prison in real life?
DeleteThe book Catch-22 is mostly written in unannounced flashbacks and is a little hard to catch on to at first. Reading in this lens made me realize how odd this book's text really is compared to other novels I've read in the past. In some scenes they repeat the same dialogue over and over again without much meaning. In chapter 3 they use some repetition to show a theme of the book. They are continuously talking about a dead man in a tent that exists to some people, but not to others. This shows the theme of how war makes you crazy.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing that happens often in the text is dialogue. I feel that this shows that the characters had to socialize to deal with the horrors of the war. The text in Catch-22 skips around a lot between the current and past tenses. This emphasized how jumbled and confusing it was for the characters in the setting that they were in.
Why do you think this repetition is significant? I agree that it does occur often and I believe it's Yossarian trying to repeatedly get his facts straight to make sure he isn't insane.
DeleteI feel that that could be possible, but I just think it's the product of everyone else being insane and they don't know what they're saying.
DeleteIn Catch-22 many of the chapters are scrambled, and text in this chapters itself are scrambled. Compared to other novels I have read this is the only one that writes with flashbacks in no corresponding order. Several of the flashbacks themselves don't make sense, or are of no importance. One was a flashback about a couple that came into the doctors office trying to get pregnant and it had no significance. This jumbled system of flashbacks is just used to express the insanity of everything going on in the war. None of it makes sense, much like the text and many of the flashbacks.
ReplyDeleteDo you believe the war caused the insanity or the insanity caused the war?
DeleteI believe the war caused the insanity. All of the characters seem to have normal lives before the war, like Hungry Joe for example. He used to be a professional photographer and then in the war he was crazy and taking pictures of ladies.
DeleteThe novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a mainly dialogue. The characters really express the time period through the way they talk. They talk very informally and don't fully pronounce all the words. Some of the story is confusing because it seems pointless. There was almost a full chapter of Tom whitewashing a fence.
ReplyDeleteI disagree because The whole part about Tom whitewashing the fence really showed the readers how Tom was a troublesome boy but a smart and clever one at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI have finished reading my book. In The Scarlet Letter I have noticed that Hawthorne does not just come out and say everything. He usually uses symbols. Or figurative language. Examples of these include the rose, the scarlet letter, the prison, light and dark, and others. These things take us beyond the fact of just stating that she committed adultery. While reading this book I think that Hawthorne leads the reader to guess how and why something happened with the clues he gives us. He also leads the reader to search into the handling of the situation by the Puritans, Hester, Dimmesdale, Chillingworth, and Pearl. Hawthorne could have just stated the facts but instead he wanted the readers to look into the book more and infer what things mean instead of telling us.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read Pride and Prejudice this week, I came across some very stressful lines. A lot of them caught my eye, but I decided to go back into the earlier chapters of my book to read one I remembered distinctly. It goes, “‘"An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do (128)’”. The tone of this line comes off as reassuring to Elizabeth by the phrase, “‘I will never see you again if you do.’”It sounds terrible in the first couple sentences, but gets better by the last few words.
ReplyDeleteNext, the line that says, “‘From this day’” sounds very harsh. It seems like a demanding verse. If I were the character being spoken to, I would have been appalled. The way it’s being said almost doesn’t sound appropriate for the quote.Again, this is because of the kindness spoken at the end, the reassurance. What I noticed was, each quote I picked, it was easy to see the meaning behind them. I really needed to think hard though and analyze the deeper meaning of them. I personally think my quotes stand out and are easy enough themselves to show readers what the meaning is behind them.
Why do you think that Elizabeth's mother said that? Why would she want her to marry Mr. Collins so much? I think it was because of his money. Stupid, but true. It's nice to see that her dad stated at the end of the quote his own opinion. How would you have reacted to such a thing? In this situation, with her mom wanting to her marry him and her father not, I think I'd be a little confused, but relieved that my dad respects my decisions.
DeleteIn "The Call of the Wild" work is something that keeps coming up. I would call it one of the themes in the book. Work was the reason that someone bought Buck. Work is the reason that there was a dog killed. The dog was actually killed because it couldn't work anymore.
ReplyDelete