How to Read Literature Like a Professor
Introduction: How'd He Do That?
Memory affects the reading of literature by making the reader think and look for correspondences and corollaries within the text. When reading a work of text, readers often reflect on past works they have read, looking for similarities to help them discover and understand the current text more. Symbolically, readers often think that everything is a symbol of something-until proven otherwise. Years and years of reading texts help the reader symbolize faster, making the process of "connecting dots" almost instantaneous. A related phenomenon is pattern recognition. As Foster states in his book, pattern "is a function of being able to distance oneself from the story, to look beyond the purely affected level of plot, drama, characters. Experience has proved to them that life and books fall into similar patterns." The recognition of patterns makes it easier to read complicated literature when you are able to step back from the work, even while you're reading it, and look for those patterns. While reading, readers can overlook and absorb details to find the patterns at work in the background. These specific elements of reading a piece of text came in handy to me when I was reading the work, "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I was quite perplexed when coming across the infamous eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg. To an inexperienced reader, the eyes might just be that- eyes. an abandoned billboard in a deserted part of town. But to the avid reader, well versed in symbolism, the eyes mean much more than that. Because of my extensive work with symbolism, I inferred that the eyes of Dr. Eckleberg symbolize the concept of someone always watching you. The eyes are high up on a billboard, symbolizing a feeling of power over people. the eyes see everyone and everything. They represent a higher power, such as a God, watching your every move and catching your sins.
Memory affects the reading of literature by making the reader think and look for correspondences and corollaries within the text. When reading a work of text, readers often reflect on past works they have read, looking for similarities to help them discover and understand the current text more. Symbolically, readers often think that everything is a symbol of something-until proven otherwise. Years and years of reading texts help the reader symbolize faster, making the process of "connecting dots" almost instantaneous. A related phenomenon is pattern recognition. As Foster states in his book, pattern "is a function of being able to distance oneself from the story, to look beyond the purely affected level of plot, drama, characters. Experience has proved to them that life and books fall into similar patterns." The recognition of patterns makes it easier to read complicated literature when you are able to step back from the work, even while you're reading it, and look for those patterns. While reading, readers can overlook and absorb details to find the patterns at work in the background. These specific elements of reading a piece of text came in handy to me when I was reading the work, "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I was quite perplexed when coming across the infamous eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg. To an inexperienced reader, the eyes might just be that- eyes. an abandoned billboard in a deserted part of town. But to the avid reader, well versed in symbolism, the eyes mean much more than that. Because of my extensive work with symbolism, I inferred that the eyes of Dr. Eckleberg symbolize the concept of someone always watching you. The eyes are high up on a billboard, symbolizing a feeling of power over people. the eyes see everyone and everything. They represent a higher power, such as a God, watching your every move and catching your sins.
Chapter 1: Every Trip Is a Quest (Except When It's Not)
A quest consists of five things: a quester, a place to go, a stated reason to go there, challenges and trials en route, and a real reason to go there. The novel, and film The Wizard of Oz can be viewed using quest. 1. Our Quester: Dorothy Gale, a young orphan who dreams of "somewhere over the rainbow." She and her dog, ToTo, get swept up in a cyclone one afternoon, taking her to a pace far away from Kansas. 2. A Place to Go: In order to return to Kansas, the Good Witch of the North tells Dorothy that she has to go to the Emerald City and ask the Wizard to help. 3. A Stated Reason to go There: In order to return to Kansas and reunite with her family, Dorothy must visit the Wizard of Oz in the Emerald City and ask for his help in her departure. 4. Challenges and Trials: Along the way, Dorothy encounters many faces that pose questions in front of her. She constantly is being put face to face with the Wicked Witch of the West, which creates challenges in getting to the city. She also meets three unusual characters, who later become her friends as she journeys to find her way home. 5. The Real Reason to Go: In the end, it's not the Wizard who completes Dorothy's quest, it's Dorothy herself. She had the power to go home all the time, with just three clicks of her heels and the phrase "there's no place like home." Really, Dorothy didn't need to go on the journey to the Emerald City, but she learned lessons in friendship, endurance and love.
A quest consists of five things: a quester, a place to go, a stated reason to go there, challenges and trials en route, and a real reason to go there. The novel, and film The Wizard of Oz can be viewed using quest. 1. Our Quester: Dorothy Gale, a young orphan who dreams of "somewhere over the rainbow." She and her dog, ToTo, get swept up in a cyclone one afternoon, taking her to a pace far away from Kansas. 2. A Place to Go: In order to return to Kansas, the Good Witch of the North tells Dorothy that she has to go to the Emerald City and ask the Wizard to help. 3. A Stated Reason to go There: In order to return to Kansas and reunite with her family, Dorothy must visit the Wizard of Oz in the Emerald City and ask for his help in her departure. 4. Challenges and Trials: Along the way, Dorothy encounters many faces that pose questions in front of her. She constantly is being put face to face with the Wicked Witch of the West, which creates challenges in getting to the city. She also meets three unusual characters, who later become her friends as she journeys to find her way home. 5. The Real Reason to Go: In the end, it's not the Wizard who completes Dorothy's quest, it's Dorothy herself. She had the power to go home all the time, with just three clicks of her heels and the phrase "there's no place like home." Really, Dorothy didn't need to go on the journey to the Emerald City, but she learned lessons in friendship, endurance and love.
Chapter 2: Nice to Eat with You: Acts of Communion
Foster states that "whenever people eat or drink together, it's communion." In literature,this doesn't always mean in a biblical sense. People gather together for meals in celebratory manners, for confrontation, or for a milestone event. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's, The Great Gatsby, Daisy and Tom share a pretty memorable meal together. Daisy and Tom have just gotten back from a stressful afternoon in New York City. There was plenty of confrontation in their hot little hotel room, shared with Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway. After some accusations about Gatsby, Daisy and Tom are made, the four head back to West Egg. When they arrive in West Egg, Nick discovers Gatsby hiding in the bushes of Daisy's home. He tells Nick he is watching Daisy to make sure she is okay. Nick and Gatsby witness an important meal in Daisy and Tom's life. Daisy and Tom are described as sitting across from each other in their dining room, with a plate of cold chicken untouched in the middle. This meal shared between Daisy and Tom is the start of their new relationship. Both parties in this marriage have discovered about the other's secret life, and the meal that they share begins a new chapter for them. Tom decides to recommit to Daisy after hearing about her affair with Gatsby and Daisy can't give up Tom and the life and wealth they have together. They sit with the food untouched, staring at each other, silently deciding to remain faithful to the other. From the window, Gatsby can feel this mental connection that the two have formed and realizes that this is a turning point in Tom and Daisy's marriage. This act of communion made by Daisy and Tom is a new leaf in their lives.
Foster states that "whenever people eat or drink together, it's communion." In literature,this doesn't always mean in a biblical sense. People gather together for meals in celebratory manners, for confrontation, or for a milestone event. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's, The Great Gatsby, Daisy and Tom share a pretty memorable meal together. Daisy and Tom have just gotten back from a stressful afternoon in New York City. There was plenty of confrontation in their hot little hotel room, shared with Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway. After some accusations about Gatsby, Daisy and Tom are made, the four head back to West Egg. When they arrive in West Egg, Nick discovers Gatsby hiding in the bushes of Daisy's home. He tells Nick he is watching Daisy to make sure she is okay. Nick and Gatsby witness an important meal in Daisy and Tom's life. Daisy and Tom are described as sitting across from each other in their dining room, with a plate of cold chicken untouched in the middle. This meal shared between Daisy and Tom is the start of their new relationship. Both parties in this marriage have discovered about the other's secret life, and the meal that they share begins a new chapter for them. Tom decides to recommit to Daisy after hearing about her affair with Gatsby and Daisy can't give up Tom and the life and wealth they have together. They sit with the food untouched, staring at each other, silently deciding to remain faithful to the other. From the window, Gatsby can feel this mental connection that the two have formed and realizes that this is a turning point in Tom and Daisy's marriage. This act of communion made by Daisy and Tom is a new leaf in their lives.
Chapter 5: Now, Where Have I Seen Her Before?
Intertextuality is when there is a literary or historical model that finds their way into a work of fiction to give it shape and purpose. This dialogue between old texts and new texts is always going on at one level or another. it is an ongoing interaction between poems or stories. Intertextual dialogue deepens and enriches the reading experience, bringing multiple layers of meaning to the text. Foster writes "the more we become aware of the possibility that our text is speaking to other texts, the more similarities and correspondences we begin to notice, and the more alive the text becomes." C.S. Lewis' novel, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, uses intertextuality by taking the crucifixion of Christ and adapting it into a fantasy novel. He threads religious themes such as the New Testament's account of the crucifixion into the novel in order to tell the story of redemption through the character of Edmund who betrays and causes his savior, Aslan, to suffer the consequences. In another case, Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls is an intertextual reference to the title of John Donne's poem, Meditation XVII. "No man is an island...and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee." Not only did Hemingway use this phrase for the title of his book, he incorporated it into the novel itself. He uses the Spanish Civil War to clarify and expatiate the abstractness of Donne's philosophy. Thirdly, in A Wild Sargasso Sea author Jean Rhys extrapolates events occurring in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. Rhys takes the character of Mr. Rochester's wife, who has a secondary role in Brontë's novel, and makes her a primary character in her novel. She also changes the setting to Jamaica from England, as well as crafting a back story for her character.
Intertextuality is when there is a literary or historical model that finds their way into a work of fiction to give it shape and purpose. This dialogue between old texts and new texts is always going on at one level or another. it is an ongoing interaction between poems or stories. Intertextual dialogue deepens and enriches the reading experience, bringing multiple layers of meaning to the text. Foster writes "the more we become aware of the possibility that our text is speaking to other texts, the more similarities and correspondences we begin to notice, and the more alive the text becomes." C.S. Lewis' novel, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, uses intertextuality by taking the crucifixion of Christ and adapting it into a fantasy novel. He threads religious themes such as the New Testament's account of the crucifixion into the novel in order to tell the story of redemption through the character of Edmund who betrays and causes his savior, Aslan, to suffer the consequences. In another case, Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls is an intertextual reference to the title of John Donne's poem, Meditation XVII. "No man is an island...and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee." Not only did Hemingway use this phrase for the title of his book, he incorporated it into the novel itself. He uses the Spanish Civil War to clarify and expatiate the abstractness of Donne's philosophy. Thirdly, in A Wild Sargasso Sea author Jean Rhys extrapolates events occurring in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. Rhys takes the character of Mr. Rochester's wife, who has a secondary role in Brontë's novel, and makes her a primary character in her novel. She also changes the setting to Jamaica from England, as well as crafting a back story for her character.
Chapter 7: ... Or the Bible
All throughout Araby there are biblical references being made. Church is constantly being talked about, there's the Priest that dies in the boy's house, and then the not so obvious like the wild garden with the apple tree in the center like Adam and Eve's garden. James Joyce actually trained to become a Priest, so he knows a little about religion. It is easy to conclude that the story of Araby parallels the story of Adam and Eve. There's a boy that really likes this girl, but not the other way around. She uses him and asks him to go get her a gift. He agrees instantly because he is madly in love with her. Up to this point, the boy has been so obsessed with the girl, that he has forgotten about God. When he arrives at the shop, he sees two vases. Joyce writes, "I looked humbly at the great jars that stood like eastern guards at either side of the dark entrance to the stall." These vases remind me a lot of guardian angels. The vases were telling the boy to focus on what was really important: God. The girl in the story was the reason the boy lost his innocence. She was temping him with her beauty. The girl is the allusion of Satan who temped Eve so that she would loose her innocence. Many times the bible talks about sin, and lying is a big sin.
All throughout Araby there are biblical references being made. Church is constantly being talked about, there's the Priest that dies in the boy's house, and then the not so obvious like the wild garden with the apple tree in the center like Adam and Eve's garden. James Joyce actually trained to become a Priest, so he knows a little about religion. It is easy to conclude that the story of Araby parallels the story of Adam and Eve. There's a boy that really likes this girl, but not the other way around. She uses him and asks him to go get her a gift. He agrees instantly because he is madly in love with her. Up to this point, the boy has been so obsessed with the girl, that he has forgotten about God. When he arrives at the shop, he sees two vases. Joyce writes, "I looked humbly at the great jars that stood like eastern guards at either side of the dark entrance to the stall." These vases remind me a lot of guardian angels. The vases were telling the boy to focus on what was really important: God. The girl in the story was the reason the boy lost his innocence. She was temping him with her beauty. The girl is the allusion of Satan who temped Eve so that she would loose her innocence. Many times the bible talks about sin, and lying is a big sin.
Chapter 8: Hanseldee and Greteldum
Fairy tales are all about romance and knights, fighting and everlasting love. They are enveloped with princesses, witches and handsome princes . The Phantom of the Opera has certain aspects that parallel a particual fairy tale story entitled: Beauty and the Beast. In both of these works, they each have a male figure that has a physical imperfection, which has caused them great ridicule and grief in the town. This ridicule has caused the male character great anger and resentment, therefore this has caused the town to be terrified of them, frightened by their outrages. In both stories, the men hide away from society's cruelty. In Beauty and the Beast, the Beast falls in love with Belle; similarly in The Phantom of the Opera, the Phantom falls in love with Christine. Christine is one of the few people who is not terrified of the Phantom's appearance just as Belle is not afraid of the Beast. Both Belle and Christine open the Phantom and the Beast's eyes to love. In Phantom, Christine kisses the Phantom to prove that someone cares about him and that he is not a hideous creature. In Beauty and the Beast, Belle kisses the Beast back to life after she realizes that his appearance doesn't mean anything and that she loves him for who he is on the inside, and changes him into a human. The stories don't end the same, but the moral of "it's what's on the inside that counts " is a deep component in both stories. Glimmers of fairy tales in works of literature bring the reader back to a childlike state of mind. there is always a lesson to be learned in a fairy tale, and it will bring that with to the work of literature the fairy tale is woven into.
Fairy tales are all about romance and knights, fighting and everlasting love. They are enveloped with princesses, witches and handsome princes . The Phantom of the Opera has certain aspects that parallel a particual fairy tale story entitled: Beauty and the Beast. In both of these works, they each have a male figure that has a physical imperfection, which has caused them great ridicule and grief in the town. This ridicule has caused the male character great anger and resentment, therefore this has caused the town to be terrified of them, frightened by their outrages. In both stories, the men hide away from society's cruelty. In Beauty and the Beast, the Beast falls in love with Belle; similarly in The Phantom of the Opera, the Phantom falls in love with Christine. Christine is one of the few people who is not terrified of the Phantom's appearance just as Belle is not afraid of the Beast. Both Belle and Christine open the Phantom and the Beast's eyes to love. In Phantom, Christine kisses the Phantom to prove that someone cares about him and that he is not a hideous creature. In Beauty and the Beast, Belle kisses the Beast back to life after she realizes that his appearance doesn't mean anything and that she loves him for who he is on the inside, and changes him into a human. The stories don't end the same, but the moral of "it's what's on the inside that counts " is a deep component in both stories. Glimmers of fairy tales in works of literature bring the reader back to a childlike state of mind. there is always a lesson to be learned in a fairy tale, and it will bring that with to the work of literature the fairy tale is woven into.
Chapter 9: It's Greek to Me
"Landscape With the Fall of Icarus'
By: William Carlos Williams, 1883-1963
According to Brueghel
When Icarus fell
It was spring
A farmer was ploughing
His field
The whole pageantry
Of the year was
Awake tingling
Near
The edge of the sea
Concerned
With itself
Sweating in the sun
That melted
The wings' wax
Unsignificantly
Off the coast
Was
A splash quite unnoticed
This was
Icarus drowning
Icarus and his father often tried to escape from Crete by the means of wings that his father constructed of feathers and wax. His father warned him not to fly too low or too high because the sea's dampness would clog or the sun's heat would melt his wings. Icarus ignored the instructions to not fly to close to the sun and the melting wax caused him to fall into the sea where he drowned. The myth of Icarus is greatly seen in Williams' poem, "Landscape with the fall of Icarus" The poem talks about "the edge of the sea/ concerned/ with itself." this resembles Icarus' father warning him not to fly too low towards the ground. He was concerned with the edge of the sea. Additionally, the poem states, "sweating in the sun/ that melted/ the wing's wax." This piece of the poem comes directly from the myth. Icarus' father warned him, and he did not listen. therefore, when Icarus flew too high toward the sun, the heat melted the wax from the wings and caused his untimely death. As stated in the last line of the poem, "a splash quite unnoticed/ this was/ Icarus drowning." Williams' arrangement of the poem on the page, narrow and highly vertical, recalls the body plummeting from the sky.
"Landscape With the Fall of Icarus'
By: William Carlos Williams, 1883-1963
According to Brueghel
When Icarus fell
It was spring
A farmer was ploughing
His field
The whole pageantry
Of the year was
Awake tingling
Near
The edge of the sea
Concerned
With itself
Sweating in the sun
That melted
The wings' wax
Unsignificantly
Off the coast
Was
A splash quite unnoticed
This was
Icarus drowning
Icarus and his father often tried to escape from Crete by the means of wings that his father constructed of feathers and wax. His father warned him not to fly too low or too high because the sea's dampness would clog or the sun's heat would melt his wings. Icarus ignored the instructions to not fly to close to the sun and the melting wax caused him to fall into the sea where he drowned. The myth of Icarus is greatly seen in Williams' poem, "Landscape with the fall of Icarus" The poem talks about "the edge of the sea/ concerned/ with itself." this resembles Icarus' father warning him not to fly too low towards the ground. He was concerned with the edge of the sea. Additionally, the poem states, "sweating in the sun/ that melted/ the wing's wax." This piece of the poem comes directly from the myth. Icarus' father warned him, and he did not listen. therefore, when Icarus flew too high toward the sun, the heat melted the wax from the wings and caused his untimely death. As stated in the last line of the poem, "a splash quite unnoticed/ this was/ Icarus drowning." Williams' arrangement of the poem on the page, narrow and highly vertical, recalls the body plummeting from the sky.
Chapter 11: ... More Than It's Gonna Hurt You: Concerning Violence
There are two kinds of violence in literature. The first is called "specific injury" and this occurs when a character brings harm upon themselves or other characters. An example of this is in the work, Fight Club. Near the end of the novel, Tyler Durden has a fight with the anonymous protagonist. The fight is an external conflict mirroring the internal conflict with the protagonist, because of his split personality. This example results in the final developments in the character of our unnamed protagonist. The second is called "general harm" which is brought on by the author, rather then the characters, to advance the plot or theme. An example of this can be found in the novel, The Grapes of Wrath when Grandpa Joad became ill and died of a stroke. Nobody in the story felt guilt about the event. It was an act by the author to further advance the story This experience give the reader a feel for the temporary nature of life.
There are two kinds of violence in literature. The first is called "specific injury" and this occurs when a character brings harm upon themselves or other characters. An example of this is in the work, Fight Club. Near the end of the novel, Tyler Durden has a fight with the anonymous protagonist. The fight is an external conflict mirroring the internal conflict with the protagonist, because of his split personality. This example results in the final developments in the character of our unnamed protagonist. The second is called "general harm" which is brought on by the author, rather then the characters, to advance the plot or theme. An example of this can be found in the novel, The Grapes of Wrath when Grandpa Joad became ill and died of a stroke. Nobody in the story felt guilt about the event. It was an act by the author to further advance the story This experience give the reader a feel for the temporary nature of life.
Chapter 12: Is That a Symbol?
After reading Araby by James Joyce, one can find that there are lot of symbols hidden in the text. There is a lot of symbolism in the fence that Mangan's sister stands behind. Foster tells us in his book to " associate freely, brainstorm and take notes. Then you can organize your thoughts, grouping them together under headings, rejecting or accepting different ideas or meanings as they seem to apply." I have thought a lot about what the symbolism behind the fence means. I think that they fence physically separates the narrator and Mangan's sister, but it also symbolizes how untouchable she is emotionally. The boy exalts and worships Mangan's sister so much, that she seems unreal, or at least unreachable to him. In a cultural sense, the fence symbolizes how "cloistered" Mangan's sister is, as well as other girls in her convent school. She mentions that she cannot go to Araby because of a school event. It can be concurred that the girls of Richmond do not enjoy quite as much freedom as the young boys do.
After reading Araby by James Joyce, one can find that there are lot of symbols hidden in the text. There is a lot of symbolism in the fence that Mangan's sister stands behind. Foster tells us in his book to " associate freely, brainstorm and take notes. Then you can organize your thoughts, grouping them together under headings, rejecting or accepting different ideas or meanings as they seem to apply." I have thought a lot about what the symbolism behind the fence means. I think that they fence physically separates the narrator and Mangan's sister, but it also symbolizes how untouchable she is emotionally. The boy exalts and worships Mangan's sister so much, that she seems unreal, or at least unreachable to him. In a cultural sense, the fence symbolizes how "cloistered" Mangan's sister is, as well as other girls in her convent school. She mentions that she cannot go to Araby because of a school event. It can be concurred that the girls of Richmond do not enjoy quite as much freedom as the young boys do.
Chapter 14: Yes, She's a Christ Figure Too
There have been many literary characters that may seem "christ-like." There is a lot of different criteria in determining if a character is like Jesus. One literary character that I have been thinking about as christ-like is Harry Potter from the Harry Potter series. Harry matches a lot of the criteria offered on page 119 of Foster's book. Number one of Foster's list states, "crucified, wounds in the hands, feet, side, and head." Harry has a scar, shaped like a lightening bolt on his forehead, as a result of being in the presence of a dark powerful figure, who is a lot like Pontius Pilate and Herod. Second on Foster's list, "in agony." Every time Harry is near the dark lord, his scar hurts. He is constantly in agony and fear of Lord Voldemort. Third, "self-sacrificing." Harry always thinks of his friends first, and they know that if it every came down to it, Harry would sacrifice himself for his friends. Four, "good with children." All around the castle, in Hogsmeade, and the wizarding world, Harry takes time to notice other people. He is kind and generous and takes the time to talk to everyone. Numbers 10 and 11, "often portrayed with arms outstretched" and "known to have spent time alone in the wilderness" are portrayed by Harry as well. Harry's arms are almost always outstretched, casting spells that save his friends and family. He has also spent a lot of time in the wilderness, mainly in the Dark Forrest. He is never afraid to witness what's out there in the dark. For number 12, " believed to have nada confrontation with the devil," Harry hits the jackpot with this one. There are seven books in the Harry Potter saga, and Harry has a confrontation with Lord Voldemort in every one of them. They are constantly being put at odds, trying to kill the other. Number 16, "had disciples,twelve at first, although not equally devoted" can be applied to Harry. Harry has a great "band of brothers," which he calls "Dumbledore's Army." Though not necessarily twelve, each of the members of the "DA" is highly devoted to Harry and follow his directions. Finally, number 17, "very forgiving" is quite accurate for Harry. All throughout the seven books, he has been forgiving toward almost all the characters he has come across, including forgiving Snape at the end of the seventh book.
There have been many literary characters that may seem "christ-like." There is a lot of different criteria in determining if a character is like Jesus. One literary character that I have been thinking about as christ-like is Harry Potter from the Harry Potter series. Harry matches a lot of the criteria offered on page 119 of Foster's book. Number one of Foster's list states, "crucified, wounds in the hands, feet, side, and head." Harry has a scar, shaped like a lightening bolt on his forehead, as a result of being in the presence of a dark powerful figure, who is a lot like Pontius Pilate and Herod. Second on Foster's list, "in agony." Every time Harry is near the dark lord, his scar hurts. He is constantly in agony and fear of Lord Voldemort. Third, "self-sacrificing." Harry always thinks of his friends first, and they know that if it every came down to it, Harry would sacrifice himself for his friends. Four, "good with children." All around the castle, in Hogsmeade, and the wizarding world, Harry takes time to notice other people. He is kind and generous and takes the time to talk to everyone. Numbers 10 and 11, "often portrayed with arms outstretched" and "known to have spent time alone in the wilderness" are portrayed by Harry as well. Harry's arms are almost always outstretched, casting spells that save his friends and family. He has also spent a lot of time in the wilderness, mainly in the Dark Forrest. He is never afraid to witness what's out there in the dark. For number 12, " believed to have nada confrontation with the devil," Harry hits the jackpot with this one. There are seven books in the Harry Potter saga, and Harry has a confrontation with Lord Voldemort in every one of them. They are constantly being put at odds, trying to kill the other. Number 16, "had disciples,twelve at first, although not equally devoted" can be applied to Harry. Harry has a great "band of brothers," which he calls "Dumbledore's Army." Though not necessarily twelve, each of the members of the "DA" is highly devoted to Harry and follow his directions. Finally, number 17, "very forgiving" is quite accurate for Harry. All throughout the seven books, he has been forgiving toward almost all the characters he has come across, including forgiving Snape at the end of the seventh book.
Chapter 15: Flights of Fancy
A novel that is significant in escape and freedom is A Separate Peace. Gene and his best friend Finny take turns jumping off a tree branch into the river below them. After their first try, both boys feel inspired and free because they accomplished the jump without attaining any injuries. With it being against school policy to participate in events like these, both Gene and Finny feel an escape from school rules. It makes them feel free because the school doesn't know about what they are doing, so they can't stop them. Unfortunately, the next time the boys attempt the jump, Finny injures both his legs. Finny's fall is symbolic, since now he cannot participate in his beloved sports. He ends up training Gene into becoming a better athlete and the boys form an even stronger bond of friendship.
A novel that is significant in escape and freedom is A Separate Peace. Gene and his best friend Finny take turns jumping off a tree branch into the river below them. After their first try, both boys feel inspired and free because they accomplished the jump without attaining any injuries. With it being against school policy to participate in events like these, both Gene and Finny feel an escape from school rules. It makes them feel free because the school doesn't know about what they are doing, so they can't stop them. Unfortunately, the next time the boys attempt the jump, Finny injures both his legs. Finny's fall is symbolic, since now he cannot participate in his beloved sports. He ends up training Gene into becoming a better athlete and the boys form an even stronger bond of friendship.
Chapter 18: If She Come Up, It's Baptism
Fahrenheit 451 is not only about burning, it's about rebirth. Guy Montag is in the middle of a rebellion, and a tracking dog is sent after him. Guy gets some clothes from Faber and runs off toward the river. Once he reaches the river, he jumps in. He quickly discards of his old clothes and puts on the one's Faber gave him. He departs the river a ways down and on the other side. This baptismic scene represents Montag's rebirth. He was stripped of his previous life-clothes and all, and started fresh somewhere new, in this case, the other side of the river. Being Baptized is a new start, a new element to the new you. Now Montag can lead the life he's always wanted, free from the overpowering government.
Fahrenheit 451 is not only about burning, it's about rebirth. Guy Montag is in the middle of a rebellion, and a tracking dog is sent after him. Guy gets some clothes from Faber and runs off toward the river. Once he reaches the river, he jumps in. He quickly discards of his old clothes and puts on the one's Faber gave him. He departs the river a ways down and on the other side. This baptismic scene represents Montag's rebirth. He was stripped of his previous life-clothes and all, and started fresh somewhere new, in this case, the other side of the river. Being Baptized is a new start, a new element to the new you. Now Montag can lead the life he's always wanted, free from the overpowering government.
Chapter 19: Geography Matters
Foster explains how geography can define a character, which is the case in Lee Harper's To Kill A Mockingbird. First, we are introduced to the Radley house which Lee describes as a foreboding and ominous place. This is one of the deffertn aspects that Foster classifies as "geography": setting. The place in which a number of events takes place is very important. The setting can have a big effect on the characters and the emotions they experience. The setting of the Radley house makes us think of the tenant, Boo Radley as a scary and mean type of person, soley based on the character of the house. This is another aspect of "geography": people. The supporting characters in a story can have a huge affect on the main characters thoughts and decisions, based on how they view their peers. Another big indicator of who Boo is, is when his yard has an abundance of weeds and tall grass growing everywhere, which makes the house look like it needs a little fixing up. This is a third aspect of "geography," finance. Foster says that the way that characters take care of their possessions can affect the way a character thinks and feels. Foster says "setting can be attitude, finance, industry- anything that place can forge in the people who live there. Finally, a fourth aspect of "geography" is theme. The theme in To Kill A Mockingbird has a lot to do with injustice and fairness. the way the town handles the trial can change a lot of citizens minds when deciding to stay in that town or to leave, it could also affect potential visitors to the town.
Foster explains how geography can define a character, which is the case in Lee Harper's To Kill A Mockingbird. First, we are introduced to the Radley house which Lee describes as a foreboding and ominous place. This is one of the deffertn aspects that Foster classifies as "geography": setting. The place in which a number of events takes place is very important. The setting can have a big effect on the characters and the emotions they experience. The setting of the Radley house makes us think of the tenant, Boo Radley as a scary and mean type of person, soley based on the character of the house. This is another aspect of "geography": people. The supporting characters in a story can have a huge affect on the main characters thoughts and decisions, based on how they view their peers. Another big indicator of who Boo is, is when his yard has an abundance of weeds and tall grass growing everywhere, which makes the house look like it needs a little fixing up. This is a third aspect of "geography," finance. Foster says that the way that characters take care of their possessions can affect the way a character thinks and feels. Foster says "setting can be attitude, finance, industry- anything that place can forge in the people who live there. Finally, a fourth aspect of "geography" is theme. The theme in To Kill A Mockingbird has a lot to do with injustice and fairness. the way the town handles the trial can change a lot of citizens minds when deciding to stay in that town or to leave, it could also affect potential visitors to the town.
Chapter 20: ...So Does Season
"I Walk In the Old Street" by Louis Zukofsky
I walk in the old street
To hear the beloved songs
Afresh
This spring night
like the leaves -- my loves wake--
Not to be the same
Or look tireless to the stars
And a ripped doorbell
The season spring is mention in the fourth line of the poem, "I walk in the old street" by Louis Zukofsky. Seasons are mention in literary works because different seasons create different moods and specific feelings and settings. When the season winter is mention, a person feels cold, barren and desolate. Fall may bring up feelings of dreariness, while summer makes people feel warm and free. Spring represents new birth, newness and restart. The poem I have chosen above rests in the season of spring. The poem has a feeling of freshness, the word "afresh" is used in line three. The purpose of the poem is to talk about love traditionally. Love is compared to springtime giving it a new, fresh, crisp outlook to the reader. The unique twist to this poem is that Zukofsky compares love to the springtime.
"I Walk In the Old Street" by Louis Zukofsky
I walk in the old street
To hear the beloved songs
Afresh
This spring night
like the leaves -- my loves wake--
Not to be the same
Or look tireless to the stars
And a ripped doorbell
The season spring is mention in the fourth line of the poem, "I walk in the old street" by Louis Zukofsky. Seasons are mention in literary works because different seasons create different moods and specific feelings and settings. When the season winter is mention, a person feels cold, barren and desolate. Fall may bring up feelings of dreariness, while summer makes people feel warm and free. Spring represents new birth, newness and restart. The poem I have chosen above rests in the season of spring. The poem has a feeling of freshness, the word "afresh" is used in line three. The purpose of the poem is to talk about love traditionally. Love is compared to springtime giving it a new, fresh, crisp outlook to the reader. The unique twist to this poem is that Zukofsky compares love to the springtime.
Chapter 26: Is He Serious? And Other Ironies
One example of irony I found was in the short story, Greasy Lake by T. Coraghessan Boyle. First off, the title itself is quite ironic, since oil and grease don't mix with water. The characters in the story, three men, appear the be labeled as "bad boys" when in fact they aren't what they appear. No tough guy would drive around in their mommy's car. They feel insecure about themselves, so they put on the facade that they are tough. It is very ironic that the dead body floating in the lake is supposed to represent spiritual rebirth of our character. Death present at baptism, in filthy water, and at night, is hardly conventional.
One example of irony I found was in the short story, Greasy Lake by T. Coraghessan Boyle. First off, the title itself is quite ironic, since oil and grease don't mix with water. The characters in the story, three men, appear the be labeled as "bad boys" when in fact they aren't what they appear. No tough guy would drive around in their mommy's car. They feel insecure about themselves, so they put on the facade that they are tough. It is very ironic that the dead body floating in the lake is supposed to represent spiritual rebirth of our character. Death present at baptism, in filthy water, and at night, is hardly conventional.
Chapter 27: A Test Case
After I read the short story, The Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield, I analyzed the questions on page 265. I thought Mansfield was trying to get people to understand that both death AND life are beautiful. You must live your life to the fullest. When you die, your spirit can look back at your life. The whole concept of life is so much more brilliant that people make it out to be. From Mansfield's literary work I feel that if someone used the phrase, "life's unfair," she would disagree. To her, there is nothing more important or better than life. She backs this claim up by making her book cheerful, even when something dark happens. The day is perfect for a party, and everything went smoothly, except when the guy died. However, when she saw the dead man, she cried because it was beautiful to see, not because it was appalling to look at. The only adjectives that may have turned the mood from cheerful to dreadful was the darkness in the run-down neighborhood. The essay following that compared Laura with Persephone. This was extremely well written. All the adjectives about flying and floating across the yard were parallel to the God's flying. I think my answers were pretty good. I really enjoyed the thoughtful insight that came with each question.
After I read the short story, The Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield, I analyzed the questions on page 265. I thought Mansfield was trying to get people to understand that both death AND life are beautiful. You must live your life to the fullest. When you die, your spirit can look back at your life. The whole concept of life is so much more brilliant that people make it out to be. From Mansfield's literary work I feel that if someone used the phrase, "life's unfair," she would disagree. To her, there is nothing more important or better than life. She backs this claim up by making her book cheerful, even when something dark happens. The day is perfect for a party, and everything went smoothly, except when the guy died. However, when she saw the dead man, she cried because it was beautiful to see, not because it was appalling to look at. The only adjectives that may have turned the mood from cheerful to dreadful was the darkness in the run-down neighborhood. The essay following that compared Laura with Persephone. This was extremely well written. All the adjectives about flying and floating across the yard were parallel to the God's flying. I think my answers were pretty good. I really enjoyed the thoughtful insight that came with each question.