Tuesday, June 14, 2011
How to Read Literature - Chs. 11-15
For this week I've asked that you read chapters 11-15. Please generate your responses in a similar fashion to those of last week. Choose at least two ideas to connect to prior reading. You seem to have a good handle on not just identifying the technique, but also analyzing WHY that particular technique is used and what effect it creates. Keep up the good work with this! Try to vary your examples a bit more, although I understand that your repertoire of reading may be somewhat limited. Just do the best you can. This week I would also like for you to comment on what someone else has posted before you. It could be something someone posted last week or what someone has posted this week. Try to expand on an idea or challenge an idea; don’t just agree or disagree. Let’s start a productive dialogue. I have enjoyed the posts so far. You all seem to be on the right track, so keep it up.
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I would like to tell CJ, you did an awesome job on the example of Romeo and Juliet in Adventures of Huck Finn. I would have never made that connection. That was excellent I think. Anyway….
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 14, Foster says that a lot of characters can be looked at as a Christ figure. The Crucible by Arthur Miller has a character that can be seen as Christ like: John Proctor. John Proctor is looked at in a Christ-like manner, where he is against all evil and sin. John Proctor was tempted just like Jesus, but where Jesus overcame the temptation, John Proctor fell victim to it. Although Proctor was a Christian man, he cheated on his wife, Elizabeth, with a young girl named Abigail. Because of this, many readers wouldn’t see John as a Christ figure, but there are other examples. John was being accused of practicing witchcraft and was to be hanged. This is a big relation to Christ because since Jesus was the son of God, and people thought he was lying, he was crucified. John Proctor had a choice to admit to practicing witchcraft, and live but have shame to his name, or telling the truth and being hanged. John Proctor made the tragic decision to hanged and do away with his sins than to live with false accusations of witchcraft, and the reminder of his sin with Abigail. Although Jesus Christ died for all sinners, and John died for himself, they both took what punishment they were given without turning away.
In chapter 11, Foster talks about how there are two types of violence: violence between characters and violence between the writer and characters. He says that there is no overall meaning to the death of a character, but there is more than what we see. In As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner, there are examples of both types of violence. The most important example in this story is the death of Addie Bundren because this triggers the start of the whole novel. Addie dies of a lingering illness; this is an example of writer verses character violence. Her death is so important to the story, because without it there wouldn’t be a story. The second example is character verses character violence. Near the beginning of the novel, Dewey Dell finds out she is pregnant. From that point on, the pregnancy consumes her mind and haunts her every thought. Dewey Dell takes advantage of the trip to Jefferson, to get an abortion. Dewey Dell feels that killing her baby is the only way out of this situation. Because of her selfishness, she considers an abortion and will do anything to get it; even have sex with the doctor, Dr. MacGowan. The violence and hate towards her baby shows what kind of person Dewey Dell is. Violence in a character can show their true colors.
Commenting on a previous post - I agree & disagree with Erica's comparison of John Proctor to Jesus Christ. While her reasons for why he could be considered the Christ-like figure of the novel, the list given by Foster in Chapter Fourteen tends to make me disagree. John Proctor, although he was self sacrificing and good with children, was not the creator of many aphorisms & parables, he was not buried yet arose of the third day, and he did not/will not come to redeem an unworthy world.
ReplyDeleteIn Chapter Twelve, I was excited to read the example given by Foster with the novel "The Pilgrim's Progress." Although it has been a few years, I read this book & feel like it was the perfect example for this chapter. The "Slough of Despond" in this novel is honestly a muddy & dark slough that Christian-the main character-cannot seem to find his way out of. This is one of the more obvious symbols in a novel, showing that Christian, a follower who is strong in his walk with the Lord, also struggles. This sends a message to the reader(s) that EVERYONE struggles. Because it is such a literal symbol, it can be compared to any type of struggle one may face in life...no matter the time period.
Another example given by Foster, the cave scenario, brought forth to mind "The Scarlet Letter." The struggles Adela has in the cave force her to deal with her fears and become self aware. Hawthorne creates a plot where Hester is stuck in a judgemental society and forced to be reminded of her adultery. Both ladies are put in an uncomfortable enviroment to make ammends with-a symbol of their past.
The chapter on violence, Chapter Eleven, immediately brought to my mind "The Scarlet Letter." Starting with the first category of violence in literature-the specific injury the authors cause characters to visit on one another or on themselves-brings to mind the "remedies" that Roger gave the Rev. Dimmesdale to "heal" him. It took a large amount of time for the truth to be revealed that Roger was in fact evil and seeking revenge on the Rev. and that he never had good intentions. The second type of literature violence-authorial violence-brought to mind the struggle Hester had with her daughter Pearl. Although she never encountered physical violence, she most definitely dealt with emotional violence which I believe in some cases go hand-in-hand. Hester dealt with her guilt weighing heavy on her mind and heart daily, while she dealt with the face to face shame she encountered by wearing the "A" on her breast every single day of her life. As if this wasn't enough, she soon had a growing child who couldn't have the equal opportunities that other children her age had because she was pre-judged based on her mother's actions. None of these things would have been made possible without the author himself making the plot so twisted from the beginning chapters.
In the last post I like how Spencer connected vampires to Great Gatsby and by him saying that Gatsby's guests were like vampires in the way that they used him. I would have never thought of that, and it made me think of how most of the characters in the Great Gatsby were vampires.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was reading chapter 15 it made me think of one book that i read when I was a child, Dumbo. I know it's a kids novel but it relates to that chapter in many ways. Foster writes that flight is freedom and that's true for Dumbo. When he discoveries that he can fly it's as if no one makes fun of him anymore and that he is now free from being bullied about his large ears. Foster also says irony trumps everything and that's also true in Dumbo because no one expected Dumbo to be able to fly and it's ironic that an elephant, one of the largest land mammals could be able to fly. Besides just giving Dumbo freedom it also gave kids that read the book or even watched the movie realize that being different isn't also a bad thing, it's what makes all of us different.
In chapter 12 Foster talks about symbols and how almost everything can be classified as a symbol but the hardest part is finding out what it means. When thinking of a symbol i think about money because it can be a symbol for many things. In the novel A Raisin In the Sun a family is waiting for a check for $10,000 from the death of their father. Money in this novel causes a lot of problems because the family can't decide what to use the money for. The widow wants to buy a house, Walter Lee wants to invest in a liquor store. This shows that money is a symbol of their dreams. Without money neither of their plans could come true. Money is also seen as a symbol in the Great Gatsby as Gatsby has money I see it as a symbol of love because he thinks when Daisy sees how much money he has that she'll fall in love with him. I like to see symbols in novels it keeps me thinking about what the author wanted me to understand.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with Erica somewhat with her comparison of John Proctor to Christ. He was tested and had troubles as did Jesus. Caitlyn, I don’t completely agree with your comment about how it isn’t like Christ because he didn’t die and rise again. I think they could still be a Christ figure without some of those attributes. If you find a book that has a man that was crucified, walked on water, was the creator of aphorisms, and was buried, but rose again, then that book would have to be the Bible. I think it would be hard to find many stories out there with the previous events listed.
ReplyDeleteI feel like these chapters were hard to understand. I don’t really understand Foster’s point in the violence and political chapters. The first chapter I understood was chapter 12, the chapter on symbols and allegory. When I started thinking about a symbol being more than one thing, I thought of The Scarlet Letter. In The Scarlet Letter, the “A” Hester wears is probably, in my opinion, the broadest symbol in the novel. When I first read the story, I always thought the “A” simply stood for Adulterer. While this is true, I see the “A” also as Hesters’ paint and torture. She is ridiculed and shunned from her town by wearing the “A” upon her chest. Everyday it reminds her of what she has done and reminds her of how everyone feels towards her. If I’m not mistaken, I recall towards the end of the story the symbolic meaning of the “A” changing again. Originally a symbol of her shame, in the end is symbolized as “Able”. The women in the town come to respect Hester for her courage and boldness. The “A” from The Scarlet Letter is a great representation of how a symbol can stand for multiple things.
Now, I’m sure this part of my comment will make people say, “How in the world can that be?”, but I’m going to post it anyway. So chapter 14: characters in novels that have Christ-like qualities. As I perused through the list of qualities, I, for who knows what reason, immediately thought if Hester from The Scarlet Letter. But how you may ask? She was a sinner in a society that hated her. That’s true, but I think Hester still has some of the qualities on the list. Quality two, agony; Hester goes through immense amounts of emotional agony. Could you imagine your entire town turning its back on you? I’m sure Hester felt like she wasn’t worthy at times when women would spit venomous names at her. Sure, it’s not the physical pain Jesus suffered from, but still agony all the same. Hester also showed self-sacrifice, Foster’s 6th quality. Again, not as big as Jesus sacrificing his life, bit still sacrifice in ways. Hester didn’t sacrifice her life, but she did take full blame and refused to rat Dimmesdale out. I consider this sacrifice. She chose to take all the blame and accept the consequences. I would say Hester was good with children also. She raised Pearl alone and Pearl seemed to love her back (for the most part). Quality 12, temptations; Hester is confronted with temptation two times that I remember in the novel. She was tempted with sex obviously and gave in to it. She was also asked to go into the woods to sign the Black Man’s book. When asked to do this, Hester refused and just went home. So in a way, she also dealt with temptation. The last quality Hester possessed in my opinion was the ability to forgive. I’m not sure about you, but if I was Hester, I would have beaten everyone that made fun of me with a stick every time I walked into town. For some reason, Hester doesn’t retaliate to the people’s rude remarks. She forgives them for their comments and continues to make clothes for the people that want her business. Hester has a huge heart, being able to forgive and forget how everyone treated her.
Phew, this one was a doozy! I kind of got carried away and went overboard without realizing it. But I think I make pretty good points in my argument.
Well, Erica I would have to agree with you and kind of disagree, because I certainly do not believe anybody could portray Jesus, not even John Proctor, but at times in the book, he was looked up to like he was Jesus, even though everybody knew he wasn’t. The list Foster talks about in Chapter 14 makes me want to second-guess myself, because the things on the list was not John Proctor at all. John Proctor was married and he surely was not wounded in the foot, hand, or side areas. So I would have to disagree with you on that one, I would just say he was “Christ-like”.
ReplyDeleteWhen Foster talks about Christ-like figures in chapter 14, it only made me think of Christ Himself, because nobody can be exactly like Him, no matter how hard they try, they can only try to resemble him, but they will never be like him. That’s why people say be “Christ-like” because we can only be something like him, we can only resemble him, we cannot be exactly like Him. But Erica I do agree with you about how they saw John Proctor, as “Christ-like figure” because of his will to go against sin and the wrong things.
In chapter 12, Foster talks about symbols and things meaning symbols, the book that came to mind that talked about symbols the most would have to be “The Scarlet Letter” unlike Caitlyn, I seen the book revolved around the symbol “A”
Hester Prynne was wearing on her chest. It made the books seem like the people in the book was always worried about the letter upon Hester’s chest. If Hester would have never sinned, then she would not have to worry about if she was going to keep her daughter, Pearl, or not, or if the community had “shame” on her, and she definitely about wearing that red “A” on her chest for everyone to see. That symbol had to do with a lot in the book; it changed Hester and Pearl’s whole life. But in the end the symbol finally disappeared. Like Foster was saying about some symbols are straightforward, I would have to say that Hester’s “A” was very straightforward, according to how Foster put it in the book.
I agree with Justin in that in most literary works, finding one sole character possessing every attribute listed on Thomas Foster's list is nearly impossible. I also think that in some literary works, there may be more than one character possessing one or multiple values on Foster's list.
ReplyDeleteI would like to expand on this with Giles Corey from the Crucible. First, he was one of Proctor's best friends but was much older suggesting somewhat of a Father-son relationship meaning that Giles was good with children. Giles lived in a very humble manner much like Christ, and rode with his wife on a simple cart behind a horse(number 8). When Giles died I believe that the weight of the rocks crushing down on him is somewhat like the weight of the Cross Jesus carried. Also, I think that while the rocks were being piled on him his hands and feet would have been outstretched much like Jesus on the cross. Furthermore, his hands and feet could have been wounded from being held down.
In Chapter 12 Foster expresses his belief that anything can be a symbol and that in many circumstances the afore said symbol can have many different meanings to the different characters. For example, In East of Eden, Adam's housekeeper, Lee, discovers that in Genesis the word timshel has an alternate meaning, "thou mayest." I think that this means that one has the power to choose his or her own path and overcome anything bad that one has done in the past. To Adam this means that he is free of Cathy's hold on him and he is eventually able to stand up to her. Cal also has a hard time dealing with his own belief that he was born into the world with his mother's evilness. He struggles through most of the book trying to fight his evil urges, such as the first time he meets Abra and eventually sending his brother to his death. Fortunately, in the end Cal realizes that he too can choose his own path and sets out for a new life with Abra. I hope that looking for a variety of symbolic meanings in the future will help me stay more alert to small things and catch the little messages that the author is trying to convey to me.
I would like to agree with Justin about Hester being a Christ figure. At first it seems like a crazy idea because of the fact the she committed adultery, however she holds many of Foster’s Christ-like qualities that Justin mentioned. I also think that she was known to have spent time alone in the wilderness, the 11th quality. Hester and Pearl lived all alone in that old, white, abandoned house on the outskirts of town. They lived there for a long time and they also didn’t have much contact with other people because nobody ever went out there and when Hester went into town nobody would talk to her because she was a sinner.
ReplyDeleteIn the chapter titled “It’s All Political” Foster says that “political” writing engages the realities of its world, thinks about human problems in the social and political realm, and address the wrongs of those powers. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald incorporates realities such as money over love (Daisy chooses Tom instead of Gatsby), corruption in business (How Gatsby became rich by being a criminal) and dishonesty (Jordan Baker cheating to win her golf match). He also points out through Nick that the people who surround him are dishonest, selfish, consumed by perusing wealth, and lacking in morals and values. He believes that society on the east coast and in New York is too fast-paced and money obsessed. I think we can refer to the ones in charge as the rich people, who dominated life in the east by looking down on the poor and continuously having expensive parties. People such as Tom, Daisy, and Gatsby all have these bad qualities. I think that Fitzgerald’s point is that life there is not how it is supposed to be and believes that it is better in the Midwest because it has more traditional values, and that is why Nick moves back to Minnesota at the end of the book.
When I read the chapter about violence, I thought that it could easily relate to the book Whirligig. In this book Brent desperately wants to be accepted, but when he is not he leaves a party drunk and purposely crashes his car in an attempt at suicide, killing a young girl in the process. Without this, the rest of the book could not have been written, and I also think this shows the theme of needing acceptance, and also of paying restitution. I think this is authorial violence because the author introduced it in the interest of plot advancement and thematic development. By the end of the book Brent is a completely different person. He realizes the importance of one’s decisions and actions, and he also becomes thankful for the gift of life. His act of violence was needed in the story in order to allow him to progress, improve, and change as a person and character.
I don't want to jump on the bandwagon and use the chapter about characters being christ-like but I'm going to anyway. But as usual I don't want to use the same old worn out examples. In Stephen Kings, The Green Mile, John Cofffey is much like a version of christ. He is a man from humble beginnings. Yet he can perform miracles, he can heal the sick and save the dying. The few people that get to know him would die for him and, although they may not fully understand him, they love him with all of their hearts. But just like christ he is convicted of a crime he did not commit. And also like christ there are those that hate him for what he is and would have him die, which at the end he sadly does even though it was wrong for him to do so.
ReplyDeleteNow concerning violence I want to apply his ideas to a book called Adam by Ted Dekker. This a very dark novel that follows a detective chasing a serial killer. The violence central to the story is not that violence committed in present day but the violence that the killer witnessed as a child. When he was a child Adam, the serial killer, was kidnapped along with his sister by crazy cult members and raised by them until their late teens at when they escape. Everyday the children were beat and molested and survived all manner of horrible punishment. And yet they survived and escaped, however for Adam his mind did not escape with him. The first few years after their escape were fine and Adam was studying to be a priest but he got darker and meaner and soon left that idea, his sister later left him and no one heard from him for years. When they finally connect him to the murders it is realized that he still believes the cult beliefs that his kidnappers had instilled in him, which was why he had been committing these murders. But had it not been for the violence in his childhood the story could have never existed, he would have had the same normal lives as everyone but because of that violence he became a murderer.
Well first off, I have to give Justin props on the symbolism of the “A”. He covered almost every part of it clearly and represented his ideas really well. Then I have to agree with Jason when he wrote about money being a symbol because it seems like it always is or always can be seen as a symbol of some sort. It reminds me of the song “I will buy you a new life” by Everclear, in which a phrase says, “Money is the root of all that kills.”
ReplyDeleteSo I was reading the chapter about symbols and the first book that came to my mind was The Scarlet Letter. Well I got on here to type my blog about it to find out Justin tore up the part about the scarlet “A” and that’s when I decided that I would just talk about the symbolism of the rose bush. In The Scarlet Letter, there is a rose bush in at the door of the puritan jail that Hester is being kept in. In my opinion, I think that the rose bush symbolizes freedom. For example Hawthrone wrote, “was a wild rose bush, covered, in this month of June, with its delicate gems, which might be imagined to offer their fragrance and fragile beauty to the prisoner as he went in”. The rose bush symbolizes freedom because it is in a place where it really shouldn’t be. Its elegant beauty shouldn’t be beside the door of a gloomy puritan jail. I also find it a little ironic to be there representing freedom when the prisoners are going to lose their sense of freedom once they pass it at the door.
In Chapter 13, Foster presents many reasons and examples of how politics is incorporated into many works of literature. After reading this chapter, I thought about A Raisin in the Sun. In this book, it shows many issues such as rights and prejudice. Mr. Lindner offers Walter a hefty sum of money to not move into “their” white neighborhood. At first Walter jumps at the chance to get some money back after losing a majority of it. It takes Walter a little while to understand that pride and family is more important than money and finally declines Mr. Lindner’s offer. After Walter decides not to give into the pressure of racism and takes his own sense of pride to his family and their right, Mr. Lindner says, “I sure hope you people know what you’re getting into”. I thought Lorraine Hansberry did a great job representing the politics and issues of that time period.
I agree with Justin about Hester being a Christ-like figure as well. Hester was persecuted and looked down upon. Everyone wanted to push her out of the community and have nothing to do with her, with the exception of a few people. Just like Jesus. Both were persecuted, yet both overcame the obstacles in their lives.
ReplyDeleteIn chapter eleven, Foster talks about violence and how it is seen everywhere in literature. Almost immediatly, I thought of the book Hater by David Moody. In the novel, a society is torn apart and seperates themselves into two groups. Haters and Victims. The "Haters" go through a sudden change and feel they can see the threat in their victims eyes. Terror is spread throughout the world. Changes and attacks continue untill a full fledged war breaks out. I choose this book because I felt Moody captured both categories that Foster discussed. The first being injury that characters inflict on themselves or others. (Haters attacking their victims, often their own family members)and the second being violence that causes the characters harm in general (the terror that every character experiences not knowing who could change and when).
In chapter twelve, Fosters teaches us about symbolisim. The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams uses symbolism in the form of a glass unicorn. The unicorn represents, Laura, an odd girls, personality. Unicorns are extinct and innocent creatures. Laura, as well, is innocent. She dances and kisses a married man, simultaneously, the unicorn falls off the table and its horn falls off, making it just another horse just as Laura became just another girl. Overall, the unicorn braking its horn and becoming a regular horse symbolized the loss of innocence.
I would like to agree with Ali on how The Great Gatsby embodies Foster’s chapter about politics. A big part of that novel is how Daisy chooses Tom’s money over Gatsby’s love. I thought that connection was great.
ReplyDeleteAs I was reading chapter twelve, I immediately thought about The Old Man in the Sea. The Marlin is a really big symbol in the novella. Santiago begins to see himself as the Marlin. His struggles with the Marlin become internal struggles. His struggle with the Marlin becomes more of Santiago not wanting to be defeated. Another big symbol in The Old Man and the Sea is the sea. The sea represents Santiago’s isolation from the rest of society. The sharks symbolize destructive forces in the universe that serve no purpose other than destroy and kill. Hemingway uses all these symbols to make The Old Man and the Sea more than a simple story about a guy who goes fishing. The book begins to represent someone’s life and the struggles they face, such as isolation and not accepting defeat.
In chapter fourteen, Foster discusses how many authors model their characters after Christ. It took me a while to think of a character to use since it is so common for characters to represent Christ. I decided to use The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. C.S Lewis represents Christ in the character Aslan. Aslan dies in the process of saving Edmund’s life. This sacrifice allows him to be resurrected. This directly parallels Christ’s death and resurrection. It is significant that Aslan is a lion because a lion is considered “King of the jungle.” Christ is known as “King of the Jews.” Aslan is also very accepting of everyone, another characteristic of Christ.
I would like to add and challenge the statement on Timshel or Thou Mayest made by the great Spencer Barron “I think that this means that one has the power to choose his or her own path and overcome anything bad that one has done in the past.” To me Timshel is not just limited to the broken paths one takes and the ability to “fix” the bad decisions one has made. No to me Timshel is a symbol of God’s gift and curse to men “Free Will”. Free will a gift because men have no boundaries almost anything is possible whether they use all their power for good or take the wrong path like Spencer said and use their free will for Evil things. It is the Curse because everyone on earth whether saint or sinner will use their free will at some point for sin and when that sin is committed damnation is the punishment. (That’s why Jesus came and sacrificed though but that’s for when we talk about Christ Figures I guess). Any way I totally concur with Spencer in that timshel does have to do with correcting the bad decisions in our life but timshel is also the free will that allowed us to make those bad decisions in the first place and everyone that reads East of Eden knows there were plenty of bad decisions made in that novel by every single character no exceptions just as it is in the real world no exception (cept Jesus but that’s for when we talk about Christ Figures I guess). And Mrs. Hollifield those volumes don’t really exist but I might have to write them so you can add them to your own personal collection.
ReplyDeleteIn Foster’s Chapter 14 I can relate his ideas of Christ figures in literature to The novel Lord of the Flies. In The Lord of the Flies a Christ figure comes about through the character Simon. Simon is part of the group of boys that don’t go completely native he gives hope through encouraging his friend Ralph that they would be saved from the island just as Jesus gives people hope for salvation from hell. Simon was also known for going off on his own into a cave where he had an encounter with a decaying boar head the boys called the lord of the flies. This encounter symbolizes Jesus’ travel into the wilderness by himself were the devil tempted him. Simon was chosen by the evil tribe to be the boar in the reenaction of the wild boar hunt even though he had done absolutely nothing wrong. This symbolizes the sinless Jesus being sacrificed. At the end of the wild Boar hunt Simon was severely beaten and was in extreme agony until he finally died a terrible death. Jesus crucified on the cross. Another biblical allusion I saw was Simon’s name the same name as one of Jesus’ closest disciples. Of course Simon was not the perfect Christ example and not everything really added up I mean he was a little kid nowhere near the age of thirty three and I would not consider him that much of a leader of men. But according to Foster with a little imagination and a little relationship between Christ and a character a Christ figure can usually be drawn no matter what the defects are. So to me Simon is one of the bigger Christ figures in the books that I have read. Do it for the Kids.
Elizabeth said...
ReplyDeleteLike Jason I thought of a childhood book when I read the chapter about flight. I thought of the book Peter Pan. In Peter Pan children escaped the stress in their lives by flying away to Neverland, which could almost be thought of as Heaven to a child. Even just flying brought the children such happiness and they were carefree. However, when they got back home and on the ground reality sank in.
Foster's chapter on violence reminded me of The Great Gatsby. When Foster talked about accidents not just being accidents I related to the scene when Daisy hit Myrtle. Even though Daisy did not intend to kill Myrtle her death was crucial to the novel. I think that Myrtle's death made the beginning and the end of The Great Gatsby identical. Gatsby goes back to being alone and Daisy and Tom go back to their delusional relationship. Tom still thinks of Myrtle except now he thinks of her death. If Myrtle would not have been killed Daisy's little make believe world would not have went back to the way it had been.
I completely agree with Racheli about nobody being able to portray Christ. Characters may have Christ like qualities but none will ever posses everything that it would take to be Christ. Like Justin said if you were reading a book with a character that possessed all of the qualities Foster called Christ like then you would be reading The Bible. The character that sticks out in my mind to have the most Christ like qualities is the old man from The Old Man and the Sea. The old man went out fishing to feed his small village. He stayed out for days suffering for his village. He wounded his hands when he caught the fish and gave it his all to bring the fish back to his village. Foster says one of the qualities of Jesus Christ is being sent to redeem an ungrateful world. Even though the younger fishermen insulted the old man on a daily basis he still went out to provide for his village. However, he loses his Christ like appearance when he fails to save the fish from the sharks, what I considered a symbol of evil, and provide for his village.
Taylor said...
ReplyDeleteI agree with Caitlyn about John Proctor because he did sacrifice himself in a way to save his wife, yet when he died, he didn't rise from his tomb and walk and breathe again.
In Chapter 15, when Mr. Foster talks about people being able to fly and it always means something more than just flying, I thought about Maximum Ride. I read the book in Genetics and there are six kids that can fly with wings like birds'. They were created to do just that and to me, that means more than someone wanting them to be that way. I think when people get that much scientific information in their hands, they are going to do whatever is necessary to create a new "masterpiece" that they have been dreaming of. The kids also have bird DNA which makes them fly so well, yet they are supposed to be kids without wings. If God intended for people to have wings, we all would have them. Their wings are more than just a new creation, it feels like to me that scientists want to play and act like God.
In the House of Night series, there are two characters that always seem to inflict pain and death on people that are close to the protagonist. Zoey must deal with her grandmother being severly hurt, her human boyfriend dying, her Warrior nearly dying, one of her best friends being killed, one of her teachers being murdered, and some of her friends being seriously hurt. I think that all of the people close to Zoey are just small stepping stones that she must overcome to prove that she is strong and not weak. While losing someone is never easier, Zoey pulls through and tries to be strong for everyone else. The violence in this series makes me realize the ones closest to you could be the ones to go first and you end up alone to finish whatever quest you set out to do with them by your side. I think that the two characters that cause the pain and violence have a method behind what they are doing and why they keep taking away the people that are closest to Zoey. I also believe that some pain lasts forever, even though we may not feel it all the time
Dalton said...
ReplyDeleteI agree with Caitlyn, actually the points she gave were actually within the chapter given by Foster Himself. John Proctor seemed to be very Christ like while I was reading the novel The Crucible, But while reading the list in Chapter 14 it made me look at him a different way and not as a Christ like Character.
In Chapter 11 Foster talks about Violence in novels when I immediately thought of the Harry Potter Series once again. Harry is on a mission to kill and get revenge on the man who killed his parents. During all seven of these novels violence takes place almost every minute. I would say that the most violence took place in the seventh novel, because more characters die than any other novel including Lord Voldemort. With the death of Lord Voldemort the series are complete and so is Harry’s goal.
In Chapter 14 it talks about Christ. I know the chapters spoke of Christ like in Characters but when I read this I thought of the novel Holes and the mountain that helped the boys survive after running away from the camp. In the novel troubled boys are sent to dig holes to search for a buried treasure, however the boys are not aware what they are in search of. The main characters Caveman and Zero runaway from the camp green lake because of the way they are treated. But the rule at camp green lake is “ There are no electric fences, you can run all you want, you will find no water for hundreds of miles.” While the boys are running they spot a mountain with a pointed top that they refer to as “God’s Thumb”. When they climb to the top there is fresh water and onions to eat. This reminded me of Christ because supposedly there was no water for miles but God made water and food for the two boys so they can survive.
OK - I'm posting this very quickly from school because my computer at home is on the fritz from that storm last week. I did enjoy your responses, especially the analysis and discussion of the Christ figure. You seemed to grasp that concept very well. I think of Harry Potter, probably because I just finished re-reading the final novel in anticipation of the movie release. Although he doesn't die, he is willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good. His character also fits nicely in the "marked for greatness" category because of the scar he carries from his parents' death. Anyway, I would like to comment more on individual posts, but I'm pressed for time here. Hopefully I'll get my computer up and running later this week and I can spend some time commenting on your excellent ideas!
ReplyDeleteI wanted to mention that if you're having trouble posting, be sure when you sign in that you UNcheck the "keep me signed in" box. For some reason, checking that box has hindered the sign in process for me on a couple of ocassions. Also, be sure to copy your comments before you try to manipulate signing in so you don't lose everything if your computer gets glitchy. I hate hearing that comeone has had to rewrite their post b/c of computer error!! As always, you can email comments to me if you get too frustrated!!
Sorry - I misspelled occasions above. I hate that word. It always gets me!!
ReplyDeleteAlright! It’s good to be back!
ReplyDeleteIn Chapter 12, Foster addresses the presence of symbols in literature. Now, for me personally this chapter was quite helpful. It offered a bit of reassurance! This is because I’m the kind of girl that always second guesses herself, never certain if anything I’m thinking when it comes to symbols, themes, etc makes sense! Foster tells us that anything can be a symbol and that not every symbol has one and only one clear, cut, and dry meaning! When considering symbols, the first example to come to mind was the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg from The Great Gatsby. This example shows how certain things can be considered symbols to some while to others it can have no significance whatsoever. In The Great Gatsby, the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg are compared to the eyes of God staring down on society and judging the corrupt and unjust ways of life present in the world. This is what George Wilson sees when he glances upon these fading eyes. Others simply see an old and tattered painting in a rural part of town. So pretty much, anything can be considered a symbol! It all depends on the meaning instilled in the object by characters. It all depends on perception.
In Chapter 11, violence in literature is discussed. Foster describes two categories of violence. These include violence between characters (you know the fighting, stabbing… whatever causes an injury) and authorial violence. I can’t believe I’m about to do this, but, yes, I am about to break out the Twilight series for this one! So as we all know, there is always some sort of physical battle occurring in these novels, whether they are between the Cullen’s along with their allies against other vampire forces or the ancient vampire verses werewolf clash. This kind of violence always leaves the reader intrigued and on edge! Whether we like to admit it or not, violence is entertaining! Sometimes a little blood and guts is a fun read! Next, the authorial violence comes into play. In the Twilight series, the harsh reality that Bella is mortal while Edward is immortal serves as a constant struggle for the two destined lovers. Despite the love present between Edward and Bella, this huge difference between the two creates an unsettling circumstance that proves to cause a number of dangerous problems throughout the series.
Now for my fellow comrades! I have to agree with Justin on Hester serving as a character with Christ-like qualities. Despite, her previous sins, and the fact that she is human; Hester does possess many of the qualities listed in Chapter 14. I also agree with his comment on how a character doesn’t have to heal the blind and walk on water to possess Christ-like qualities. No character will ever be as magnificent as Christ, this is evident, but growing up I was always taught to treat every situation as I thought Christ would. To treat every situation with love, forgiveness, patience, etc. So it is entirely possible for characters to live a life morally conducted by the values and lessons seen through our Savior.