English 169: Representing HomeTheme and Variations on an Idea

Bone vs. Raisin

2007-05-07T18:50:00.001-06:00

Per Ryan B.

Today in lecture, I began to subconsciously compare the family situation between Leila and the rest of the Leong family in Bone, and the Younger family from Raisin in the Sun. Both seem to be struggling with the ideas of assimilationism and with remaining tied closely to their cultural traditions. Beneatha Younger engages in African dance and explores that culture, while Mah cooks authentic Chinese cuisine and always speaks with a respect for ancient traditions. Are there any other parallels?

Leila's marriage

2007-05-01T16:03:00.000-06:00

Per Cathy T:

In lecture, Professor Schaub posed a question regarding the recent marriage of Leila and Mason. Leila is hesitant to tell her mother about quickly getting married in New York City instead of not having a formal ceremony with friends and family. Why do you think Leila doesn't tell her mother about her marriage? Is she afraid of how her mother would have responded? Is it possible that Leila is trying to move away from her Chinese culture and live in the modern American culture?

Time and Chinatown

2007-05-01T14:22:00.000-06:00

Ng uses time to tell the story differently than the novels that we've read so far in Professor Schaub's class. The novel starts off in the present and goes back in the past in an orderly fashion, much like how we would evaluate our past because of difficult events or situations. This is very different than how time was used in novels we've read such as The Sound and the Fury and In Our Time. Do you think that the way time is used in this novel is efficient at getting across Ng's story?

Also, Ng writes about Chinatown and how tourists come to see the bright lights and colors. Have you ever been to Chinatown and how does her representation of it change your views about it? What were your opinions towards Chinatown before reading about why it is the way it is today and the hardships the Chinese have faced?

Ona and Abel

2007-04-30T20:21:00.000-06:00

Ona is a part of the Western world in a way that Abel was not. In fact, on page 26, Ona talks about how depressing it can be to go into Chinatown and see the "hard life." Chinatown can be comparable to Abel's village. However, though Ona's environment is different from Abel's, they seem to be facing the same tensions between generation and identity. I think that Ona will become a "hybrid," like Professor Schaub talked about in lecture, a combination of both identites, like Abel. Do you disagree or agree with this? This could also be related to Raisin in the Sun with the generation gap.

Bone and History

2007-04-30T14:20:00.000-06:00

In the same way that Momaday incorporates Native American tradition and history into House Made of Dawn, how does Ng incorporate Chinese tradition and history into Bone?

Symbols and Relationships

2007-04-25T13:41:00.001-06:00

Per Sona:

In House made of dawn, there are many similarities between Francisco, Abel's grandfather, and
Ben shows a paralleism between Abel's life in L.A. and Walatowa. There are always dual characteristic in this novel like Ben and franciso, Milly and Angela, and Pries of sun and Father Olguin.
What does this dualism represent?

From Prof. Shaubb's lecture, he talked about Eagle as a symbol, and i think it represent freedom.
what other symbolic figures are in this novel other than eagle?
why do you think Momaday choose that specific figures?

Running Circles

2007-04-24T10:22:00.001-06:00

Per Ryan B:

The theme of running goes full circle in the book, as Abel participates in a running race in the beginning and the end of the novel. Running also is significant in the maturation process of two of the characters, Franciscoc and Abel. Also, Abel assumes the role of the leader of the family traditions during the race. Running symbolizes so many things in the book. Can anybody think of other things that running is meant to symbolize?

Chasing Evil

2007-04-23T19:41:00.001-06:00

Per Dan Rosewall:

In House Made of Dawn there is a lot of focus on chasing evil. Abel killing the white man was regarded as nothing more than getting rid of an evil spirit and accepted in their community. Also with the men running after evil when Abel was laying on the shore. What do you think this evil they're chasing after? Is it possible to define it?

Importance of the Priests

2007-04-23T16:40:00.000-06:00

We see in The House Made of Dawn the representations of two forms of priests one in Father Olguin and the other in the form of Tosamah, the priest of the sun. I would argue that both are ways to remember the past. They each tell stories from the past and try to be a central uniting force. In a way I would say it is bringing two separate beliefs systems and molding into one??? Thoughts? What implications or importance might this have in Abel's life? Can he be at home in both of these preachers ways?

Questions for Monday's lecture

2007-04-19T23:39:00.000-06:00

It's imperative for you to examine these questions this weekend. Wednesday's lecture was a disappointment for Prof. Schaub because he expected more participation from the class. His expectation is that you will be able to respond to these questions in writing during Monday's lecture:

1. Is Abel healed? What the signs of this healing? What does it mean
in his culture to be healed?

2. What is a Night Chanter? Google "Night Chant" to see what you can
find out. Why does Momaday title this subsection "The Night Chanter"?

3. The book is full of races and running. What is the significance of
running in this novel?

4. What does it mean, in this novel, to be "beautiful"?

And while you are reading, don't forget to enjoy the sentences
themselves. The novel is lyrical, poetic.

Emotion

2007-04-19T15:56:00.000-06:00

In House Made of Dawn there are a lot of emotions thrown about throughout the story. Every character, whether minor or not, has some sort of emotion that is brought out during the story. Why is this? Why are emotions such a large part of the book?

Sound

2007-04-19T12:21:00.001-06:00

Per Sona:

In House Made of Dawn, Francisco hears different sound in different time and place, and it reveal other character's characteristic. For example, we can suspect that Abel is from different place, modern place, because Francisco hears very unique and distinct sound which is very new from him. This cause me to think that why Momaday choose sound to show difference between Francisco and Abel. I also want to know how and why Abel and Francisco's worldviews differ.

Juan Reyes the Albino

2007-04-17T11:18:00.000-06:00

In the July 25th chapter in House Made of Dawn, at the feast of Santiago, Juan Reyes the Albino man is introduced. On page 39 in the yellow book he is described: " Then he faced her, and Angela saw that under his hat the pale and yellow hair was cut close to the scalp; the tight skin of the head was visible and pale and pink. The face was huge and mottled pink and white, and the thick open lips were blue and violet." Angela seems to be describing Juan as a type of beast or monster. Later on in this chapter as Father Olguin reads from an old journal, the priest who wrote in the journal reports he was at Juan's birth and he describes him in almost the way Angela described him and then orders Juan to be baptised right away as if he was some sort of devil figure who immediately needed to be purified.

What do you think the significance of Juan is in this chapter? Does he represent the inability of the whites and the Christian faith to except differences? Do you think Juan will be present in the rest of the story?

FLASHBACKS

2007-04-16T16:40:00.000-06:00

Professor Schaube gave the position today that there are various aspects of modern writing in The House Made of Dawn. I would also support this, citing Momaday's use of flashbacks as a way of showing some relation in time. Francisco passes certain natural places and it triggers a memory of the races from his youth. Abel's viewing of the eagle also takes him back to another time. I believe these uses of time distinction provide for a modern device. Do you believe Momaday's novel has aspects of modern writing? If not why? What other aspects of the novel show modern writing or disprove it?

Second Paper Assignment

2007-04-11T18:58:00.000-06:00

Due in section on Friday, April 27th

Answers must be:

§ Between 1250-1750 words (5-7 pages)

§ Typed in 12pt, double-spaced, Times New Roman font, and in paragraph form.

§ No generalizations about the novel in the first paragraph (as in, “The novel was a literary work that had an enormous impact on people.”)

§ A minimum of 2 close readings are required.

Choose one of the following topics for your essay. Answer most, but not all, questions posed in the topic. You will need to take an argumentative stance and close read at least two passage as supporting evidence for your view. Although you may apply what you have learned from section and from lectures, do NOT choose a phrase, passage, or image that Prof. Schaub or I have addressed extensively:

Using Native Son, A Raisin in the Sun, Goodbye, Columbus, or House Made of Dawn choose a pairing or pattern of interesting details and make a case for its importance, in terms of the text. Why is this pairing or pattern significant? Beyond being cool or notable, how does it help us understand the underlying meanings of the text? To answer these questions – and to complete your analysis – you should explore what ideas the author conveys through this particular pairing or pattern. What argument seems to lie behind it? What point does the author use it to make? You cannot address any of the imagery from the midterm exam or Prof. Schaub’s lectures.
“It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes of others, of measuring one's soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. One ever feels his twoness,--an American, a Negro; two warring souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder.”-W.E.B. DuBois The Souls of Black Folk (1903)
Discuss DuBois’s theory of double-consciousness (as articulated in this quote. No outside research is necessary) in relation to either Bigger from Native Son or a character of your choice from A Raisin in the Sun. Your paper should include close readings of both the above quote and scenes from your chosen text.
Choose a relationship among two or more characters within the same novel and discuss how their relationship provides significance to the themes of the home, class consciousness, gender difference, or personal development (choose only one of these themes). Write an analysis of this theme and its differences, changes and/or developments in A Raisin in the Sun, Goodbye, Columbus, or House Made of Dawn (choose only one of these texts).

Syllabus Revision

2007-04-11T18:36:00.000-06:00

Hi all,
I felt that you needed a break, so I decided to delay assigning the second paper topics until this Friday. This also means that you have until April 27th to write your papers.

As always, with any papers, please feel free to come to my office hours. In fact, if you feel nervous, you can also email me with a preliminary draft. I will provide some general feedback for you.

Paper topics coming soon.

Opposites Attract

2007-04-11T15:48:00.000-06:00

In this book both Brenda and Neil take pot shots at each others social class. She constantly calls things he says nasty and he makes fun of the stuff she does like wanting a nose job and wanting him to do what she wants. It seems that each was trying to change the other into there ideal mate. Do you think that either one of them would be ever to see the others point of view and except each other for who they are and were they came from or would they self destruct themselves by constantly picking out the others differences?

Appearances

2007-04-10T21:35:00.000-06:00

Per Jana C.:

When Neil first called Brenda to ask her out on a date, on page 7 she asked how he looks and she found out that he is dark but not a Negro. I thought it was weird that she was concerned about what he looks like, but it never comes up later in the chapter. I was just wondering what are your thoughts about Brenda's feelings towards appereances because she feels so strongly about looking beautiful.

Physical Social Movement

2007-04-10T15:08:00.000-06:00

There's a lot to be made from Neil's comments on page 90 about physical social movement. Neil remarks, "The neighborhood had changed: the old Jews like my grandparents had struggled and died, and their offspring had struggled and prospered, and moved further and further west, towards the edge of Newark, then out of it, and up the slope of the Orange Mountains, until they had reached the crest and started down the other side, pouring into the Gentile terriotry as the Scotch-Irish had poured through the Cumberland Gap." This physical movement of people on the basis of wealth sets up a decisive barrior between Neil, who lives with his Aunt and Uncle in Newark, and Brenda, who lives with her family outside of Newark. Brenda's parents go a long way to make this barrior even more real with their letters to Brenda after Mrs. Patimkin's discovery of the diaphragm; those letters clearly outline that their is a social gap between Neil and the Patimkin family. Neil goes on to say, "Now, in fact, the Negroes were making the same migration, following the steps of the Jews..." Neil is put in an awkward place because of the physical movements on the basis of wealth; Brenda has already been put on the other side of a stiff border, and even the little boy who comes to the library to admire Gauguin is leaving him behind. What is it that doesn't allow Neil to make the same social migration that the rest of Newark is making?

Teasing

2007-04-10T07:34:00.000-06:00

In Goodbye, Columbus Neil and Brenda have an interesting relationship. Roth makes the hints that they both need each other, but at the same time, they put each other down a lot. The constant teasing but also them valuing their relationship, leads some to wonder why they tease so much if they love each other like they say they do. So what do you think is the reason for them teasing as much as they do if they are actually in love?

Making fun of Brenda

2007-04-09T19:49:00.001-06:00

Per Sammy R:

As the professor discussed in lecture this Monday, Neil constantly makes fun of Brenda. Examples are Brenda: "I had my nose fixed.", Neil: "What was the matter with it?", Brenda: "It was bumpy.", Neil: "A lot?" and Brenda: "Oh break the goddamn things. I hate them.", Neil: "Why don't you have your eyes fixed?". We came up with a couple possible reasons for this constant teasing in class, such as he's simple and/or practical. However, what's your personal feelings about why Neil makes fun of Brenda thoughout the story?

Gauguin's Pictures

2007-04-09T18:12:00.000-06:00

Philip Roth makes an obvious connection between Neil and the boy who comes into the library. Neil sympathized with the boy who stared at Gauguin's pictures of Tahiti all day, desiring this life that he didn't have. Short Hills even began to remind Neil of the stream in the pictures. Later in the story, the struggle to keep the book in the library began to parallel the trouble that Neil was having fitting into the Patimkin family, and at the very end, Neil found that the book was checked out. He said he never saw the boy again but that it was for the best because it was silly to carry those dreams around. This occurs immediately before Neil and Brenda end their relationship.
Do you as the reader feel that such a drawn out symbol is necessary? Does this parallelism take away from the story or add to it and why? For what other reason do you feel Roth added this child into the story?

Racial Contrast

2007-03-28T20:24:00.000-06:00

The characterization, the only white character in the series, as a timid and indecisive individual at first struck me as slightly off-putting. It seemed as though the author herself was making use of such a weak character to almost unfairly make the main characters of the play seem to be stronger figures by contrast. However, on further consideration, I feel that she may have instead been using such a characterization to make his character seem all the more devious, coming as a wolf in sheep's clothing. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and Lindner states that he has the best of intentions. Any thoughts as to any other intentions the author may have had with such a character?

Mama's Plant

2007-03-26T22:02:00.000-06:00

Throughout the entire play there is the consistent mentioning of Mama's plant. She talks about it in the beginning of the play and continues to bring it up in the discussions of moving to the new neighborhood. At first light, in the early morning she pulls out her plant and recoginize it as the start to a new dream for her family. Mama talks about how there is always something left to love in the last act of the play. Does the plant symbolize something that Mama can still hold onto and love? What else could it represent?

Contrasting Significance

2007-03-26T17:47:00.001-06:00

Per Sammy:

In Act Two, Scene Three, Walter loses the money that is entrusted to him. This reminds me of Bigger before he gets sentenced to the death penalty. Both signify that there is still not a lot of hope for the African American man at this time due to the continuing segregation. However, at the very end of the book it shows that the family is still moving to the primarily white neighborhood to their new house. So what do you feel these two contrasting circumstances are supposed to represent?

Limited Knowledge

2007-03-21T18:54:00.000-06:00

Per Alidz O:

In class, Professor Schaub talked about cultural mixing and diverse knowledge. Schaub described Beneatha as a college student who brings new ideas into her family. However, when she dresses up as a Nigerian woman and begins to dance to "African" music, we see that Beneatha has only limited knowledge about what it means to have a Nigerian identity. I wonder, why would Hansberry do this? To have her cutting-edge figure appear ignorant is an unusual choice.

Comparing Furnaces

2007-03-21T18:53:00.001-06:00

Per Jack J:

I believe Walter and Bigger Thomas are similar in that they both offer typical persepctives through the eyes of an

African-American male during the middle of the twentieth century. He and Bigger both struggle with feeling responsible for their

families, and because of this pressure, both characters come to an unfortunate conclusion; to make quick riches in order to be

happy. What is it about Walter, that gives him the strength to venture away from illegal activities? Does he have a stronger

family? Is he loved in ways Bigger is not? I believe the level of desperation in Bigger exceeds that of Walter's, and I also think

the fire raging inside of Bigger is an emotion Walter does not feel.

Constraining Forces

2007-03-20T12:17:00.000-06:00

There are many similarities between Native Son and A Raisin in the Sun. One of these is a large conflict between the Blacks in the south side of Chicago and the white community. In both of these books some force is restraining the blacks to living in the designated area of the south side. In Native Son this force is the real estate companies along with Mr. Dalton and in A Raisin in the Sun it is the Clybourne Park Improvement Association with Mr. Linder. Why do you think both authors used this as a large source of conflict, and why do you think they gave a face (Mr. Dalton and Mr. Linder) to the problem? Also, do you think that this would still be a source of conflict if the author's had set the book in another major city such as New York?

A Title Speaks 1,000 Words

2007-03-20T12:06:00.000-06:00

The title of this play obviously invokes the thought of a person being trapped under pressure. Just like a raisin in the sun, this person will dry out and will eventually become only a shadow of what they once were. The question is this: up to this point in the play, who do you think is "the raisin in the sun"? Is Mama the raisin due to all the pressure put on her due to the $10,000? Is Walter the raisin due to his enormous amount of frustration? Or is this whole family the raisin? In my opinion, the family as a whole unit is the raisin because they are all being put under pressure (with the decisions involving the money and the move to an all-white neighborhood). So, who do you think the raisin is, and what is the "sun" that is drying them out?

A Change In Beliefs

2007-03-20T11:13:00.000-06:00

In the first act of A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry brings up many issues that are still debated today. In the first scene, Beneatha, Ruth, and Mama get into their debate about Beneatha not wanting to marry George even though he's wealthy and then that Beneatha wants to be a doctor. When Mama mentions God during all of this, Beneath responds with "God hasn't got a thing to do with it" and sets off a big fight about her beliefs. In the end, Ruth says Beneatha thinks she's a woman, but is actually just a child. Was Beneatha being childish for believing that it is by her hard work that she'll become a doctor and that God has nothing to do with it? Or was she being childish for saying she doesn't believe in God in front of Mama, a woman with strong faith? Is it possible that in fact, Beneatha was speaking beyond her years when she speaks passionately about being a female doctor and doing it on her own?

The Effect of Social Environment

2007-03-19T18:52:00.000-06:00

Both in The Native Son and now The Raisin in the Sun it seems that the environment in which each character lives has a profound effect on there actions and behavior in society. The environmental pressures seems to steer how they should perceive themselves in public. From Bigger's act of inferiority around whites and then his subsequent murder of Mary. He behaves in a stereotypical manor that plays into the image that white people have set upon blacks. To the people trying to make Beneatha act and behave like a women of that time. They try to convince her to give up her independent ways and become the typical image of women at this time in history. Even though today we pride ourselves on being independent and focus on uniqueness of the individual; are we still guided and effected by the environment in which we live? When we make a claim of being an original individual, are we really being original or just placing ourselves in another stereotypical group?

Modernism and Religion

2007-03-19T12:21:00.000-06:00

'The Sound and the Fury' by William Faulkner, 'Native Son' by Richard Wright, and 'A Raisin in the Sun' by Lorraine Hansberry are all modernist books dealing with many social questions, including religion. In each case, it seems the younger generations tend to reject the religious--primarily Christian--beliefs of their parents. Caddy acts promiscuously while Jason wallows in greed, Bigger outright refuses God and kills without conscious, and Beneatha declares God a false and unnecessary concept that shifts credit for good away from men and women. There is also a certain mold for the "religious" parents: Mrs. Compson is a self-pitying busy-body, Mrs. Thomas is out of touch with her children, and Lena is almost being phased out. What does this suggest about Modernism? Is religion used to widen the gap between the parents and children? Is there a reason the individuals that claim to be Christian are all women? Are the children rejecting God as a part of rejecting their parents or is it part of some new philosophy?

Irony of Bigger's Freedom

2007-03-15T10:19:00.001-06:00

Per Dan R.

Bigger has lived in a world of fear and hate of white people for all his life. He knows first hand the opression that the black people of chicago and the nation go through everyday, which turns him into a hateful man, and a scared man. After he gets caught and is sitting in jail, his mother's preacher comes in and tells him the story of Creation. While Bigger doesn't listen intently, he still takes some in and it reminds him of his childhood. He realizes that killing Mary was him killing all the hate and fear in him, and on page 264 (I have an older book) "To live, he had created a new world for himself, and for that he was to die." Do you think that killing Mary was Biggers only choice to start a new life for himself? Why?

Where did it come from?

2007-03-13T21:36:00.001-06:00

Throughout the novel Bigger carries fear with him wherever he goes. At the beginning of the story you learn that Bigger is undecisive with what he wants to do with his life. After being tormented by his mother for the families poverty, Bigger fears he might fail to support his family. Then, when plotting to rob a white man, he attacks Gus to cover his fear of what would happen to him if he were caught. When fooling around with Mary and Mrs. Dalton enters the room Bigger sufficates Mary for fear of being fired. He burns the body since he's afraid to be caught. From here on Bigger is on the run and cannot go back to the way things were. Bigger commits murder then to his own girlfriend because she knows the truth and doesn't like the risk of her getting him into trouble. Where did all this fear come from? Was he born with it? Does the fact that his father was killed in a riot years ago contribute to Bigger's violent ways of dealing with fear? Does this fear arise from something other than the way white and black people relate during this time frame?

Hypocrite?

2007-03-13T20:58:00.000-06:00

Per Jana:

Mr. Dalton is a professed philanthropist toward blacks and owns real estate that black families live in on the South Side. With the conditions and practices of the real estate, wouldn't Mr. Dalton be considered a hypocrite?

Has our society made progress?

2007-03-13T15:07:00.000-06:00

Native Son is obviously a social commentary on racial tensions, prejudice, and economic systems of the 1930s. Wright's novel indictes white society, and calls for radical social progression, in order to prevent the creation of more 'Biggers'. Concerning the inequality of capitalism, white supremacy, and current racial tensions (not just with African Americans), how has this country progressed or improved since the 1930s, if it has at all?

Victim of Society?

2007-03-13T11:40:00.000-06:00

Throughout Native Son we are exposed to the mind of a young man who lives in a state of perpetual fear. He fears the oppressive white superiority around him and he fears a sense of an unstoppable tragedy that forebodes his future. Through the series of events in leading up to not only the murder of Mary, but also that of Bessie, Bigger finds himself creating not only more fear, but also a sense of wholeness through these actions. What is the true cause of these emotions though? Is it the environment of oppression Bigger exists in that caused his grave actions or is he merely a man born into a fate of committing these crimes as he has feared his entire life? The prosecutor of Bigger's trial, Buckley, using terms of labeling such as "maddened ape" and "demented savage," portrays Bigger as a mindless killer, but obviously from our perspective we know this not to be the case. What is Wright trying to say about the society that Bigger lives in and is eventually consumed by?

Sympathy for Bigger?

2007-03-12T19:30:00.000-06:00

Throughout his life, Bigger has never been in control of the world around him. It has been dominated by whites, and he has simply had to suffer the life of a poor black man. Professor Schaub alluded to the fact that Bigger committed the two murders because it finally gave him power and control over his own life, as well as the lives of others. One of the quotes I found most compelling is: “He had done this. He had brought all this about. In all of his life these two murders were the most meaningful things that had ever happened to him.” In this statement it seems as though the author is setting up a sympathetic situation, in which the reader is supposed to realize the tragedy of Bigger's life and see the anger and sadness that caused him to kill Mary and Bessie. However, Bigger also exhibits very disturbing behavior throughout the book that leads readers to see him as somewhat evil. What kind of feelings do you have toward Bigger, and what kind of feelings do you think the Richard Wright wants you to have toward him? Do you sympathize with him, and believe that the murders are a result of alienation and prejudice against him, or do you think he is simply a violent person who calculated to punish others for his shortcomings?

Bigger and Max

2007-03-11T21:47:00.000-06:00

Towards the end of the novel, starting on page 320( but I have an old copy of the book and the pages are different)Max, Bigger's lawyer, is questioning Bigger about why he killed Mary and Bessie, and Bigger pours his heart out to Max. In a quotation following this, Bigger reflects on their conversation. "He could not remember when he had felt as relaxed as this before. He had not thought of it or felt it while Max was speaking to him; it was not until after Max had gone that he discovered he had spoken to Max as he had never spoken to anyone in his life; not even himself. And his talking had eased from him a heavy burdon(333)."
Of all the people Bigger has encountered in his life, why does he choose Max to bare his soul to? Why not his mother or one of his friends? Is it simply the knowledge that Max is the man that could save his life? Does he think that his words will turn the entire situation around? Or does Bigger see something in Max that he can connect to, even though Max is white? Is Richard Wright trying to make a connection between the oppression of African Americans and the oppression of Jews in a society where differences are not excepted?

Masking a fear or simply doing what he wants?

2007-03-07T18:49:00.000-06:00

Greatly titled, the first book of Native Son is called Fear. This is in reference to the Bigger's fear of whites and the whiteness of the world, but also of the fear many people have, not necessarily black, but whites also. What Bigger fears leads him to do things he may not want to. When he kills the young heiress, he obviously wants to cover up what he has done. Do you think he has immense fear of what could happen to him, or do you think he believes this is just what he needs to do? When wraps the head in newspaper, does he just want to cover it up or does he want to cover up the fact that she is white, someone he has come to fear?

When he wakes the next morning, he feels a sense of being reborn. Is that because he is afraid of what will happen to him in the future, or does he really feel as though this was an experience to lead him a new life?

Bigger's "Toughness"

2007-03-06T16:34:00.000-06:00

In the beginning of book one, Bigger presents himself as a tough young man who knows how to handle whatever is thrown at him; howver, we see this as a shell of toughness which is only cover of his true fears. This is proven when he fights Gus to show how strong he is we see that he’s really only fighting to deflect attention away from the truth that he is very fearful and weaker than they think. His fear comes out again when Bigger goes to meet Mr. Dalton. His demeanor changes entirely from being tough but hiding his fear to completely surrendering himself to saying “yessuh” in answer to everything Mr. Dalton asks of him. Why does he all of a sudden change his behavior in the presence of Mr. Dalton? Why in particular is Bigger even more afraid of Mary Dalton?

Bigger's View of Family

2007-03-06T14:22:00.000-06:00

"He hated his family because he knew that they were suffering and that he was powerless to them" (10). This quote occurs in the beginning of the novel while describing the family and where the famiy is living. Bigger doesn't seem to have a close relationship with his family and doesn't want to help them, which is shown when Bigger states that he doesn't want to take the job with the Dalton family. He is also always in a bad mood and conversation usually ends in argument between family members. What do you think Bigger's view of family is and what is his role in the family? Why do you think Bigger treats his family the way he does? Is there something deeper inside that bothers Bigger about his family? Why does Bigger end up taking the job with the Dalton family when he feels he can't help his family?

The Power of Fears

2007-03-06T14:01:00.000-06:00

Though Bigger comes from a family in need of his financial support, he is less than thrilled to work. Bigger is so fearful of their situation at home, he blocks it out so he does not have to deal with it the same as the rest of his family. Bigger's dislike for working though could not be out weighed by his fear of the white population, which caused his to back out of the robbery of a white business. Though Mr. Dalton seems generous in his ways of helping Bigger, he seems to actually be trying to ease his own conscience for his exploitation of the black population in Chicago. The Dalton's deep fear and prejudice against communists is more powerful than their common sense at times, which is why Bigger tried to blame communist's for Mary's murder. Which fear seems to be more detrimental to the characters lives? Do you think it is strange that Bigger's fear of white men was used in exploiting the communist fear in another man? Bigger's fear seems to be taking a snowball effect on his life causing more and more problems. Do you think its possible for Bigger to turn his life around or is it too late?

Richard Wright as Novel's Narrator

2007-03-06T12:50:00.000-06:00

Richard Wright's narrative style starkly contrasts with Hemingway's lean prose, which was guided by his iceberg theory. Native Son is also different from Faulkner's 'stream of consciousness' novels, as Wright uses the omniscient narrator to explain the protagonist's thoughts. While all three of these authors wrote about deeply personal subjects, Richard Wright seems to be injecting the most blatant, direct commentary into his novel, by his narrator's analysis of Bigger Thomas' psychology.

"The moment a situation became so that it exacted something of him, he rebelled. That was the way he lived; he passed his days trying to defeat or gratify powerful impulses in a world he feared." Pg. 42

Because the issues brought up in this novel are intended to make a political statement, it seems that the narrator's voice is that of Wright himself. If one agrees with that assumption, what does the overall tone of the novel seem to be (only analyzing part 1, "Fear") ? Is it complete sympathy for Bigger and total condemnation of whites in society or is it a call for black men to be more ambitious and rise above their surroundings, as Wright himself did? To what degree does the narrator place responsibility on Bigger for his own actions?

Extra Credit

2007-03-02T16:53:00.000-06:00

Hi all,

If you are interested in moving ahead, I’ve provided information on a close reading extra credit exercise that I will assign next week. It is due on March 10^th and is worth 2% out of 100% of your first paper grade. Even if you are not interested in trying this survey now, you will have ample opportunity to do so in the next 2 weeks.

Please try all three available exercises (using your First name and last initial before your own comments):

http://closeread.pbwiki.com/

The password is english (all lower case letters)

Once completed, please fill out an anonymous survey here:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=927503372539

There is nothing quite as wonderful as money...

2007-02-27T00:55:00.000-06:00

Jason is linked to money. It pervades his thought and actions. He has sure ways to money, such as his job and the monthly checks from Caddy. He feels an emotional loss to lost money. This shows in his regret involving the money gained from the pasture and then wasted on Quentin’s college tuition. If Jason loves money so, why does he keep on betting poorly on the stock market even though he always looses. “To just get my money back” is one excuse he uses, but it is just that, an excuse. If he could he would get far more than just what he lost. Could it be a gambling addiction of sorts? Is he too uneducated to realize that he cannot or probably will not ever win?

Playing Games or Just Plain Wasting Time?

2007-02-26T21:49:00.000-06:00

Jason is constantly playing games with the other characters in the story. He steals money from Caddy and only allows her to see Miss Quentin for a few brief seconds, he burns tickets to the show in front of Luster, and he consistently lies to Earl about why he was out of the store for so long. It is believed that self-loathing individuals do this to boost their own confidence. However, if Jason is so focused on his future gain, why do you believe he still feels fulfilled when wasting time to torment others? Do you believe his true focus is on his future or on revenging the ‘wrongs’ from his past? Does Jason have the power to gain respect and status or are all of his actions purposely self-destructive?

Coping with Difficult Times

2007-02-26T21:44:00.000-06:00

Per Ryan B.

Coping with difficult times

From the progress we have made in the book thus far, it seems that each member of the Compson family has a method of coping with the harsh realities of their daily lives. Mr. Compson coped by drinking himself to death. Benjy’s attempt to cope is to find some comfort in somewhat pleasant snapshots of the past. Jason Compson steals Miss Quentin’s child support money and copes by soliciting prostitutes and gambling on the cotton market. Mrs. Compson copes by developing an overwhelming sense of self-pity and detachment. Miss Quentin, along with Caddy, copes by engaging in promiscuous sexual endeavors. Quentin, who seems to have no other way, soothes himself by committing suicide.

Which character seems to do the best job of dealing with the emotional gravity of their situation in life?

The Compson Brothers and Their Relationships with Caddy

2007-02-26T19:19:00.000-06:00

The Jason section begins with the quote "Once a bitch always a bitch I say." This comment introduces the reader to Jason's views on women, and the attitude and disrespect he holds for almost everybody in his life. This attitude is in stark contrast with that of Quentin's, who was very concerned with the treatment of women and held hostility for anybody who disrespected them. Whereas Caddy symbolizes honor for Quentin, for Jason she means a lost future and a ruined life. Jason seems to project that onto Miss Quentin, who I believe Jason blames for everything that has gone wrong with his future. It's interesting to compare the treatment of Caddy between the two brothers, as Benjy found his only comfort in her, Quentin loved her strongly and wanted to protect her, and Jason simply despises her. What are your opinions of Jason? Do you believe his emotionally damaging past is an excuse for his behavior? What message do you think Faulkner was trying to send by contrasting the lives and thoughts of these brothers?

Quentin and Caddy

2007-02-20T14:59:00.000-06:00

There is obviously an interesting relationship between Quentin and Caddy. Caddy is a major topic on Quentin's mind throughout the second section of the novel. The first time Quentin had any encounter with a girl, Caddy disapproved and called her dirty. Likewise, Quentin reacts with disapproval with all men Caddy comes in contact with. Are they using other people to make each other jealous? Is it possible that the relationship between Caddy and Quentin is more than a sibling connection? What would drive Quentin to tell his father that they had an incestuous relationship or to propose mutual suicide between him and Caddy?

Can we call ourselves honorable?

2007-02-20T12:54:00.000-06:00

One of Quentin's biggest fears is dishonor. He sees it in his family, in his schoolmates, in the whole world around him. Society as he knows it is going to ruins. Is there such thing as honor like Quentin imagines? These days there are so many crimes and sexual acts that happen....are we able to say that we are honorable being? Especially being in Madison, how would our parents look upon our actions? Maybe there is no such thing as honor anymore. Maybe all the Quentins in this world are gone.

Southern code or something more?

2007-02-19T14:21:00.000-06:00

The Compson family shows a straying away from the tendencies of the old South. Concepts of family honor and purity mean less to characters such as Caddy and Mr. Compson. The one character who genuinely seems disturbed by this change is Quentin. Quentin tries to live his life as a gentlemen with southern ideals. He believes women should maintain their purity and men should respect them. The promiscuity of Caddy contests Quentin's beliefs and greatly upsets him. He believes Caddy has brought shame upon the Compson family name and his only way of coping with this is by committing suicide.

My questions deal with the relationship between Quentin, Caddy and morality. Is Quentin overreacting in regards to Caddy's promiscuity or does he have a right to be involved? Is Quentin only upset that Caddy is hurting the family name or is there perhaps an aspect of incest and jealously? Lastly, does Quentin have a right to be concerned about his sister's purity when there seems to be a double standard for what is considered proper sexual conduct amongst men and women?

Extremes? Benjy and Quentin

2007-02-19T12:43:00.000-06:00

The narrative of Benjy in April 7th, 1928 and Quentin in June 2nd, 1910 both prove to be tough readings. The difficulty stems from the personalities of the two men; one is as mentally handicapped as the other is inordinately intelligent. Their accounts have strangely similar styles. Their memories tend to take on the form of a long, unexplained run-on; often times both Quentin and Benjy reflect on the same events. They also focus on similar emotions, particularly with regards to Caddy. Both brothers deep attachment to their sister Caddy plays a central role in their lives. While Quentin cannot forget her, or what she has meant (contributing to his death), Benjy cannot quite remember her--just the empty place invoked by the golfers calling their caddies. Order and chaos play a large role as well; Benjy's sensitivity to his changing environment often forces him to tears because he has no other alternative. Quentin is deeply concerned with the Southern code, which makes his accounts as unclear as Benjy's (really more ideal than content). Finally, as absent as time is from Benjy's mind, it dominates Quentin's thoughts, or rather his struggle against time.
Is the similarity between the two brought on by their Compson heritage? Does it seem like Faulkner is trying to point out something between the two brothers? Could he be putting them together as suffering the same malady, but by different names?

Tick Tick Tick…

2007-02-18T19:57:00.000-06:00

Quentin destroys the watch he had received as a gift from his father in the beginning in the chapter. The glass and hands are removed while keeping the mechanics in tact. The watch is “alive” but useless to everyone. He takes the watch to the repair shop, but has no interest in actually getting it repaired. Quentin may think of himself as something similar, alive but useless, or “dead”.

Why would he carry around an item that reminded him of himself? Does it have something to do with his father disliking timepieces? What other significance does the watch have? What other reason would he have to destroy it?

Revised Syllabus

2007-02-16T14:23:00.000-06:00

7 W William Faulkner: The Sound and the Fury (1929)

“April Seventh, 1928”

12 M “April Seventh, 1928”

14 W “June Second, 1910”

19 M “June Second, 1910”

21 W Finish Quentin section/begin Jason chapter

26 M Jason and Chapter 4 First paper due

28 W Finish Sound and the Fury

HOME AND RACE AT MID-CENTURY

March 5 M Richard Wright: Native Son (1940)
“Fear”
7 W “Fear” and “Flight” pp 97-116

12 M “Flight”

14 W “Fate”

19 M “Fate” and “How Bigger Was Born” pp. 433-62

21 W Lorraine Hansberry: Raisin in the Sun (1958), Act One

26 M Act Two and Act Three

28 W Midterm

Spring Break March 31-April 8

First Assignment Paper Topics!

2007-02-15T12:00:00.001-06:00

Please be sure to bring your thesis statement and your passage to class on Friday, February 23rd.

Due in section on Friday, March 2^nd

Answers must be:

§ 750-1200 words excluding quotations (about 3-5 pages)

§ Typed in 12pt, double-spaced, Times New Roman font, and in paragraph form.

§ No generalizations in the first paragraph (as in, “The novel was a literary work that had an enormous impact on people.”)

Choose one of the following topics for your essay. You will not need to answer all the questions posed in the topics; they are there to help you think about the topic as a whole. You will need to take an argumentative stance and examine one passage (no more, no less) as supporting evidence for your view:

Develop an argument discussing the relationship between the narrator and the story or narrative that he/she/they are trying to convey in a specific passage. Do not address the role of the narrator(s) in the entire text (or in multiple texts). What literary forms or devices do they use to effectively convey their message? Do they follow what they “preach”? Why or why not? Are they reliable, and how does their (un)reliability effectively convey the author’s intended (or possibly unintended) message(s)? In general, what is the purpose of this narrator?
Discuss one minor character and his/her impact on the concept of family, home, security, gender difference, or reality in the text as a whole. You will only need to address one of the topics, but you will need to address it thoroughly.
Choose an element or object within the text and discuss its relationship to one character and the movement of modernism. How does this element or object exemplify modernism or criticize modernism and the modern American culture? You’ll want to first define modernism based on Prof. Schaub’s lectures then discuss the object or element.
Discuss and define happiness according to a specific passage in one of the texts. What does it mean to be happy? How does happiness function with respects to the character(s) and/or their definitions of family, society, or culture? Does happiness have room for the social, or is it an individual experience? Why?

Please keep in mind the following when writing this essay:

What is my argument? What am I arguing for? What am I arguing against?]
Does my close reading support my argument? Do I provide textual justifications for my argument?
Is my argument convincing and logical? Would I be able to convince my TA, my professor, and a room of my peers of its validity?
Did I write a second draft? First drafts are great for formulating ideas and experimenting with arguments. Second drafts are even better because they can refashion ideas into a more cohesive and polished product.

If you would like to discuss your paper with me, please feel free to see me during my office hours (T 11-1pm) or by appointment via eyu@wisc.edu.

Paper topics on Friday

2007-02-14T14:13:00.000-06:00

Hi all,
Paper topics will be distributed during discussion this Friday. You will always have a minimum of 2 weeks to write a paper from the moment it is distributed. So, this will mean that these papers are due on March 2nd at the beginning of section.

If you have concerns or questions regarding due dates, please see the Important Dates link (Prof. Schaub's due dates for papers are with respects to the week of lecture. My due dates are always with respects to discussion days).

All exam dates, however, are the same on both syllabi.

I will post both the paper topics and the handout from lecture today on this blog in the next few days.

A Lonely Home: For Better or Worse

2007-02-13T22:15:00.000-06:00

Family sizes have been on the decline for many generations. There were the times when the typical family has as many children as possible to help on the farm. Now the norm is to have many two or three children. During the time, of In Our Time and The Sound and the Fury there seems to be an in between period leaning toward modern ideals. Nick comes from a single family home and Krebs may have had two siblings while the family in The Sound and the Fury seems to have many children. How might the number of siblings affect the grieving process of a traumatic effect such as war? Might Nick have recovered more quickly had he had a close relationship with a brother or a sister? Or did Krebs' worried family push him more into submission?

Benjy the Man Child!

2007-02-13T11:49:00.000-06:00

Having heard many discouraging remarks regarding the level of reading in "The Sound and the Fury" I was dreading reading it. But when I opened up the very first page till the middle of the second section I couldn't stop reading. Now, don't worry I won't spoil the book for you but I just couldn't stop. This story of a decaying Southern family broken by strife, misery and each other is heartbreaking and at the time very intriguing.

I question I ask today is do you think that Benjy is at all dangerous? Surely we all know that Benjy is severely mentally handicapped and has no responsibility for his actions but does that exempt him from containment? Benjy roams free on the Compson property yelling, crying and making a genuine fuss but did anyone ever stop and think if this is really the right place for him? His mother abhors him, his sister ruins her own life with decadent promiscuity and his brother Quentin goes insane.

The point in the novel that caused me to ask this gloomy question is when Benjy is screaming for Caddy as schoolgirls pass the property, he gets loose and runs after them frightening them half to death. Could he have hurt them? Is he capable and would he know that he had done something wrong? Is the Compson property the right place for him or would he be better in an institution where people know how is take care of an individual like himself?

Family Dynamic in Sound and the Fury

2007-02-12T19:48:00.000-06:00

Reading the first chapter of The Sound and the Fury, I was intrigued by the interaction of the main characters and the personalities of those same characters. His use of the children as the narrators of the book created a sense of innocence around the family. I think it made the book more interesting, in a way, because the point of view was so original. Do you think Faulkner's use of the children as narrators, especially Benjy, was a good move on the part of Faulkner or a bad move on his part?

The interacton of the mother and father was also a major part of the first chapter of the novel. The relationship between them and between them and the kids was a timeless example of what we know to be a real family. I think that the use of Benjy's young voice and mind gave us a very simple and straightforward view of this family. Although hard to get through, the first chapter is an excellent way to introduce complex characters and intertwined character emotions. Do you think that this was Faulkner's goal when writing this novel?

Benjy: a good narrator?

2007-02-11T20:00:00.000-06:00

After reading the first chapter of Faulkner's novel I was a little taken aback. I was not prepared to start reading a story from the point of view of the manchild Benjy. I was unhappy as I tried to muddle through his confusing thoughts one after another. His inability to distinguish between the past and the present made it especially difficult. Faulkner made it a little easier by italicizing a portion of the writing prior to changing time periods, but towards the end of the chapter he did not even do this. Fortunately I started to catch on and towards the end of the chapter I actually started to enjoy what I was reading, although it was still somewhat confusing.

My questions regarding this first chapter revolve around Faulkner's decision to use Benjy as the first narrator. Do you think that Faulkner made a good decision by allowing his readers to begin the story in the mind of the mentally retarded Benjy? Do you think that Benjy was chosen as the first narrator because he would tell the story from an objective point of view, or do you feel that he is not a reliable narrator and biased in some way?

Using action and limited knowledge to portray emotion

2007-02-06T15:08:00.000-06:00

In Big Hearted River, we are introduced to a new side of the post-war Nick. Now that he is free from society and on his own in the wild, Nick is presented as relaxed, comfortable, and at home. This is a sharp contrast from the traumatized and apathetic Nick we saw in Soldier's Home. To convey the message of a troubled veteran finding inner peace in the serenity of nature, Hemingway uses detailed description of the the actual events in the story while providing us only a limited understanding of Nick's desires, experiences and motives.

Throughout the story, Hemingway meticulously details nearly all of Nick's actions. From this alone we can infer a great deal about how he has been changed by the war and in conjunction with the other stories why this change took place. The tranquility of nature reminds Nick of when he was a child and when life was simpler. By using powerful imagery, Hemingway creates a portrait of Nick's quest to escape his painful war memories.

Although it is easy to see how and even partly why detachment from civilization is calming for Nick, there is a great deal about Nick that is not revealed. Things like why Nick often seems to blissfully regress into ignorance, why he seems content in making arbitrary choices (camp location), and why he avoids getting too excited are simply stated and no indication as to what Nick's reasoning is can be found. By forcing the reader to read between the lines and interpret Nick's actions, Hemingway brings the character to life.

Detailed imagery of Nick's actions and environment show the reader what Nick sees and why he feels at peace in nature. Leaving some of his motives and psychology unknown creates a more complex character and also shows how only someone who has experienced certain tragic events can ever comprehend their significance.

Change in Nick's Character

2007-02-06T13:30:00.000-06:00

When I read Big Two-Hearted River Part I the first thing I noticed was that Hemingway had turned back to the character of Nick. The only thing was that Nick's character didn't seem to be the same person as he was in the earlier stories. In The Three Days Blow Nick was a frustrated young man, and life seemed to be overwhelming him. It seemed as though he desired to get away from conventional society and everything that was around him. In the Big Two-Hearted River, Nick seems to have found happiness and his character is no longer the angry young man he was before.

Nick slipped off his pack and lay down in the shade. He lay on his back and looked up into the pine trees. His neck and back and the small of his back rested as he stretched. The earth felt good against his back. (Hemingway, 137)

Passages like this abound in this story and portray Nick as a man at peace with himself and his environment. So, what has caused this change in Nick's character? Was it simply the passage of time, the new environment he's in, or was it something that has happened to Nick that caused him to change? I believe that the new pristine environment and the absence of others has caused this change. What do you think?

Post per Dan K.

2007-02-05T23:49:00.001-06:00

After reading “Soldier’s Home” I was given a false representation of what it was like for all soldiers coming home from the war. I do believe that many of the soldiers feel a dismembered feeling from the general public, but I also think that many are oriented with some aspects of themselves.

“Seney was burned, the country was burned over and changed, but it did not matter. It could not all be burned” (135).

“[Nick] was happy” (134).

Another thing that I noticed was a sense of direction from Nick, who was made out to be emotionally lost. At first I read it as a geographical sense of direction, but interpreted it to be more.

“He did not need to get his map out. He knew where he was from the position of the river” (135).

“Nick kept his direction by the sun. He knew where he wanted to strike the river and kept on through the pine plain…” (136).

“The sun was nearly down… He knew it could not be more than a mile” (137).

Although Hemingway portrays his characters to be melancholy lost souls, but also hints that some come from the war with direction, is this a clever literary trick by Hemingway to neutralize our feelings about WWI?

Waiting, Wishing, Wanting

2007-02-05T09:34:00.000-06:00

In "Big-Hearted River: Part One" Nick travels to the town of Seney to camp and escape from the world. Sadly, Nick finds that the town has been burnt to the ground. Nick goes through the woods not as a man but as a returning veteran. The town is a metaphor that everything anbout his home, his life is burnt and abandoned.

One of the most important metaphors in the story are the black grasshoppers. Nick spends a great deal of time observing them. These grasshoppers were not black before the town had erupted in fire but now they are. Nick wonders how long they will remain black. The grasshoppers are evident to be metaphors for Nick and his fellow traumatized soldiers. The grasshoppers as well as the soldiers have been hardened from their past and from which there is no escape.

My question as well as Nick's is how long with the grasshoppers [soldiers] stay black? Will they ever be able to shed the misery of the war and see life as a beautiful thing or will they submit to the darkness and simply wait for the end?

The "Fruits" of Society

2007-02-02T16:46:00.000-06:00

In part one of Big Two-Hearted River, the weight of the pack on Nick’s shoulders is mentioned time and time again. It is described as “much too heavy,” and causes pain and soreness in his shoulders.
As Nick tried to escape all the conventions of society to live self-sufficiently off of the land, he couldn’t help but burden himself by bringing the fruits of this convention with him (in cans). It even says (of the canned fruit), “They were better than fresh apricots,” (fresh apricots obviously not having been processed by other people). In this way, Hemingway is saying that man will not strike away completely from society because he will always prefer to bring its “comforts” with him, though they burden him and thus prevent him from experiencing true freedom.

Addendum to Comment requirements

2007-02-02T13:25:00.000-06:00

As long as there are comments for each post, I'm going to reduce the number of comments to 1 per week. So, you will be responsible for either commenting once or posting once (depending on the week).

Let me know if you have questions. I will make the change on the Comment requirements section of this blog.

REVIEW

2007-02-01T14:15:00.000-06:00

This is Prof. Schaub's Review Sheet. I will also hand this out in class:

Irony defined
discussion of difference between a narrator and character
Example: last line of "Indian Camp"
Irony as expression of a relation to social existence

Sarcasm by contrast is a bitter taunt, a cutting gibe

Hemingway's gal: to create "the sequence of motion and fact which made the emotion." Example: "They walked up" par.

As a result, Hemingway tried to create prose full of motion, which means verbs (action) and modification of verbs (adverbial phrases, clauses). Compare first lines of "Chapter II" and 1922 cable.

Discussion of "The Doctor and His Wife"
-- reader must judge for himself/herself the nature of the father and the mother, as well as Dick Bolton and the other Native Americans
-- Thesis statements tendered by members of class:

father's morality comes into question
story concerns both class and race
Bolton's reason for impugning doctor
trying to get out paying for medical care?
resentment at (long ago) loss of trees and land to white man?

WWI was first modern war

machine guns, tanks
airplanes
mustard gas
attacks on civilian populations

Literary Response: relation between war experience and style

animosity toward idealism, abstractions (honor, glory, etc.)
desire to make language fres, concrete, "true"
emphasis upon things, actualities
diminshment or absence of all-knowing narrator

stories begin in the middle of things
lack of explanation, statements of cause

theme of senselessness, not knowing
emphasis on the fundamental, underlying instinctual life

versus veneer of civilization

tone of traumatized indifference, speaker inured to horror

sense of compromise, of complicity
use of irony

Idealism vs Realism

2007-01-30T17:04:00.000-06:00

In the first few selections of In Our Time, Hemingway continually brings up themes relating to idealism. This is highlighted mostly in the the stories about Nick Adams by the serenity of the woods and Nick's persistence in believing that things will get better. Juxtaposed with this are a gruesome cesarean section, the following suicide, and Nick losing the love of his life. It is clear that Nick uses denial and idealism to protect himself from these thoughts. This is shown initially when a young Nick feels confident that he won't die after watching someone else do just that and later when an older Nick tries to rationalize to himself the implications of losing Marjorie. He even goes so far as to delude himself that he could be with her again.

In the stories related to war and not Nick Adams, Hemingway presents a seemingly opposite theme, realism. Events are told exactly as they happen, with little emotional reaction or concern. Killing, famine, and hopelessness are expressed as common, every-day occurrences.

Hemingway is using parallelism to show that the way Nick tried to block out the reality of his situation is very similar to the cold, ultra-realistic tone in the war-time passages. Though idealism tends to look away from the problem and realism directly at it (in a physical sense that is) , when both are taken to the extreme neither can properly understand it. In the case of ultra -realism, it becomes quickly apparent that by sucking out the emotional impact and human element of even the most horrific event can make it seem trivial and insignificant. On the other hand, ultra-idealism overcompensates by looking only at the good sides of things and ignoring the bad. Both are the results of the human brain's self-preservation in that they both prevent negative emotions by either covering them up with good ones (idealism) or stripping out all emotion (realism).

Interpretation of Chapter Intermissions

2007-01-29T18:07:00.000-06:00

A sharp contrast is apparent between the chapter introductions and the following short episodes of each section in Hemingway's In Our Time. When comparing the introductions to the sections in between we see there is a transition from the war time experiences of an as of yet unknown narrator to several instances of family life that seem to revolve around our main character Nick Adams. What kind of effect might you believe Hemingway is trying to have on the reader by using these introductions of detached war-time memories?

A Game or a War?

2007-01-29T16:43:00.000-06:00

“‘There is always more to it than we know about,’ Nick said.
“‘Of course. But we’ve got pretty good dope for being so far away.’” (41)

These two significant lines are from an important dialogue between Nick and his friend Bill on page 41 of “The Three Days Blow,” in which it seems that their conversation about the World Series is a foreshadowing and a metaphor for World War I. These two particular lines are especially important since they capture the theme of ignorance about the war that pervades the book, and although Nick is temporarily “unignorant of his ignorance,” his friend soon squelches this wisdom. Additionally Hemmingway was comparing the attitude of the departing soldiers toward the war to the attitude one would hold toward a game.

One more thing. . .

2007-01-26T16:34:00.000-06:00

If you are confused on how to post, simply go to Blogger after you have clicked on the link in the invitation email. The invitation will help you register with Blogger (and Gmail).

You should receive an invitation to your email account today.

The posts will be on this very website. I will archive my own informational posts once I receive student posts by Tuesday.

Posting Schedule for 316

2007-01-26T11:09:00.000-06:00

1/29: Nick C, Dan S

2/5: Dan K, Nick C
2/12: Meghan G, Dan K, Jake S
2/19: Lindsey B, Jake S
2/26: Seija R, Kristine S

3/5: Heidi L, Meghan G
3/12: Dan S, Dan R, Seija R
3/19: Amber C, Carolyn R, Andy E
3/26: Sammy R, Heidi L

4/9: Kristine S, Sammy R
4/16: Carolyn R, Casey H, Andy E
4/23: Dan R, Casey H
4/30: Lindsey B, Amber C

Posting Schedule for 315

2007-01-26T11:04:00.000-06:00

1/29: Shauna W

2/5: Erin C, Shauna W, Sam J
2/12: Erin C, Heather A, Sarah D
2/19: Andy G, Alex B, Sarah D
2/26: Billy B, Alex B, Ryan B

3/5: Tara H, Mary Kate S, Catherine T
3/12: Tara H, Sarah M, Jana C
3/19: Andy G, Jessica G, Sam J
3/26: Billy B, Mary Kate, Alidz O

4/9: Anthony P, Jessica G, Jana C
4/16: Nicole T, Sarah M, Sona S
4/23: Nicole T, Heather A, Sona S
4/30: Rebekah K, Alidz O, Catherine T

FYI: Writing Center courses on Literary Analysis

2007-01-25T15:27:00.000-06:00

If you are worried about writing literary analysis papers, these courses provided by the Writing Center are free of charge. Registration is found at the Writing Center website:

"Learn how to write a critical analysis paper for your introductory literature classes. Note: The two-meeting classes will explore literary analysis in depth while the one-meeting classes (denoted with an *) will focus on the essentials."

Thursdays 2/1 - 2/8 3:30-5:00
Mondays 2/5 - 2/12 3:30-5:00
Tuesdays 2/6-2/13 3:30-5:00
Wednesday* 2/7 3:00-5:00
Friday* 2/16 1:00-3:00
Thursdays 3/15-3/22 3:30-5:00

For more information on classes like this, please see the Writing Center Classes brochure at the Writing Center.

Welcome to the course blog!

2007-01-14T17:15:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the course blog. You are required to either post or comment each week.

Rules for Writing Posts:

You are required to write a total of 2 posts throughout the semester (excluding week 1, midterm week, spring break, and finals week). I will provide a sign up sheet for the semester.
All posts are due by Tuesday at 5pm.
The post must be on the literary text for the same week. Please review your syllabus to make sure you are commenting on the appropriate text.
Each post must include either questions or comments that will generate discussion in the class.
Try engaging in open ended questions (not easily answered with "yes" or "no"), questions related to a thesis or theme, or questions generated from the reading practices and information provided during lecture.
Do not write posts like, "So, what happened in part X of the novel? . . . I was confused" or "What is the definition of literary term X?" These questions are not discussion generating. Anything you can look up is not of interest here.
Class discussion will be based in part on your posts.
The posts may be used in the future for exam questions, essay topics, and/or quizzes.
These posts are part of your participation grade for discussion each week. However, they do not determine the entire grade.

Rules for Writing Comments:

While posts are discussion generating, comments reflect reactions and responses to these posts.
All comments are due by Friday at 5pm.
You are required to comment on 1 post each week.
You are allowed to comment on anyone's post, even from people who are not in your discussion section.
Click on the comment(s) link at the bottom of the post. Write your comments (word verification may be required).
Please write at least 2-3 sentences in response to someone's comments.
Common sense would indicate that you should maintain a professional tone -- no insults, derogatory statements, etc. Complete sentences will have an impact on my impression of you.
Comments are also part of your discussion grade for each week. However, they do not determine the entire grade.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact me at eyu@wisc.edu. If there are any technical issues with the site (e.g. you are unable to post), please email me your post or comment.

My Syllabus

2006-12-31T17:22:00.000-06:00

Discussion Section Goals:

In my section, you will acquire two principle skills:

· Close Reading: is a set of skills fundamental to analyzing and interpreting texts. Literary scholars use close reading to gain insight into the meanings within a text, oftentimes beyond the interpretations of authorial intent. Throughout the semester, I will assist you with acquiring and practicing this valuable skill.

· Developing Thesis Statements and Arguments: Thesis statements and arguments are essential components of literary analysis. While successful thesis statements focus our ideas succinctly, successful essay argumentation forces us to write logically, persuasively, and concisely. In my section, I will assist you in developing both of these tools.

All of your assignments are designed to improve these two skills. My discussion sections will give you opportunities to practice these skills in groups through a variety of methods. Improving these skills will not only assist you in obtaining a well-rounded liberal arts education but will also assist you in acquiring a strong grade in this course.

Guidelines

Be Prepared: I expect students to come to class prepared for discussion. This includes completed assignments, attending lectures, and active participation. Bring your books, lecture notes, and any questions you may have to class.

Be Punctual: I always begin class on time. Please be punctual and ready to participate at the start of class.

Read the Assignments: The minimum requirements of every assignment will be listed on the assignment sheet.

Turn in Assignments on Time: Students will be expected to turn in all assignments on time. Late work will suffer a severe penalty. If you are aware of an issue concerning a paper’s due date, you must speak with me prior to the due date.

Backup Your Files: Please make multiple backups of your files to ensure that you do not lose your essays or any of your homework assignments.

· Be a Critic, Not a Jerk: The content and conduct of this course involves the exchange of ideas. It is quite possible that at some point you will hear opinions from your classmates with which you don’t agree. I respect each student’s right to her or his beliefs; however, I will not allow behavior or language that is purposefully hostile or violates another student. Criticism must be handled with tact. You are allowed to disagree but appropriately.

· Be Polite, Not Rude: When any student is speaking, you are required to grant that student with respect by paying attention and by allowing the student to speak his/her mind without interruption. The consequence for refusing to follow these rules of decorum is the expulsion from the classroom during that specific period. If you are not willing to listen to others, why should anyone listen to you?

Attendance

All students receive one free absence. More than one absence may have serious consequences towards your discussion section grade. More than 4 absences will result in failure of the course. You will be held responsible for the material that you miss in an absence, so be sure to keep in contact with your fellow classmates.

Free Services for You

· Writing Center: The Writing Center is amazing. It is a free service provided to all university students, and I highly recommend scheduling at least one appointment this semester. The Writing Center can help you conceptualize writing assignments across any curriculum. Please see http://www.wisc.edu/writing/AboutUs/DoForYou.html for more information on what the Writing Center can do for you. Please contact the Writing Center by phone at 263-1992, or in person at Helen C. White room 6171, or online at http://www.wisc.edu/writing/.

· GUTS: The University of Wisconsin also provides a free tutorial service called GUTS. GUTS provides tutorial services for specific courses and teaches study habits. For more information, please see http://guts.studentorg.wisc.edu/index.html or call 263-5666.

· McBurney: Students with disabilities who believe they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact the McBurney Disability Resource Center at 263-2741, online at http://www.mcburney.wisc.edu/, or in person at the W.S. Middleton Building (1305 Linden Drive, Room 1305) as soon as possible to better ensure such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.

Plagiarism

Students who copy from other students, submit the work or ideas of another student/person, paraphrase or submit the ideas of a professional is considered plagiarism. The majority of assignments in this course are designed to discourage and prevent plagiarism. Most students do not plagiarize. However, if there happens to be a temptation or urge at some point to plagiarize, try the following first:

· Learn how to avoid plagiarism and the consequences of plagiarism. This university has a variety of wonderful sources, including:

o http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/QPA_plagiarism.html

o http://www.library.wisc.edu/libraries/WomensStudies/plag.htm

o http://www.wisc.edu/students/amsum.htm

· Contact me first. If you happen to be struggling with a deadline, we may be able to work something out.

· Accept the consequences of not turning in an assignment. These consequences are considerably less punitive than if I catch you plagiarizing.

Consequences of plagiarism can include the following:

· Failure of the assignment and of the course

· A referral to the Dean of Students

· Academic suspension or expulsion

These consequences are relatively mild considering that plagiarism is an abomination. Take this warning seriously! Do not plagiarize!

Important Dates

2006-12-30T14:49:00.000-06:00

March 2^nd (Friday) – First Paper Due (in section)

March 28^th (Wednesday) – Midterm Exam (in lecture)

March 31^st- April 8^th – Spring Break

April 27^th (Friday) – Second Paper Due (in section)

May 17^th (Thursday) – Final Exam (location TBA)

I return papers 2 weeks after the date they are turned in. Final Exam comments are available in the following semester by email request.

Prof. Schaub's Syllabus

2006-12-13T13:01:00.000-06:00

Representing Home: Theme and Variations on an Idea

English 169 is an introduction to 20^th century American literature in several

genres: novels, plays, poetry, and short stories. The course aims to enhance appreciation for a range of literature by teaching concepts and skills basic to literary analysis and

interpretation. Because writing fosters (and requires) thinking, you will have the opportunity to develop your own ideas about the course material in a variety of writing assignments. Since much of your study at the university involves the reading of written texts, this course should have carry-over value for your success in courses in other fields, even though this class is designed specifically as an introduction to the study of modern American literature.

Our lecture series and sections will focus on ideas and performances of “home”—as place of origin and retreat as wells destination and place of final rest, of region and nation, of nature and cosmos. Understood in these ways, “home” becomes an idea at once philosophical, psychological and political. The texts selected for the course show how ideas about “home” appear (or are represented) in culture, as an organizing device of plot, theme, and image, as motivation in character, and as a significant background or scene. As this sketch suggests, “home” is a vital figure or trope for our lives and one in which each of us has a stake.

Requirements

Assigned reading completed prior to lecture

Regular attendance at lectures and section meetings

In section: active participation in discussion 20%

Two papers: one short, one longer 15% and 25%

Midterm 20%

Final Exam 20%

Require Reading

Ernest Hemingway: In Our Time

William Faulker: The Sound and the Fury

Richard Wright: Native Son

Lorraine Hansberry: Raisin in the Sun

Philip Roth: Goodbye, Columbus

Fae Myenne Ng: Bone

January 22 M Introduction

THE MODERNIST HOME

24 W Ernest Hemingway: In Our Time (1925)

“On the Quai at Smyrna”

“Indian Camp”

29 M “Chapter II,” “The Doctor and the Doctor’s Wife”

“The End of Something,” and “Three-Day Blow”

31 W “Soldier’s Home”

February 5 M “Big Two-Hearted River” Parts I and II

7 W William Faulkner: The Sound and the Fury (1929)

“April Seventh, 1928”

12 M “April Seventh, 1928”

14 W “June Second, 1910”

19 M “June Second, 1910”

21 W *Finish Quentin section/begin Jason chapter (ie tomorrow)*

26 M *Jason and Chapter 4*”

28 W *Finish Sound and the Fury*

HOME AND RACE AT MID-CENTURY

* *

*March* 5 M Richard Wright: Native Son (1940)

“Fear”

7 W “Fear” and “Flight” pp 97-116

12 M “Flight”

14 W “Fate” and "How Bigger Was Born" 433-62

19 M Lorraine Hansberry: Raisin in the Sun (1958), Act One

21 W Act Two and Act Three

26 M Finish Raisin and discuss Mid-term

28 W *Midterm*

* Spring Break March 31-April 8*

MOVIN’ ON UP

April 9 M Philip Roth: Goodbye, Columbus (1959)

11 W Goodbye, Columbus

THE SELF IN THE WAR AT HOME

16 M W. S. Merwin: “The Asians Dying” (from The Lice, 1967)

Yusef Komunyakaa: from Dien Cai Dau (1988)

18 W Robert Lowell: “Waking Early Sunday Morning” (1967)

HOME AND NATURE

23 M Scott Momaday: House Made of Dawn

25 W House Made of Dawn

30 M House Made of Dawn

THE HYBRID HOME: IMMIGRATION

May 2 W Fae Myenne Ng: Bone (1993)

7 M Bone

9 W Bone

May Final Examination