FLASHBACKS
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?
7 comments:
I think there's no arguing about it, there are definite modernist elements about House Made of Dawn. The flashbacks and time shifts are reminiscent of Faulkner. The writing, as mentioned, is reflective of Hemingway. Some of the story moments, the bluntness and the colliding of separate worlds, also make me think of modernist style. There are a few parts of the story that I think demonstrate the 'iceberg' reading approach, where there's more being said than is being spoken.
I support that the House Made of Dawn shows modernist characteristics. I believe that the flashbacks, such as Benjy's in The Sound and the Fury, support this. I also believe that Momaday's short, undetailed sentences, such as Hemingway's, prove this theory to be correct. In the two paragraphs we compared in class the iceberg approach was definitely viewed.
I also agree that House Made of Dawn is consistent with most other works considered to be modernist. I find myself constantly reminded of Hemingway's seemingly detached emotional style when reading House Made of Dawn.
I also think that there are definite aspects of the modernist style in the writing of this book. Althought it is quite descriptive is evokes feelings of Hemingway during certain points of the novel. Mainly when talking about people and their role in life. It is not for everyone.
I agree that there are many modern aspects of House Made of Dawn. The flashbacks that are triggered by certain feelings or objects are reminiscent of Faulkner, and the somewhat vague storytelling are similar to Hemingway and his iceberg theory.
I belived Momaday's novel has aspects of the modern writing. Like others, flashbacks remind me of Faulker's writing which he follow stream of conciousness.
Momaday's writing also reflects Hemingway's writing style which indicates modernists' thought and style.
I agree that House Made of Dawn contains aspects of modernist writing. The symbolism of the sexual attraction that Angela St. John feels for Abel as he is cutting wood shows Momaday's use of indirectly portraying a deeper message with vivid imagery. This symbolism similar to the image of Caddy's muddy trunks in The Sound and the Fury representing her sexual curiosity. The use of the pastor's journal to introduce the birth and back story of Juan Reyes is also a unique form of perspective, another characteristic typical of the modernist style. We have also encountered writing similar to this example in Native Son when Bigger is given an outside perspective of his crimes as he reads the city newspaper during his hiding.
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