In this story, I think Mansfield is saying that only the child saw how her family got so caught up in their own party, that they overlooked the suffering of someone who was right on their doorstep. We so quickly fall into the extravagance of our own lives, that we overlook the struggles of others. And when we do finally venture into the middle of someone else's world and issues, we realize that all the pomp and ritual we were putting into our own lives is worthless compared to the simplicity of life's joys and sorrows.
Mansfield employs great description of the extravagance of the garden party, the reactions of Laura's family to her concern, and Laura's change of heart throughout the story to make her point very clearly. Seeing how much work the family put into this party, and how they reacted to Laura when she was concerned, really made me see what I saw in this work.
My response got to the outlying point of this essay, but it more just scratched the surface of the actual story, rather than going deep into the subtext of it. I think this is partly because of my level of mental exhaustion at the moment.
The comparison of Laura to Persiphone adds a huge level of comprehension and appreciation to the story for me. First off, it blows my mind how the story fits so well together. And the way it connects to the mythology really makes me appreciate intertextuality even more. It shows me that issues and coming of age scenarios span the gap of time. Something from Ancient times and something from modern day can bridge the gap so easily. Mansfield's story takes on new meaning as a coming of age archetype of life, death, and maturity.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
HTRLLAP: ...And Rarely Just Illness
When I ponder the principles of governing the use of disease in literature my mind immediately jumps to not first a book, but a movie. Moulin Rouge.
*Spoiler Alert!!!!!!*
The main character of Moulin Rouge, Satine dies of the picturesque disease, according to Foster, TB. After reading all of the principles foster lists in this chapter, I find that Satine's life, death, and disease all completely fit the principles to a T.
Throughout the movie, we see Satine's disease progress little by little. First a cough, then coughing up small bits of blood, all the while Satine is composed, dainty, and yes, picturesque. She never loses herself completely. The disease slowly eats away at her body. But instead of creating an ugly exterior, she stays beautiful, while her insides slowly start to turn on themselves.
Staine's death from Tuberculosis fits into the story with a strong metaphorical implication. Her lifestyle of prostitution can be interpreted to wear away at one's physical and mental well-being, while her disease wears away at her physical health. While Satine chooses to sell her body to the night, she is involuntarily losing her body to TB. Wow look, an archetype.
This affects the plot and symbolism. Christian is so madly in love with Satine, but he is losing her to her lifestyle of prostitution. They cant have a monogamous relationship for obvious reasons. So he can't have her completely on a sexual level. Satine considers giving up this lifestyle for Christian, only to be convinced by her "pimp" that it would hurt Christian more to have her, then have her only to die later from TB. The disease sets up the perfect framework for this romantic tragedy.
The main character of Moulin Rouge, Satine dies of the picturesque disease, according to Foster, TB. After reading all of the principles foster lists in this chapter, I find that Satine's life, death, and disease all completely fit the principles to a T.
Throughout the movie, we see Satine's disease progress little by little. First a cough, then coughing up small bits of blood, all the while Satine is composed, dainty, and yes, picturesque. She never loses herself completely. The disease slowly eats away at her body. But instead of creating an ugly exterior, she stays beautiful, while her insides slowly start to turn on themselves.
Staine's death from Tuberculosis fits into the story with a strong metaphorical implication. Her lifestyle of prostitution can be interpreted to wear away at one's physical and mental well-being, while her disease wears away at her physical health. While Satine chooses to sell her body to the night, she is involuntarily losing her body to TB. Wow look, an archetype.
This affects the plot and symbolism. Christian is so madly in love with Satine, but he is losing her to her lifestyle of prostitution. They cant have a monogamous relationship for obvious reasons. So he can't have her completely on a sexual level. Satine considers giving up this lifestyle for Christian, only to be convinced by her "pimp" that it would hurt Christian more to have her, then have her only to die later from TB. The disease sets up the perfect framework for this romantic tragedy.
HTRLLAP: ...One Story
An archetype is basically just a fancy word for a pattern. When I think of an archetype I think of a text message template. A basic plot line of something to say, which can be edited to contain more, or less information.
The first archetype I can think of is probably the most common one of all. That of a weak being defeating an evil being, then said evil being coming back, and being hell-bent on destroying all good in the entire world.
My mind immediately jumps to Harry Potter when I think of this archetype. Harry as a young baby defeats Voldemort, killing him. Harry grows up, Voldemort returns, tries to kill Harry, Harry kills him. The end, happy hugs tears, yippee.
I can think of many other places this archetype is used, the Lord of the Rings for example. We are all familiar with the story. Evil defeated, evil comes back, good destroys evil.
Archetypes, very interesting, impossible to escape. My mind has officially been blown.
The first archetype I can think of is probably the most common one of all. That of a weak being defeating an evil being, then said evil being coming back, and being hell-bent on destroying all good in the entire world.
My mind immediately jumps to Harry Potter when I think of this archetype. Harry as a young baby defeats Voldemort, killing him. Harry grows up, Voldemort returns, tries to kill Harry, Harry kills him. The end, happy hugs tears, yippee.
I can think of many other places this archetype is used, the Lord of the Rings for example. We are all familiar with the story. Evil defeated, evil comes back, good destroys evil.
Archetypes, very interesting, impossible to escape. My mind has officially been blown.
Monday, July 18, 2011
HTRLLAP: ...Except the Sex
*Contains Spoilers!!*
In the movie Stardust, the main characters Tristan and Yvaine stay together at an inn right outside of Tristan's hometown. There is a scene where Yvaine is bathing, then Tristan comes in, and the scene cuts to the next morning where she is laying in bed, and the other side is empty, where obviously Tristan ended up sleeping the night before.
The implied sex between these two greatly affects the plot, as it solidifies their romance and love for each other. The movie started out with Tristan going to collect a star for his "love," and the implied sex shows the complete shift from a quest for Tristan's "love," to him falling in love with the object of his quest.
This scene also shows viewers the shift in Yvaine's mindset to loving Tristan. At first, her only desire was to return to the sky, from where she fell down to this earth. But this scene indicates her shift from a desire to go "home," to stay with Tristan, and keep this love that she has found.
Even though the sex in this case wasn't explicitly described or shown, it clearly affected the characterization of Tristan and Yvaine by signifying the drastic, unexpected shifts for each of them in their mindsets, and goals for the rest of the movie.
HTRLLAP: She's a Christ Figure Too
In The Hunger Games saga by Suzanne Collins, Katniss Everdeen most definitely fits the criterea of a Christ figure.
Katniss fits the following of the "Christ" criterea
1) She has been tempted by the "devil," and confronted said devil (president Snow): Katniss has been confronted several times in the books by a very prominent and obvious devil figure. President Snow is in control of the country of Panem, and has threatened, tempted, and hurt Katniss, and her family
2) In agony (friends and family killed, home destroyed): President Snow ordered Katniss's home, District 12, to be destroyed, and most of the people Katniss grew up with and loved were killed in this mass destruction of her home.
3) Spent time alone in the wilderness (hunting, hiding out with the resistance): In the first book Katniss spent time in the forbidden woods with Gale, her long-time childhood friend, and often went there for time alone to gather herself and be one with the woods.
4) Last seen in the company of theives (the resistance): Katniss became the figurehead of the Resistance to the Capital, and an unwilling figurehead at that (another feature of a Christ figure), and she was portrayed as the ideal resistance fighter, and she stayed with the resistance, known by everyone in the Capital, who didn't know the real truth about them, as theives.
Even though Katniss doesn't fit every criteria of being Christ, she fits the definition of being a Christ figure very easily.
*Contains Spoilers!!!*
Katniss fits the following of the "Christ" criterea
1) She has been tempted by the "devil," and confronted said devil (president Snow): Katniss has been confronted several times in the books by a very prominent and obvious devil figure. President Snow is in control of the country of Panem, and has threatened, tempted, and hurt Katniss, and her family
2) In agony (friends and family killed, home destroyed): President Snow ordered Katniss's home, District 12, to be destroyed, and most of the people Katniss grew up with and loved were killed in this mass destruction of her home.
3) Spent time alone in the wilderness (hunting, hiding out with the resistance): In the first book Katniss spent time in the forbidden woods with Gale, her long-time childhood friend, and often went there for time alone to gather herself and be one with the woods.
4) Last seen in the company of theives (the resistance): Katniss became the figurehead of the Resistance to the Capital, and an unwilling figurehead at that (another feature of a Christ figure), and she was portrayed as the ideal resistance fighter, and she stayed with the resistance, known by everyone in the Capital, who didn't know the real truth about them, as theives.
Even though Katniss doesn't fit every criteria of being Christ, she fits the definition of being a Christ figure very easily.
HTRLLAP: It's More Than Just Rain or Snow
In Natalie Babbit's Tuck Everlasting, weather plays a huge symbolic role. The weather in the novel symbolizes the life-forces of those who inhabit each area. When Winnie is stuck at home, yearning for something different from the monotony of her plain life, the sun is beating down on her back, the weather symbolizes discomfort, and a long for change. Sun often symbolizes exhaustion, and Winnie is very much exhausted of her life behind the fence.
When Winnie meets the Tucks, she enters a world with a climate much like that of the lives of the family. Constant, vibrant, warm, and full of life. The sun is warm, but not too warm, the weather stays in a constant state of equlibrium, never becoming unpleasant, much like the Tuck's, never growing old.
Finally, on the last evening the weather is dark, rainy, and gloomy, which symbolizes the bleakness of the situation. The Tuck's secret may be discovered, but at the same time, the rain is washing away the whole situation, a renewing of Winnie's spirit for life, a time-limited life, as we see in the later part of the book.
When Winnie meets the Tucks, she enters a world with a climate much like that of the lives of the family. Constant, vibrant, warm, and full of life. The sun is warm, but not too warm, the weather stays in a constant state of equlibrium, never becoming unpleasant, much like the Tuck's, never growing old.
Finally, on the last evening the weather is dark, rainy, and gloomy, which symbolizes the bleakness of the situation. The Tuck's secret may be discovered, but at the same time, the rain is washing away the whole situation, a renewing of Winnie's spirit for life, a time-limited life, as we see in the later part of the book.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
HTRLLAP: ...Or the Bible
The Bible, next to Shakespeare, probably the most alluded to work ever published on planet earth. When I think about Biblical connections in literary works, the first name that comes to mind is a name that I have held dear to my heart in childhood and adolescence, C.S. Lewis. Never has an author so flawlessly woven in biblical concepts, stories, and ideals to a work and still captured the hearts and minds of readers a world over.
I was read the Narnia books as a child at bedtime as far back as I can remember. I always wanted to hear the The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Why? Some may say because of the high publicity of that book as the flagship for Lewis's Narnia series, I know the reason for my love of the book. This book retell's the Bible's most famous and amazing stories almost exactly. The story of Jesus, laying down his life for us, sinners, who have screwed up royally, to save our souls. And just when readers think the story is over, sin has won, He rises again, conquering death and shining His light for the world to see.
Change the name Jesus to Aslan, sinners to Edmund, and sin to the white witch. You have The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Reading this book as a child, and seeing the biblical allusions I truly believe really helped teach me the morals and messages of the Bible in a way that I could relate to even more at that age. A fantasy story. When I go back on the Narnia books, I can't help but see more and more of Lewis's genius in his writing, and these books will always have a dear place in my heart as to how even in the darkest and coldest places, Jesus will conquer our fears, and get us through our trials, to make something new, and beautiful.
HTRLLAP: The deep intertextuality of it all...
We as readers always have the tendency to wonder at the astounding creativity and originality of authors, or at least we did. Without a doubt, authors are still master storytellers, but Foster makes clear in chapter five of How to Read Literature Like a Professor that authors, like everyone else, pull details, plots, and story lines of past "greats" to make a whole new work of literature, a masterpiece in itself. The technical name of this art is intertextuality, or the ongoing interaction between poems and stories which brings multiple layers of meaning to the text, some of which readers may not even consciously notice.
One of the main examples intertextuality that pops into my mind is Shakespeare's tragic love story, Romeo and Juliet. Boy meets girl, boy likes girl, parent's don't see eye to eye, boy and girl plan escape, confusion, tragedy, death/separation. When put in these simple terms, this has become the standard plotline of almost every tragic romance published to this day.
Another work that is very frequently referenced is Tolkien. Almost every story of overcoming one's own evil self for the greater good of the whole can be linked back to Tolkien's works.
Another work that is very frequently referenced is Tolkien. Almost every story of overcoming one's own evil self for the greater good of the whole can be linked back to Tolkien's works.
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