I had seen this movie before but had forgotten many of the details. Ofelia's fantasy doesn't exist in the world of adults. At the end we see the two worlds clashing when the commander comes after her in the labyrinth. He cannot see the faun she is talking to because he does not have the faith that comes with youth an innocence to believe in anything so fantastic.
Whenever things get too unpleasant in the "real" world, Ofelia retreats into her fantasy, but as far as she is concerned the two are connected and equally real. After several tests of cunning, bravery and character, Ofelia is brought back to her rightful world in death. Her loyalty to her mother and brother in reality results in her eventual return to her fantasy family.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Run Lola Run
The repetition of the story in Run Lola Run was interesting because the viewer thinks they know what is going to happen next but each time, the story changes slightly, resulting in an entirely different ending. The final ending (I don't know whether it was the true ending or not) was the typical "happy" ending because not only does nobody die, but they manage to pay the man off and are 100,000 marx richer.
The "mythic/fictional" aspect of the story comes in when Lola manipulates time by screaming and shattering glass. Mannie turns to her for answers at the beginning and this gives the viewer the impression that Lola is the problem solver of the relationship. She finds ways out of tight situations, by tweaking the circumstances. It seems she tries all available possibilities for how the story could go and then settles on the one that has the most desirable outcome.
The "mythic/fictional" aspect of the story comes in when Lola manipulates time by screaming and shattering glass. Mannie turns to her for answers at the beginning and this gives the viewer the impression that Lola is the problem solver of the relationship. She finds ways out of tight situations, by tweaking the circumstances. It seems she tries all available possibilities for how the story could go and then settles on the one that has the most desirable outcome.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
The Ogre Day II
I think Tournier accurately depicts how soldiers or anyone involved in war must find a way to detach themselves from it in order not to go crazy. They find little hobbies that often turn into obsessions because they serve as an escape from the horrors of war. For the Colonel Puyjalon, it was gardening and his "worst fear was having to change sector before he could pick his young carrots and peas." It is somewhat humors that a colonel's worst fear should be concerning his garden and not the lives of his squadron. For Bertold, and by extension Tiffauges, the pigeons are their escape and comrades during the war. Tiffauge detaches himself to the extent where it seems he's hardly aware or conscious of the war raging around him. "This war, the "phony war" as it was called at the time into which they'd all been hurled pell-mell and in which they stared at each other in jovial or peevish bewilderment as the case might be, was his thing, his personal affair, even though it frightened him and was infinitely beyond him." (140) After re-reading that quote I would say I'm probably wrong about his being "unconscious" of the war, but he certainly does his best to separate himself from it as all soldiers do.
I was nothing short of horrified when I read that they had cooked three of Tiffauges's pigeons. It was incredibly sad and I was surprised that Tiffauges didn't react in any way other than to sit in a corner and brood. I was even more surprised to find him feeling that he should be the one to eat them. Were they my pets, not only would I not be able to even imagine eating them myself, I would prevent others from eating them too, even if they were already cooked.
I was going to say that his indifference is surprising but I don't think it is necessarily indifference because he does care and is upset at the death of his birds. But he has a certain detachment from the situation. Or else he has become so introverted because of being treated with disdain by others for his whole life (with the exception of Nestor) that even in times of sever emotional distress he does not act out or draw attention to himself. This part was really upsetting but also I suppose to be expected because it is a war and when food is scarce animals, even pets have to be sacrificed but it still was unnerving.
I was nothing short of horrified when I read that they had cooked three of Tiffauges's pigeons. It was incredibly sad and I was surprised that Tiffauges didn't react in any way other than to sit in a corner and brood. I was even more surprised to find him feeling that he should be the one to eat them. Were they my pets, not only would I not be able to even imagine eating them myself, I would prevent others from eating them too, even if they were already cooked.
I was going to say that his indifference is surprising but I don't think it is necessarily indifference because he does care and is upset at the death of his birds. But he has a certain detachment from the situation. Or else he has become so introverted because of being treated with disdain by others for his whole life (with the exception of Nestor) that even in times of sever emotional distress he does not act out or draw attention to himself. This part was really upsetting but also I suppose to be expected because it is a war and when food is scarce animals, even pets have to be sacrificed but it still was unnerving.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
The Ogre Day I
2. Why is part one written as a diary? Why does he call these his "sinister writings"? What might this imply?
Abel says that he writes in his diary because he is "at a crossroads". "To a certain extent I'm counting on this diary to help me escape from the garage and the paltry preoccupations that keep me here. And, in a sense, from myself." A diary is a way to get one's thoughts out, espcially those thoughts which we fear may not be accepted by others/society. He calls them his "sinister writings" because, as he believes himself to be monsterous, perhaps he believes his writings to be equally monsterous. Though he defines a monster as "...something that is shown, pointed at, exhibited at fairs, and so on..."and in theory a diary should be the opposite of that, something that no one sees. But then we the readers are seeing his diary and pointing at it and disecting it so maybe it is a monster.
3. On page 5 Abel writes "All is sign." What do you think he means by this based on what you have thus read?
Abel seems to be very supersticious. He feels that all things have meaning, even if we don't necessarily notice them. The quote at the beginning of the novel by Flaubert describes this well: "To find something interesting, you merely have to look at it long enough." Abel makes a very interesting comment about how people worry about death or rather what happens after death but not what happens before birth. Most people would say that there is nothing that effects you before you are born but as Abel puts it, "The heretofore is just as important as the hereafter, especially as it probably holds the key to it."
I think the fact that he writes well and differently with his left hand indicates two things; on a more literal level that he may have been left handed and when he went to St. Christopher's they forced him to learn with his left and on a more figurative level that maybe the person he is on the outside does not reflect who he truly is on the inside. He works in a garage and is called a monster, but is he really? Just my speculations...
Abel says that he writes in his diary because he is "at a crossroads". "To a certain extent I'm counting on this diary to help me escape from the garage and the paltry preoccupations that keep me here. And, in a sense, from myself." A diary is a way to get one's thoughts out, espcially those thoughts which we fear may not be accepted by others/society. He calls them his "sinister writings" because, as he believes himself to be monsterous, perhaps he believes his writings to be equally monsterous. Though he defines a monster as "...something that is shown, pointed at, exhibited at fairs, and so on..."and in theory a diary should be the opposite of that, something that no one sees. But then we the readers are seeing his diary and pointing at it and disecting it so maybe it is a monster.
3. On page 5 Abel writes "All is sign." What do you think he means by this based on what you have thus read?
Abel seems to be very supersticious. He feels that all things have meaning, even if we don't necessarily notice them. The quote at the beginning of the novel by Flaubert describes this well: "To find something interesting, you merely have to look at it long enough." Abel makes a very interesting comment about how people worry about death or rather what happens after death but not what happens before birth. Most people would say that there is nothing that effects you before you are born but as Abel puts it, "The heretofore is just as important as the hereafter, especially as it probably holds the key to it."
I think the fact that he writes well and differently with his left hand indicates two things; on a more literal level that he may have been left handed and when he went to St. Christopher's they forced him to learn with his left and on a more figurative level that maybe the person he is on the outside does not reflect who he truly is on the inside. He works in a garage and is called a monster, but is he really? Just my speculations...
Thursday, April 8, 2010
100 Hundred Years Of Solitude XVI-XX
The flood called on by Mr. Brown during the time of the banana massacre contributed to the theme of memory loss in the novel. During all the rain, all of Macondo forgot about the victims of the massacre or even that it had ever happened. Like the flood in the Bible, which was meant to erase the majority of the human race for having become corrupted, the flood in Macondo worked to erase the people's memories, to continue the cyclical rotation of time. The rain causes Ursula to loose track of the time and she begins to travel through her memory reliving distant times.
Pilar Ternera survives through out the novel because she and her cards serve as a reminder of the past (and future). She does not seem to suffer from the same amnesia that the rest of the town, even Ursula lapse into every so often. Her role really only resurfaces when people go to her for guidance, because the cards serve as the last resort for those who are frantically trying to survive in the doomed town. Though she is portrayed as a mystic, her cards are generally correct to a certain extent and add to the magic-realism of the story.
Pilar Ternera survives through out the novel because she and her cards serve as a reminder of the past (and future). She does not seem to suffer from the same amnesia that the rest of the town, even Ursula lapse into every so often. Her role really only resurfaces when people go to her for guidance, because the cards serve as the last resort for those who are frantically trying to survive in the doomed town. Though she is portrayed as a mystic, her cards are generally correct to a certain extent and add to the magic-realism of the story.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
100 Years of Solitude XI-XV
Fernanda is significant to the story because she is one of the "outsiders" who enters the family, though she is not truly part of the family to Ursula's dismay because she has such rigid religious rules that she tries to force the family to abide by. She is preferable over Petra because of the integrity that Ursula is trying to preserve in the family. This is part of the introspection that all the children seem to have resulting in incest etc. Though she is very different from the rest of the family, at least she is respectable and honorable and therefore can be expected to maintain the families "good" name. Before Aureliano Segundo finds out how up tight she is, he chased after her. "With the fierce temerity with which Jose Arcadio Buendia had crossed the moutnains to found Macondo, with the blind pride with which Colonel Aureliano Buendia had undertaken his fruitless wars, with the mad tenacity with which Ursula watched over the survival of the line, Aureliano Segundo looked for Fernanda, without a single moment of respite."
I think the rediscovery of Rebeca and her refusal to return to the family means that she will be the one who maintains the 100 years of solitude and will be able to read Melquiades' manuscripts. The Aurelianos who do not understand the complicated history of the family try to coax her out and renovate the outside of her house but she would still not be moved. "Aureliano Segundo decided that they would have to bring her to the house and take care of her, but his good intentions were frustrated by the firm intransigence of Rebeca, who had needed many years of suffering and misery in order to attain the privileges of solitude and who was not disposed to renounce them in exchange for an old age disturbed by the false attractions of charity."
I think the rediscovery of Rebeca and her refusal to return to the family means that she will be the one who maintains the 100 years of solitude and will be able to read Melquiades' manuscripts. The Aurelianos who do not understand the complicated history of the family try to coax her out and renovate the outside of her house but she would still not be moved. "Aureliano Segundo decided that they would have to bring her to the house and take care of her, but his good intentions were frustrated by the firm intransigence of Rebeca, who had needed many years of suffering and misery in order to attain the privileges of solitude and who was not disposed to renounce them in exchange for an old age disturbed by the false attractions of charity."
Thursday, April 1, 2010
One Hundred Years of Solitude: VI-X
It is interesting and sad how all of Ursula's sons ultimately become corrupted and loose their integrity. Ursula notices this herself when Colonel Aureliano Buendia becomes a recluse and comes home "only to change his clothes". "They're all alike...at first they behave very well, they're obedient and prompt and they don't seem capable of killing a fly, but as soon as their beards appear they to ruin." (156) Though this transformation is seen in all her sons I think the greatest loss is that of Jose Aureliano because he always seemed to me to be the son with the most sense and reserve. But war changes him into a man who is unrecognizable to those he used to love. Ursula feels that her son is an "impostor" and notes sadly that "he looks like a man capable of anything." (160) He indeed proves that he is capable of anything, even ordering his best friend to be shot because he dared disagree with him. Though he does not follow through with the murder, Colonel Gerineldo Marquez warns him, "watch out for your heart, Aureliano...You're rotting alive." I think this accurately describes what is happening to Aureliano. He has lost his soul. He has "ended up as bad as they are"(163) they being the enemy Conservatives. Ursula grows angry when she hears that he plans to kill Marquez, "It's the same as if you'd been born with the tail of a pig" she says. He has been reduced to something less than human.
I feel that the cause of this theme of corruption occurs when the characters reach puberty and become led more by their emotions and hormones than by logic or reason . After the death of his love Remedios, Aureliano does not fall in love again like so many other characters, but turns to only the physical pleasure of women, siring 17 sons all by different women but never settling down or loving again. "The countless women he had known on thee desert of love and who had spread his seed all along the coast had left no trace in his feelings. Most of them had come into his room in the dark and had left before dawn, and on the following day they were nothing but a touch of fatigue in his bodily memory." (178) Even his memory of Remedios begins to fade into a "hazy image of someone who might have been his daughter." (178)
This change with puberty may be why there are so many instances of characters "falling in love with" others who are so much younger and more "pure" than themselves.
I feel that the cause of this theme of corruption occurs when the characters reach puberty and become led more by their emotions and hormones than by logic or reason . After the death of his love Remedios, Aureliano does not fall in love again like so many other characters, but turns to only the physical pleasure of women, siring 17 sons all by different women but never settling down or loving again. "The countless women he had known on thee desert of love and who had spread his seed all along the coast had left no trace in his feelings. Most of them had come into his room in the dark and had left before dawn, and on the following day they were nothing but a touch of fatigue in his bodily memory." (178) Even his memory of Remedios begins to fade into a "hazy image of someone who might have been his daughter." (178)
This change with puberty may be why there are so many instances of characters "falling in love with" others who are so much younger and more "pure" than themselves.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
100 Years of Solitude
Melquiades:
The gypsy Melquiades is an interesting character because he didn't seem to fit the stereotype of a gypsy. People generally have a distrust of gypsies because they usually play the roll of the mystic and are supposedly known for stealing and lying. They are nomads who often make their money by entertaining as the second group of gyspies in 100 Years of Solitude do. They amaze their audience with things they've never seen before and tricks which appear to be magic. However Melquiades appears to be the opposite. He still makes his living by bringing incredible, unheard of inventions for sale to Macondo but he is honest and tries to warn Jose Arcadio Buendia every time he comes up with a far fetched idea for how these inventions will help make him rich. Melquiades seems to me to be the voice of reason, a stoic character who is there to guide Jose Arcadio Buendia as he can.
Theme of Mysticism
I was confused by the blurring of reality and fiction within the novel because the village and the people all seem to be "realistic" until random acts of what appears to be magic occur. The strange thing is that they take it all in stride and as a result are very superstitious. The youngest son predicts Ursula's stew spilling and the pot moves of its own accord to the edge of the table. The Armenian gypsy apparently melts into a puddle with his special 'invisibility potion'. The reader hears about all the impossible products the gypsy's present, but does not expect them to actually work. I expected the magic carpet to be a hoax, all smoke and mirrors, but Jose Arcadio Buendia watches it float past his window and pays almost no attention. I never know what to expect now, or when something inexplicable or magical happens.
The gypsy Melquiades is an interesting character because he didn't seem to fit the stereotype of a gypsy. People generally have a distrust of gypsies because they usually play the roll of the mystic and are supposedly known for stealing and lying. They are nomads who often make their money by entertaining as the second group of gyspies in 100 Years of Solitude do. They amaze their audience with things they've never seen before and tricks which appear to be magic. However Melquiades appears to be the opposite. He still makes his living by bringing incredible, unheard of inventions for sale to Macondo but he is honest and tries to warn Jose Arcadio Buendia every time he comes up with a far fetched idea for how these inventions will help make him rich. Melquiades seems to me to be the voice of reason, a stoic character who is there to guide Jose Arcadio Buendia as he can.
Theme of Mysticism
I was confused by the blurring of reality and fiction within the novel because the village and the people all seem to be "realistic" until random acts of what appears to be magic occur. The strange thing is that they take it all in stride and as a result are very superstitious. The youngest son predicts Ursula's stew spilling and the pot moves of its own accord to the edge of the table. The Armenian gypsy apparently melts into a puddle with his special 'invisibility potion'. The reader hears about all the impossible products the gypsy's present, but does not expect them to actually work. I expected the magic carpet to be a hoax, all smoke and mirrors, but Jose Arcadio Buendia watches it float past his window and pays almost no attention. I never know what to expect now, or when something inexplicable or magical happens.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Grimm Fairy Tales II
The Tale of One Who Traveled etc I found to be very strange because really the only thing that saved him from all the horrors he faced was his own ignorance. His stupidity made him fearless which usually would end in disaster but in these cases, where he sought out something to scare him or make him "shiver" it was to his advantage. All of the terrors in the haunted castle were violent and intended to harm him but his inability to be frightened combined with brute strength made him invincible. In the end the thing which made him shiver was not fear from violence but the unpleasant feeling of cold water and slimy fish. The theme of violence was rather unconventional here because it did not receive the expected reaction.
I didn't really understand the two stories about Thumbling. There was a lot of "violence" in that he was continually being swallowed by various animals, though he never sustained any injuries. But the stories didn't seem to have any purpose other than to prove his cunning and bravery. Personally if I was trapped in a cow that was being cleaved to bits, I'd be a little upset. But all of these indirect acts of violence seem to serve the purpose of making Thumbling appear to be brave and maybe to show that even though he is smaller than normal, he is still courageous and shouldn't be taken for granted. It could be viewed as a lesson to not judge those who are different from us. Or it could just be a bizarre story. I also didn't really understand why the two stories were so similar. Twice he gets caught in a cow's belly and the cow is killed for being "possessed by evil spirits".
I didn't really understand the two stories about Thumbling. There was a lot of "violence" in that he was continually being swallowed by various animals, though he never sustained any injuries. But the stories didn't seem to have any purpose other than to prove his cunning and bravery. Personally if I was trapped in a cow that was being cleaved to bits, I'd be a little upset. But all of these indirect acts of violence seem to serve the purpose of making Thumbling appear to be brave and maybe to show that even though he is smaller than normal, he is still courageous and shouldn't be taken for granted. It could be viewed as a lesson to not judge those who are different from us. Or it could just be a bizarre story. I also didn't really understand why the two stories were so similar. Twice he gets caught in a cow's belly and the cow is killed for being "possessed by evil spirits".
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Grimm's Fairy Tales Day 1
Fairy Tales, like most children's stories, serve the purpose of entertaining the children as well as teaching lessons. The particularly gruesome stories such as the Handless Maiden or The Robber Bridegroom are intended to strike fear into children and compel them to behave properly. Though neither female characters in these stories ever did anything wrong, their purity and innocence is what prevented them from being chopped to little pieces or taken away by "Evil" men.
There is a very bold line between "good" and "evil" in these fairy tales. They are structured this way partly because in a child's mind, everything is very black and white. It is easy for them to understand the concept of good and evil. They are taught that if they behave badly they will be punished and that only by behaving well can they combat works of evil. The Handless Maiden was kept safe from the evil man because her water and tears washed her "clean". This cleanliness is a sign of her purity and shows that she is a "good" person. By being "good" she is protected from evil.
Her father is less strong and cuts off her hands for fear for his own life. The violence in this case is not so much a lesson on how to behave as it is an example of how giving in to evil results in tragedy. If children are taught to associate violence with evil they will hopefully be inclined to act properly and be "good".
These stories have become so universally known because they are simple stories which appeal to children everywhere. Children are more or less the same world wide. Aside from different upbringings, they think in relatively the same manner. They are usually easily entertained and like to reread the same stories over and over. They like knowing the ending to their favorite stories. All of the Grimm Fairy Tales have happy endings which is also appealing to children. Though they wrap themselves up quickly and have resolutions that don't necessarily make sense, children around the world enjoy them.
There is a very bold line between "good" and "evil" in these fairy tales. They are structured this way partly because in a child's mind, everything is very black and white. It is easy for them to understand the concept of good and evil. They are taught that if they behave badly they will be punished and that only by behaving well can they combat works of evil. The Handless Maiden was kept safe from the evil man because her water and tears washed her "clean". This cleanliness is a sign of her purity and shows that she is a "good" person. By being "good" she is protected from evil.
Her father is less strong and cuts off her hands for fear for his own life. The violence in this case is not so much a lesson on how to behave as it is an example of how giving in to evil results in tragedy. If children are taught to associate violence with evil they will hopefully be inclined to act properly and be "good".
These stories have become so universally known because they are simple stories which appeal to children everywhere. Children are more or less the same world wide. Aside from different upbringings, they think in relatively the same manner. They are usually easily entertained and like to reread the same stories over and over. They like knowing the ending to their favorite stories. All of the Grimm Fairy Tales have happy endings which is also appealing to children. Though they wrap themselves up quickly and have resolutions that don't necessarily make sense, children around the world enjoy them.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Don Quixote: End of Part I
I don't think that Don Quixote has become completely un-quixoticized by the end of part one because as Cervantes tells us, he later goes on to pursue more adventures after he has recovered at home. However his willingness to be brought home to recover after being beaten by the penitent is uncharacteristic of him because no matter how many injuries he sustained before, he would not be dissuaded from his goal of adventure seeking. I could only imagine that his companions laughing at his misfortune and not taking him seriously had finally gotten to him. But this doesn't seem likely since he had been dealing with this throughout the entire novel so far. He ignored or beat those who laughed at him or scoffed and then he would continue on to the next mad adventure without batting an eye. But maybe this time just pushed him over the edge.
"These words made all those who heard them realize that Don Quixote must be some madman, and they burst into hearty laughter, which was like pouring gunpowder on to the fire of Don Quixote's wrath..." (470)
In this case it is the penitents laughing at him but I was thinking of how all his friends/companions/travel partners laughed at him as he was fighting the one penitent. I felt genuinely sorry for him which is strange because after all it was he who initiated the fight and the other man was acting in self defense. But the fact that his friends did not support him and even stopped Sancho Panza from helping seems cruel. Especially given they know, as the readers do, the unstable state of Don Quixote's mind in terms of judgment calls. As the readers, we often laugh at Don Quixote and his misfortunes because we know he's crazy but now I feel bad laughing at him, the same way I would feel bad laughing if a child fell and scraped their knee. I think as Don Quixote's character evolved, we the readers evolve with him and grow accustomed to his ridiculous antics.
"These words made all those who heard them realize that Don Quixote must be some madman, and they burst into hearty laughter, which was like pouring gunpowder on to the fire of Don Quixote's wrath..." (470)
In this case it is the penitents laughing at him but I was thinking of how all his friends/companions/travel partners laughed at him as he was fighting the one penitent. I felt genuinely sorry for him which is strange because after all it was he who initiated the fight and the other man was acting in self defense. But the fact that his friends did not support him and even stopped Sancho Panza from helping seems cruel. Especially given they know, as the readers do, the unstable state of Don Quixote's mind in terms of judgment calls. As the readers, we often laugh at Don Quixote and his misfortunes because we know he's crazy but now I feel bad laughing at him, the same way I would feel bad laughing if a child fell and scraped their knee. I think as Don Quixote's character evolved, we the readers evolve with him and grow accustomed to his ridiculous antics.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Don Quixote 36-45
"Tell me, sir" said Dorotea, "is this lady Christian or Moorish? Because her clothes and her silence are making us think that she's what we'd prefer her not to be." (Chapter 37 pg352)
This statement made by Dorotea indicates the religious and cultural conflicts that were present in Spain and all over the world during the 17th century. As Christians the characters have a distrust of "Moors" (in other words Muslims or more specifically followers of Islam) and all other religions and those who follow them. However not so drastic as to result in Dorotea and the others disassociating themselves from the captive and Zoraida. As she says they would "prefer" her not to be Muslim but when they discover that she wants to become a Christian, they trust her implicitly. She would probably have less agency than the other women simply because she is not Spanish and she comes from Algeria but they welcome her warmly because of her desire to be Christian. She is described as having "a good mind and a clear and ready understanding" (394). Had she not expressed the desire to be baptized as a Christian, she might have received a less kind welcome.
In any event, the women of the story all get along (and incidentally are all of miraculous beauty, each rivaling the next) and all carry attributes which Don Quixote would expect of all the ladies he had read about in the books of chivalry. They are all also smart and cunning, a characteristic not usually shown in women of the time period. And the male characters are always surprised when the female characters display this intelligence.
This statement made by Dorotea indicates the religious and cultural conflicts that were present in Spain and all over the world during the 17th century. As Christians the characters have a distrust of "Moors" (in other words Muslims or more specifically followers of Islam) and all other religions and those who follow them. However not so drastic as to result in Dorotea and the others disassociating themselves from the captive and Zoraida. As she says they would "prefer" her not to be Muslim but when they discover that she wants to become a Christian, they trust her implicitly. She would probably have less agency than the other women simply because she is not Spanish and she comes from Algeria but they welcome her warmly because of her desire to be Christian. She is described as having "a good mind and a clear and ready understanding" (394). Had she not expressed the desire to be baptized as a Christian, she might have received a less kind welcome.
In any event, the women of the story all get along (and incidentally are all of miraculous beauty, each rivaling the next) and all carry attributes which Don Quixote would expect of all the ladies he had read about in the books of chivalry. They are all also smart and cunning, a characteristic not usually shown in women of the time period. And the male characters are always surprised when the female characters display this intelligence.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Don Quixote XXVIII-XXXVI
In chapter 29, after hearing Dorotea's sad tale, Cardenio realizes that she has been wronged by the same Don Fernando as he was and vows to help her regain her honor:
"...I will make use of the privilege to which every gentleman is entitled and demand satisfaction for the wrong he has done you, setting aside the injuries he has done me, the avenging of which I leave to heaven so as to be able to attend to yours here on earth."
This is an example of characters other than Don Quixote acting chivalrously. It may not necessarily be due to his influence, but it shows that his dream to re-create the code of honor is not entirely impossible, because (though Cardenio is not considered to be of the soundest mind) others are willing and able to maintain it.
"...I will make use of the privilege to which every gentleman is entitled and demand satisfaction for the wrong he has done you, setting aside the injuries he has done me, the avenging of which I leave to heaven so as to be able to attend to yours here on earth."
This is an example of characters other than Don Quixote acting chivalrously. It may not necessarily be due to his influence, but it shows that his dream to re-create the code of honor is not entirely impossible, because (though Cardenio is not considered to be of the soundest mind) others are willing and able to maintain it.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Don Quixote XX-XXVII
In chapter 20, Sancho Panza seems to have become the voice of reason. It is odd that as he becomes more and more wrapped up in Don Quixote's fantasy he also becomes more logical and useful. He begins to show his value by contributing rather than constantly complaining (though he still does plenty of that as well) He points out to Don Quixote that the lush grass indicates there is water nearby, demonstrating that he is not entirely stupid and has his own sort of rustic-farmer wisdom. He even shows some cunning in his fooling Don Quixote by hobbling Rocinante instead of simply trying to talk Don Quixote out of wandering into a potentially "dangerous" situation. He appeals to his master in a way that he knows he will understand and accept, by blaming the horse's immobility to the wicked sage who fouls so many of Don Quixote's plans. Sancho Panza's character grows and changes as the story proceeds where as Don Quixote is more of a static character who shows little maturation.
When Don Quixote encounters the chain-gang in chapter 22, it occurred to me that he and the prisoners are some what alike in the sense of how they view their transgressions. As he asks the convicts what they are being punished for, the first replies "for being in love", the second for being a "canary-bird" or a musician originally presenting themselves as completely innocent and wrongly persecuted but as it turns out they were all true criminals, whether for petty theft or treason. Just as Don Quixote does not view his mistakes and wrongful attacking of innocent bystanders as a crime, but rather act of necessity as a knight, so too do the convicts see their "mistakes" as being natural to their lifestyle. However they all accept their prison sentence to the "tubs" most nobly and rely on God to save them.
When Don Quixote encounters the chain-gang in chapter 22, it occurred to me that he and the prisoners are some what alike in the sense of how they view their transgressions. As he asks the convicts what they are being punished for, the first replies "for being in love", the second for being a "canary-bird" or a musician originally presenting themselves as completely innocent and wrongly persecuted but as it turns out they were all true criminals, whether for petty theft or treason. Just as Don Quixote does not view his mistakes and wrongful attacking of innocent bystanders as a crime, but rather act of necessity as a knight, so too do the convicts see their "mistakes" as being natural to their lifestyle. However they all accept their prison sentence to the "tubs" most nobly and rely on God to save them.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Don Quixote X-XIX
I thought the story of Marcela and Grisostomo was interesting because I found it to be similar to Don Quixote's own story. Don Quixote dresses himself as a knight and conducts his life accordingly because to him, this life is more beautiful and more real than his past life had been, though he does not consciously think of it that way. I came to the conclusion that the mock shepherds both chose to follow this life style for the same reasons Don Quixote chose his. Or at least Marcela did. She was a well respected and sought after woman and had the opportunity to be very wealthy by choosing one of her many suitors but chose instead a "free and easy life, with little privacy or rather none at all" (pg 93) as Pedro described it. I assume that to her this life seemed more appealing because it allowed her freedom to roam with out being shielded by her well-intentioned uncle. It was a simple life and most people of her rank and status would look down upon it with contempt, but to her the simplicity and honesty of it is what made it beautiful. " I was born free, and to live free I chose the solitude of the countryside." (109) Grisostomo really only followed suit in his attempt to court her but perhaps he also saw the attraction of the life style even though he had gone to a university and was also had a privileged life.
The scene of the night at the inn was very funny because of all the misunderstandings and fighting but I thought that several of the characters were acting in their own form of chivalry. Don Quixote was mistaken in thinking the Asturian wench was the inn keepers beautiful daughter but maintained that he would not betray his love Dulcinea, and acted as any proper knight would. The muleteer attempted to defend the girl against Don Quixote and began the fighting and the peace-keeper was trying to stop the fighting between the men and the girl and wanted to help Don Quixote but due to more misunderstandings was offended and attacked Don Quixote again. Though the scene was entertaining, most of the men were trying to do what they believed to be the right and noble thing, though they all failed miserably.
The scene of the night at the inn was very funny because of all the misunderstandings and fighting but I thought that several of the characters were acting in their own form of chivalry. Don Quixote was mistaken in thinking the Asturian wench was the inn keepers beautiful daughter but maintained that he would not betray his love Dulcinea, and acted as any proper knight would. The muleteer attempted to defend the girl against Don Quixote and began the fighting and the peace-keeper was trying to stop the fighting between the men and the girl and wanted to help Don Quixote but due to more misunderstandings was offended and attacked Don Quixote again. Though the scene was entertaining, most of the men were trying to do what they believed to be the right and noble thing, though they all failed miserably.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Don Quixote 1-9
Quixotic: foolishly impractical especially in the pursuit of ideals; especially : marked by rash lofty romantic ideas or extravagantly chivalrous action
This word inspired by the character of Don Quixote describes him perfectly, especially the "rash lofty romantic ideas" part. I think romantic is the word of most importance here. All those who Don Quixote encounters call him a madman and while it is true that he is not of completely sound mind, it is because he has this romanticized view of the world which he acquired through his reading. In a way it is sad that simply because he wants to believe in something pure and just and based off love, he is considered to be crazy. I think this can be seen as a commentary on how humans have lost any sense of true romance and honor. Don Quixote wants to be chivalrous and tries to engage others in his quest but though they play along, secretly they mock him because they have lost the sense of chivalry which Don Quixote has regained.
I don't think he is particularly radical but only seen as such because everyone he encounters is so unused to people with good intentions. Granted, his are extreme and comical but still they come from the right place and should be respected. What I think is interesting is that so many humor him and play along with his routine even though they think he's insane. In some cases it is because they think it will be to their benefit (such as the young shepard being flogged) but more often than not it is because they are trying to pacify him because they see him as a threat due to his mental instability. The innkeeper adheres to him at first because he is flattered by Don Quixote but later as a means of stopping the knight from harming any more people who come near his armor.
side note: I was caught off guard by Cervantes' note on Islam snuck in when he's talking about Don Quixote trying to get up and thinking of stories he'd read: "...a tale known to every little boy, not unfamiliar to youths, celebrated and even believed by old men, yet with no more truth in it than the miracles of Muhammad." (pg 48)
This word inspired by the character of Don Quixote describes him perfectly, especially the "rash lofty romantic ideas" part. I think romantic is the word of most importance here. All those who Don Quixote encounters call him a madman and while it is true that he is not of completely sound mind, it is because he has this romanticized view of the world which he acquired through his reading. In a way it is sad that simply because he wants to believe in something pure and just and based off love, he is considered to be crazy. I think this can be seen as a commentary on how humans have lost any sense of true romance and honor. Don Quixote wants to be chivalrous and tries to engage others in his quest but though they play along, secretly they mock him because they have lost the sense of chivalry which Don Quixote has regained.
I don't think he is particularly radical but only seen as such because everyone he encounters is so unused to people with good intentions. Granted, his are extreme and comical but still they come from the right place and should be respected. What I think is interesting is that so many humor him and play along with his routine even though they think he's insane. In some cases it is because they think it will be to their benefit (such as the young shepard being flogged) but more often than not it is because they are trying to pacify him because they see him as a threat due to his mental instability. The innkeeper adheres to him at first because he is flattered by Don Quixote but later as a means of stopping the knight from harming any more people who come near his armor.
side note: I was caught off guard by Cervantes' note on Islam snuck in when he's talking about Don Quixote trying to get up and thinking of stories he'd read: "...a tale known to every little boy, not unfamiliar to youths, celebrated and even believed by old men, yet with no more truth in it than the miracles of Muhammad." (pg 48)
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Canti 28-34
The Inferno is especially interesting to read is because though it is a work of fiction, Dante incorporates aspects of his own life as well as history and mythology spanning over hundreds of years before his own era. As we have seen in previous canti, Dante uses people from his own life to predict the "future". Up until Canto 29 Dante encounters several acquaintances in Hell most of which he feels deserve to be there and a few whom he feels compassion for but when he reaches the ninth Bolgia and searches for a family member, he lingers though Virgil is hurrying him along. His guide chastises him:
" What are you waiting for? Why do you stare
as if you could not tear your eyes away
from the mutilated shadows passing there?
You did not act so in the other pits."
Dante reveals to us that this is because his relative had been murdered and had not yet been avenged by his family members. So it is guilt that causes Dante to hesitate when it is most important that he move through Hell quickly. I think this is also because this circle of Hell seemed to be the most horrific with the dismembered bodies staring up at him. Their punishment as ever equal to their sin (sowing of discord) they are constantly being brutally torn apart and healing only to be destroyed again.
I found the frozen lake Cocytus to be surprising and ironic considering Hell is always portrayed as being hot and in flames. According to Dante it was the beating of Satan's wings which froze the lake. This adds to the unexpected nature of Satan. His bizarre appearance and surroundings makes him something of a fool.
" What are you waiting for? Why do you stare
as if you could not tear your eyes away
from the mutilated shadows passing there?
You did not act so in the other pits."
Dante reveals to us that this is because his relative had been murdered and had not yet been avenged by his family members. So it is guilt that causes Dante to hesitate when it is most important that he move through Hell quickly. I think this is also because this circle of Hell seemed to be the most horrific with the dismembered bodies staring up at him. Their punishment as ever equal to their sin (sowing of discord) they are constantly being brutally torn apart and healing only to be destroyed again.
I found the frozen lake Cocytus to be surprising and ironic considering Hell is always portrayed as being hot and in flames. According to Dante it was the beating of Satan's wings which froze the lake. This adds to the unexpected nature of Satan. His bizarre appearance and surroundings makes him something of a fool.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Canti 21-27
1. Given that we have now almost completed the Inferno, do you feel the text is "character driven"? (Meaning, are Dante and Virgil propelling the story along?) If not, then what? Why do you think Dante chooses to write the epic in this manner?
I think that the Inferno was very much a character driven plot due to the numerous references Dante makes through out the poem to politics in his home town of Florence and personal qualms he had with the souls he meets in Hell. As the writer, Dante has complete control over the out turn of the story so he has the ability to place in Hell who ever he chooses. Those real life people who he had had disagreements with (to say the least) before he had been exiled ended up in Hell in his poem. He sent them to deeper and deeper rings of Hell depending on how deeply he disliked them when they were alive. Dante was writing this when he had been exiled from Florence, the city he loved and so was particularly embittered and took it out on the people responsible through the story.
This in a way makes the poem even more strong because as he encounters these souls which he recognizes (though he does not hate all of them) they give him personal accounts of the horrors which they must endure in Hell. Dante could have done this with completely fictional characters but the fact that they were once real historical people gives it more credibility.
All this being said, most writers incorporate aspects of their personal lives into their work, though usually not as blatantly as Dante did in his Inferno. Characters generally have different names or different backgrounds than the people they represent in real life, but often in their overall nature their are the same.
from Canto 23 when virgil is protecting dante from the Fiends:
"Seizing me instantly in his arms, my Guide-
like a mother wakened by a midnight noise
to find a wall of flame at her bedside
(who takes her child and runs, and more concerned
for him than for herself, does not pause even
to throw a wrap about her) raised me, turned,
and down the rugged bank from the high summit
flung himself down supine onto the slope
which walls the upper side of the next pit.
I think this passage accurately portrays Virgil and Dante's relationship. We have been speculating in class about both Virgil and Dante's possible homosexuality but I think this depiction of Virgil as a caretaker or a defensive mother is more accurate. Because he is already dead and has been condemned to Hell, he has little to fear for himself but because Dante is alive and he can be harmed by the obstacles they encounter, he goes to extra lengths to protect him. I think there is some meaning behind the fact that Dante describes him as a mother considering he is a man but I'm not entirely sure what that means. Unless it is just to further stress the tenderness and love he shows Dante.
I think that the Inferno was very much a character driven plot due to the numerous references Dante makes through out the poem to politics in his home town of Florence and personal qualms he had with the souls he meets in Hell. As the writer, Dante has complete control over the out turn of the story so he has the ability to place in Hell who ever he chooses. Those real life people who he had had disagreements with (to say the least) before he had been exiled ended up in Hell in his poem. He sent them to deeper and deeper rings of Hell depending on how deeply he disliked them when they were alive. Dante was writing this when he had been exiled from Florence, the city he loved and so was particularly embittered and took it out on the people responsible through the story.
This in a way makes the poem even more strong because as he encounters these souls which he recognizes (though he does not hate all of them) they give him personal accounts of the horrors which they must endure in Hell. Dante could have done this with completely fictional characters but the fact that they were once real historical people gives it more credibility.
All this being said, most writers incorporate aspects of their personal lives into their work, though usually not as blatantly as Dante did in his Inferno. Characters generally have different names or different backgrounds than the people they represent in real life, but often in their overall nature their are the same.
from Canto 23 when virgil is protecting dante from the Fiends:
"Seizing me instantly in his arms, my Guide-
like a mother wakened by a midnight noise
to find a wall of flame at her bedside
(who takes her child and runs, and more concerned
for him than for herself, does not pause even
to throw a wrap about her) raised me, turned,
and down the rugged bank from the high summit
flung himself down supine onto the slope
which walls the upper side of the next pit.
I think this passage accurately portrays Virgil and Dante's relationship. We have been speculating in class about both Virgil and Dante's possible homosexuality but I think this depiction of Virgil as a caretaker or a defensive mother is more accurate. Because he is already dead and has been condemned to Hell, he has little to fear for himself but because Dante is alive and he can be harmed by the obstacles they encounter, he goes to extra lengths to protect him. I think there is some meaning behind the fact that Dante describes him as a mother considering he is a man but I'm not entirely sure what that means. Unless it is just to further stress the tenderness and love he shows Dante.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Canti 14-20
3. The description of the Geryon in Canto 17. How do you interpret this fantastical creature that signifies fraud? Why do you think the notion of fraud is important for Dante (especially given the fact that he is a writer -- what do writers do? What is the nature of fictional literature?) Do you see any other meanings in this creature?
The Geryon is fitting to represent Fraud because it in it's very physical nature it is conflicted. Half reptile and half hairy beast it confuses the beholder into believing it is trust worthy because as Dante notes "his face was innocent of every guile, benign and just in feature and expression." This face is what makes him more dangerous. His fraudulence is what lures his victims closer to him. As a writer, Dante is well accustomed to fraud because that is essentially the job of a story teller, to make his audience believe something that isn't true. A good writer can convince the reader of anything. And Dante fancies himself to be an excellent writer.
The Geryon is fitting to represent Fraud because it in it's very physical nature it is conflicted. Half reptile and half hairy beast it confuses the beholder into believing it is trust worthy because as Dante notes "his face was innocent of every guile, benign and just in feature and expression." This face is what makes him more dangerous. His fraudulence is what lures his victims closer to him. As a writer, Dante is well accustomed to fraud because that is essentially the job of a story teller, to make his audience believe something that isn't true. A good writer can convince the reader of anything. And Dante fancies himself to be an excellent writer.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Canti VII-XIII
We see asquint, like those whose twisted sight
can make out only the far-off" he said
"for the King of All still grants us that much light."
These are the words of Farinata Degli Uberti, an enemy of Dante's who explains to him why it is the damned can foresee the future but don't have any knowledge of what is happening in the present in the living world. This is further punishment for them because it means that when Judgement Day arrives, and there is no more "future" their knowledge will be useless.
Farinata is one of the Heretics who denied God's existence and did not believe in immortality. the Heretics are similar to the Pagans in Limbo because they both are blind to God's light. It is ironic therefore that they have this ability to see the future. The reason that the Pagans are in Limbo and the Heretics are in "lower Hell" is that the Pagans were never given a chance to believe because they came before Christ. The Heretics and Farinata however lived when Christianity had already spread over much of the world and chose to not believe in God even though they were taught and warned against the dangers of doing so. As Dante sympathized with the souls of the great poets in Limbo, so he sympathizes with Farinata who, though he was an enemy of Florence redeemed himself in Dante's eyes by defending Florence against being destroyed at the Diet of Empoli.
"Briefly is the answer given: when
Out of the flesh from which it tore itself,
The violent spirit comes to punishment,
Minos assigns it to the seventh shelf.
It falls into the wood, and landing there,
Wherever fortune flings it, it strikes root,
And there it sprouts lusty as any tare,
Shoots up a sapling, and becomes a tree.
The Harpies, feeding on its leaves then, give it
Pain and pain's outlet simultaneously.
Canto XIII (100)
This is the punishment for those souls which committed violence against themselves in the form of suicide and self destruction. I found the end of this quote to be most interesting because they are punished by being encased in trees, and can only express themselves when they bleed as they Harpies wound them. As all the other souls are tormented in a way that is similar to their sins, the souls violent against themselves are punished by being repeatedly wounded. Because in life they felt their only means of expression was to destroy themselves, this belief is made a reality in Hell.
can make out only the far-off" he said
"for the King of All still grants us that much light."
These are the words of Farinata Degli Uberti, an enemy of Dante's who explains to him why it is the damned can foresee the future but don't have any knowledge of what is happening in the present in the living world. This is further punishment for them because it means that when Judgement Day arrives, and there is no more "future" their knowledge will be useless.
Farinata is one of the Heretics who denied God's existence and did not believe in immortality. the Heretics are similar to the Pagans in Limbo because they both are blind to God's light. It is ironic therefore that they have this ability to see the future. The reason that the Pagans are in Limbo and the Heretics are in "lower Hell" is that the Pagans were never given a chance to believe because they came before Christ. The Heretics and Farinata however lived when Christianity had already spread over much of the world and chose to not believe in God even though they were taught and warned against the dangers of doing so. As Dante sympathized with the souls of the great poets in Limbo, so he sympathizes with Farinata who, though he was an enemy of Florence redeemed himself in Dante's eyes by defending Florence against being destroyed at the Diet of Empoli.
"Briefly is the answer given: when
Out of the flesh from which it tore itself,
The violent spirit comes to punishment,
Minos assigns it to the seventh shelf.
It falls into the wood, and landing there,
Wherever fortune flings it, it strikes root,
And there it sprouts lusty as any tare,
Shoots up a sapling, and becomes a tree.
The Harpies, feeding on its leaves then, give it
Pain and pain's outlet simultaneously.
Canto XIII (100)
This is the punishment for those souls which committed violence against themselves in the form of suicide and self destruction. I found the end of this quote to be most interesting because they are punished by being encased in trees, and can only express themselves when they bleed as they Harpies wound them. As all the other souls are tormented in a way that is similar to their sins, the souls violent against themselves are punished by being repeatedly wounded. Because in life they felt their only means of expression was to destroy themselves, this belief is made a reality in Hell.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Dante's Inferno: Canti 1-6
1. Canto 1: How does Dante 'set up' the journey here? What themes / ideas does he bring forth to accomplish this? What kind of journey is this? What is the pilgrim's state of mind at this time? Why?
Dante's is in search of redemption and his journey presents many obstacles along the way which which makes the path to redemption all the more difficult. Having gone "astray from the straight road" he must suffer before he can be redeemed. He has accepted that he has sinned and understands that he cannot easily be forgiven and must endure several trials and tribulations. The three beasts he first encounters (The Leopard of Malice and Fraud, The Lion of Violence and Ambition, and the She-wolf of Incontinence) possibly represent his past sins and he must face them as he begins his journey. He is tempted to "turn back to the wood" because he is afraid of these beasts and cannot get past them but the arrival of Virgil (reason) gives him strength to move forward. Though he is wretched and afraid, he has a certain faith in "God's grace" and this carries him through his journey.
2. In the other canti that you read for this day, choose one canto which particularly strikes / interests you. What reading / interpretation of this canto can you bring to the discussion on Tuesday?
I thought the third Canti "The Vestibule of Hell : The Opportunists" was interesting because they are not technically part of Hell. Because they chose to not choose sides during the rebellion of angels, they are said to have sinned. "As they sinned so are they punished." They chase an "ever shifting banner" and are stung by wasps etc for eternity. This seems a pretty terrible fate for not having truly sinned. Even though they are not in Hell, they are tortured. This does not seem particularly fair (to me) because they were not actively going against God as the rebellious angels did and yet they are being punished.
I thought the third Canti "The Vestibule of Hell : The Opportunists" was interesting because they are not technically part of Hell. Because they chose to not choose sides during the rebellion of angels, they are said to have sinned. "As they sinned so are they punished." They chase an "ever shifting banner" and are stung by wasps etc for eternity. This seems a pretty terrible fate for not having truly sinned. Even though they are not in Hell, they are tortured. This does not seem particularly fair (to me) because they were not actively going against God as the rebellious angels did and yet they are being punished.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)