Great Expectations began as a serialized novel in All the Year Round, but eventually found its way into novel form. It is about a young boy, Pip, and his life in both upper- and lower-society. Pip faces many trials and tribulations during his journey through life, and Great Expectations chronicles these events. In many ways, Great Expectations is considered one of Dickens’ more autobiographical novels, as his life shares many similarities with Pip’s. 16 concordances for Great Expectations follow.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Wittles Are Vittles
“And you know what wittles is?” (11).
Wittles is the vernacular pronunciation the convict uses to say ‘vittles’, which refers to food. Dickens gives the convict vernacular speech to show his level of education. Someone with a proper education would not pronounce the letter ‘v’ in the word ‘vittles’ as a ‘w’. Vernacular dialogue such as this appears throughout Great Expectations when Pip interacts with people who do not have a high level of education.
Works Cited: "vittles." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2008. Merriam-Webster Online. 15 December 2008.
Photo Credit: http://www.victorianweb.org/art/illustration/fraser/2.html
Pirate
“The man was limping on towards this latter, as if he were the pirate come to life, and come down, and going back to hook himself up again.” (12).
Pirates are known for being greedy, selfish men, abusing those who will get them what they need. Pip sees the convict as a pirate because in many ways he compares to one. He is greedy for food and a file, and he abuses Pip until Pip promises to bring him the food and the file. Dickens compares the convict to a pirate to show that different occupations, such as a convict and a pirate, have many similarities.
Works Cited: Levy, Paul. "Bush: Planetary Pirate." Awaken In the Dream. 2007. 14 Dec. 2008 http://www.awakeninthedream.com/artis/bush%20planetary%20pirate.html.
Photo Credit: http://smhill.net/media/images/images/scott_the_pirate.png
Medical Tar-Water
“Some medical beast had revived Tar-water in those days as a fine medicine, and Mrs. Joe always kept a supply of it in the cupboard” (16).
Tar-water is an 18th and 19th century remedy for nearly every ailment. It was believed that a pint of tar-water a day could cure anything. Dickens’ use of tar-water in Great Expectations dates the novel to the mid-nineteenth century and establishes the society that Pip lives in before his inheritance.
Works Cited: C., T.E. "Charles Dickens on the Medical Use of Tar-water." Pediatrics. Dec. 1980. 14 Dec. 2008. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/66/6/839
Tar-water is an 18th and 19th century remedy for nearly every ailment. It was believed that a pint of tar-water a day could cure anything. Dickens’ use of tar-water in Great Expectations dates the novel to the mid-nineteenth century and establishes the society that Pip lives in before his inheritance.
Works Cited: C., T.E. "Charles Dickens on the Medical Use of Tar-water." Pediatrics. Dec. 1980. 14 Dec. 2008. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/66/6/839
Weak Hercules
“He was a mild, good-natured, sweet-tempered, easy-going, foolish, dear fellow—a sort of Hercules in strength, and also in weakness.” (13).
Hercules is a well-known figure in Greek mythology known for his superhuman strength and courage, and the challenging labors he completed to gain immortality. Hercules’ weaknesses were his low intelligence, his gluttony, and his lust. Dickens compares Joe to Hercules because Joe is also strong and courageous, though on a more human scale, and he has a low intelligence, like Hercules. Juxtaposing Joe and Hercules suggests that Joe is not as simple as he appears and that he is a hero in his own way.
Works Cited: Regula, DeTraci. "Fast Facts On: Hercules." About.com: Greece Travel. 14 Dec. 2008
Photo Credit: http://www.logoi.com/pastimages/img/hercules_3.jpg
Rheumatic Ague
“You’ve been lying out on the meshes, and they’re dreadful aguish. Rheumatic too.” (21).
Ague and rheumatic fever are two common illnesses present during the 19th century, during which Great Expectations takes place. The ague is similar to the modern malaria, and during the 19th century was most common in the marshlands of Britain. Dickens uses the ague and rheumatic fever to show the suffering of the people in Pip’s village because of their poverty and proximity to the marshes.
Works Cited: Kuhn, Katrin G., Diarmid H. Campbell-Lendrum, Ben Armstrong, and Clive R. Davies. "Malaria in Britain: Past, present, and future." PubMed Central. 11 Aug. 2003. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 14 Dec. 2008. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/66/6/839
Ague and rheumatic fever are two common illnesses present during the 19th century, during which Great Expectations takes place. The ague is similar to the modern malaria, and during the 19th century was most common in the marshlands of Britain. Dickens uses the ague and rheumatic fever to show the suffering of the people in Pip’s village because of their poverty and proximity to the marshes.
Works Cited: Kuhn, Katrin G., Diarmid H. Campbell-Lendrum, Ben Armstrong, and Clive R. Davies. "Malaria in Britain: Past, present, and future." PubMed Central. 11 Aug. 2003. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 14 Dec. 2008
Monumental Crusaders
“This was so much her normal state, that Joe and I would often, for weeks together, be, as to our fingers, like monumental Crusaders as to their legs” (24).
The Crusaders were men who tried to recover the Holy Lands of Israel from the infidels of the region. When statues of the Crusaders were made, their legs were crossed to show that they had been in the war. By likening Joe and Pip to the Crusaders, who were known for their piety, Dickens brings religion into the novel, which was very important to many people during the time that Great Expectations was published and most popular.
Works Cited: "Great Expectations Chapter IV." ENotes. 14 Dec. 2008. http://www.enotes.com/expectations-text/chapter-iv.
Photo Credit: http://www.totalwar.org.pl/gallery/Crusaders%20-07.jpg
Shakespeare, Again
“It began the moment we sat down to dinner. Mr. Wopsle said grace with theatrical declamation—as it now appears to me, something like a religious cross of the Ghost in Hamlet with Richard the Third—and ended with the very proper aspiration that we might be truly grateful.” (26-27).
Hamlet and Richard the Third are two plays written by Shakespeare. Shakespeare’s plays have appeared in many other pieces of literature since their publishing. Dickens references several of Shakespeare’s plays throughout Great Expectations to appeal to his readers who are familiar with Shakespeare’s plays, and to help his readers understand what is transpiring in the novel.
Photo Credit: http://www.mediabistro.com/unbeige/original/bill%20shakespeare.jpg
Roman Noses
“I think the Romans must have aggravated one another very much, with their noses.” (28).
Romans are characterized by their hook-shaped noses with prominent bridges. Dickens, who had a nose shaped more like that of a Greek’s, is ridiculing the Romans with their odd noses. This adds humor to the otherwise dry story of the argument at the Christmas party.
Works Cited: "Human Nose Photos." All About Noses. 14 Dec. 2008
Photo Credit: http://www.all-about-noses.com/human-nose-photos.html
Wicked Ark
“By the light of the torches, we saw the black Hulk lying out a little way from the mud of the shore, like a wicked Noah’s ark.” (38).
Noah’s ark is the ship from stories in the Bible that was built large enough to hold two of every animal on Earth for 40 days and nights. Dickens illustrates the prison ship as a wicked Noah’s ark because of its immense size. Another comparison to something from the Bible interests the religious readers who feel honored to have an important part of their religion mentioned in a famous piece of literature.
Photo Credit: http://www.funnycollection.org/img/funny-cartoon-Noahs-Ark.jpg
Pip's National Debt
“I have an impression that they were to be contributed eventually towards the liquidation of the National Debt, but I know I had no hope of any personal participation in the treasure.” (40).
Dickens uses this passage to foreshadow the property that Pip acquires later in his life. He doubts that the money he earns from odd jobs around the village will ever be his, but a few years after beginning his apprenticeship to Joe, he receives an inheritance from an unknown benefactor.
Dickens uses this passage to foreshadow the property that Pip acquires later in his life. He doubts that the money he earns from odd jobs around the village will ever be his, but a few years after beginning his apprenticeship to Joe, he receives an inheritance from an unknown benefactor.
A Child's Rocking Horse
“It may be only small injustice that the child can be exposed to; but the child is small, and its world is small, and its rocking-horse stands as many hands high, according to scale, as a big-boned Irish hunter.” (56).
Dickens takes the world of an adult, and scales it down to a child’s world using a rocking-horse as the scale. This object is an unusual choice to use as a scale, but it is appropriate to use because of its connections to children. A rocking-horse symbolizes youth and innocence, and provides an image of a small boy naïve to the world. Pip is both young and innocent, and in the beginning of the novel, he is naïve.
Photo Credit: http://www.rocking-horses.net/images/wooden-rocking-horse.jpg
Caught Red-Handed
“I say, we went over, but as I was pushed over by Pumblechook, exactly as if I had that moment picked a pocked or fired a rick; indeed, it was the general impression in Court that I had been taken red-handed” (88).
When someone is caught red-handed, it means that he or she has been found guilty of committing a crime. The term comes from murderers being caught with blood on their hands after committing the crime. Pip is not guilty of murder, but he is guilty of making choices that he regrets later in his life. Dickens uses the term to express the theme of guilt that recurs throughout the novel.
Works Cited: Martin, Gary. "Caught red-handed." The Phrase Finder. 14 Dec. 2008
Photo Credit: http://www.bearskinrug.co.uk/_work/fray_busted/hero.jpg
Feather Bed of Comfort
“Mr. Trabb had sliced his hot roll into three feather beds, and was slipping butter in between the blankets, and covering it up.” (124).
Feather beds are symbolic of comfort, wealth, and prosperity, and for Pip to see Mr. Trabb cutting his hot roll into feather beds, he must have displayed comfort also. Pip is not used to being in the company of wealthy people, so Dickens uses Mr. Trabb as a way to introduce Pip to his wealth.
Feather beds are symbolic of comfort, wealth, and prosperity, and for Pip to see Mr. Trabb cutting his hot roll into feather beds, he must have displayed comfort also. Pip is not used to being in the company of wealthy people, so Dickens uses Mr. Trabb as a way to introduce Pip to his wealth.
Vagabond Pip
“ ‘Are you bringing numbers five and eight, you vagabond,’ said Mr. Trabb to the boy after that, ‘or shall I kick you out of the shop and bring them myself?’ ” (125).
A vagabond is a tramp or someone who moves around because they do not have a home. The boy that Mr. Trabb calls a vagabond was once very close to Pip in terms of lifestyle and ease of living, but now that Pip has property, he and the boy are nearly polar opposites. Dickens uses contrasts between two characters many times throughout the novel to enhance their characterizations.
Works Cited: "Vagabond." Answer.com. Houghton Mifflin Company. 14 Dec. 2008. http://www.answers.com/vagabond
A vagabond is a tramp or someone who moves around because they do not have a home. The boy that Mr. Trabb calls a vagabond was once very close to Pip in terms of lifestyle and ease of living, but now that Pip has property, he and the boy are nearly polar opposites. Dickens uses contrasts between two characters many times throughout the novel to enhance their characterizations.
Works Cited: "Vagabond." Answer.com. Houghton Mifflin Company. 14 Dec. 2008
Old Mother Hubbard
“After this memorable event, I went to the hatter’s, and the boot-maker’s, and the hosier’s, and felt rather like Mother Hubbard’s dog whose outfit required the services of so many trades.” (126).
Mother Hubbard’s dog refers to the dog of a nursery rhyme whose owner went through great lengths to get a bone. Dickens’ reference to a nursery rhyme shows not only Pip’s immaturity and juvenile behavior, but his growth into an adult as well. Pip’s knowledge of a nursery rhyme is common for someone of Pip’s age, but his ability to connect to a character from it is a mature skill that Pip has acquired at an early age.
Works Cited: "Old Mother Hubbard." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 24 Nov 2008, 05:23 UTC. 15 Dec 2008
Photo Credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/OldMotherHubbard_01.jpg
Dirty London
“We Britons had at that time particularly settled, that it was treasonable to doubt our having and our being the best of everything: otherwise, while I was scared by the immensity of London, I think I might have had some faint doubts whether it was not rather ugly, crooked, narrow, and dirty.” (133).
Dickens uses this passage to show the difference between high society life in England and the lower classes. To the people in the upper class, London is supposed to be a beautiful city, the best in the world; the lower society is able to see London the way it truly appears: ugly. Pip comes from a low class family, so he is able to see London for its worth, but because of his sudden acquisition of wealth, he joins the high society in seeing London as the immense city he must.
Photo Credit: http://www.arthaak.com/images/dirty_london.jpg
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Jane Eyre is a dense, romantic, Gothic novel telling the story of young Jane Eyre, an orphan with a cruel aunt and cousins who eventually leaves for school and encounters many adventures. One of the first novels dealing with feminism, Jane Eyre provides readers a new point of view into the minds of women during the 19th century. 16 concordances for Jane Eyre follow.
Double Retirement
“I mounted into the window-seat: gathering up my feet, I sat crosslegged, like a Turk; and, having drawn the red moreen curtain nearly close, I was shrined in double retirement” (2).
Early in the novel, Jane is shown as a solitary character, spending much of her time alone. In her aunt’s house, Jane discovers many places, such as this window-seat, that provide her with the seclusion that she wishes for, not only for happiness, but safety as well. For Jane, the window-seat symbolizes security, safety, and seclusion, important aspects of Jane’s life. Brontë uses this passage as an early characterization for Jane, showing not only how she is somewhat introverted, but also how she is intelligent enough, at such a young age, to know when to leave the presence of her aunt and cousins.
Early in the novel, Jane is shown as a solitary character, spending much of her time alone. In her aunt’s house, Jane discovers many places, such as this window-seat, that provide her with the seclusion that she wishes for, not only for happiness, but safety as well. For Jane, the window-seat symbolizes security, safety, and seclusion, important aspects of Jane’s life. Brontë uses this passage as an early characterization for Jane, showing not only how she is somewhat introverted, but also how she is intelligent enough, at such a young age, to know when to leave the presence of her aunt and cousins.
Photo Credit: http://www.yourspersonally.ie/images/windowseat1_b.jpg
Fields of Ice
“Nor could I pass unnoticed the suggestion of the bleak shores of Lapland, Siberia, Spitzbergen, Nova Zembla, Iceland, Greenland, with ‘the vast sweep of the Arctic Zone, and those forlorn regions of dreary space—that reservoir of frost and snow, where firm fields of ice, the accumulation of centuries of winters, glazed in Alpine heights above heights, surround the pole, and concentre the multiplied rigours of extreme cold.’ ” (2).
This passage foreshadows the traveling that Jane does throughout the novel. Though she does not travel to any of the places she names here, she does travel throughout her country for various reasons ranging from education to employment opportunities. Brontë also uses these lines to show Jane’s intelligence and desire to educate herself further. Jane says that she could not “pass unnoticed the suggestion of the bleak shores…” which exhibits her craving to know more and to increase her knowledge.
This passage foreshadows the traveling that Jane does throughout the novel. Though she does not travel to any of the places she names here, she does travel throughout her country for various reasons ranging from education to employment opportunities. Brontë also uses these lines to show Jane’s intelligence and desire to educate herself further. Jane says that she could not “pass unnoticed the suggestion of the bleak shores…” which exhibits her craving to know more and to increase her knowledge.
Love and Adventure
“Bessie…fed our eager attention with passages of love and adventure taken from old fairy tales and older ballads; or (as at a later period I discovered) from the pages of Pamela, and Henry, Earl of Moreland” (3).
Here, Jane shows her age more clearly and accurately. Before this, it is difficult to believe that Jane is a child around the age of ten. Her dialect and diction suggest an older, more mature Jane, not the ten-year-old Jane that she is at the beginning of the novel. Brontë employs a literary device, allusion, to depict Jane’s age. Brontë alludes to two novels, Pamela, and Henry, Earl of Moreland, both romantic novels that a girl of Jane’s age would find enthralling during the 19th century.
Here, Jane shows her age more clearly and accurately. Before this, it is difficult to believe that Jane is a child around the age of ten. Her dialect and diction suggest an older, more mature Jane, not the ten-year-old Jane that she is at the beginning of the novel. Brontë employs a literary device, allusion, to depict Jane’s age. Brontë alludes to two novels, Pamela, and Henry, Earl of Moreland, both romantic novels that a girl of Jane’s age would find enthralling during the 19th century.
Madame Mope
“ ‘Boh! Madame Mope!’ cried the voice of John Reed; then he paused: he found the room apparently empty” (3).
Brontë uses an unusual nickname to characterize Jane during her childhood. Jane’s terrorizing cousin, John, calls Jane “Madame Mope” because of her tendency to sulk around the house. Instead of using direct characterization to show Jane’s depression and specifically saying that Jane is depressed, Brontë uses John’s nickname for Jane, “Madam Mope” to show that Jane is a miserable child.
Brontë uses an unusual nickname to characterize Jane during her childhood. Jane’s terrorizing cousin, John, calls Jane “Madame Mope” because of her tendency to sulk around the house. Instead of using direct characterization to show Jane’s depression and specifically saying that Jane is depressed, Brontë uses John’s nickname for Jane, “Madam Mope” to show that Jane is a miserable child.
Social Contrast
“He gorged himself habitually at table, which made him bilious, and gave him a dim and bleared eye with flabby cheeks. He ought now to have been at school; but his mamma had taken him home for a month or two, ‘on account of his delicate health.’ Mr. Miles, the master, affirmed that he would do very well if he had fewer cakes and sweetmeats sent him from home; but the mother’s heart turned from an opinion so harsh, and inclined rather to the more refined idea that John’s sallowness was owing to overapplication, and, perhaps, to pining after home” (4).
This passage shows the difference between the two social classes inhabiting Mrs. Reed’s home. The upper class, in which Mrs. Reed and her children live, believes in extravagance and affluence, while the lower class, which Jane and the servants populate, do not know what it is like to live with such luxuries. Jane comments on the treatment Mrs. Reed gives her son John with a note of disapproval in her voice. Brontë uses Jane’s commentary to contrast the two different social castes and to show her own disapproval of the upper class’s behaviors.
This passage shows the difference between the two social classes inhabiting Mrs. Reed’s home. The upper class, in which Mrs. Reed and her children live, believes in extravagance and affluence, while the lower class, which Jane and the servants populate, do not know what it is like to live with such luxuries. Jane comments on the treatment Mrs. Reed gives her son John with a note of disapproval in her voice. Brontë uses Jane’s commentary to contrast the two different social castes and to show her own disapproval of the upper class’s behaviors.
Roman Slave-Driver
“ ‘You are like a murderer—you are like a slave-driver—you are like the Roman emperors!’ ” (5).
Jane compares her cousin John to the Roman emperors, who were known for their tyranny and cruelty. Nero and Caligula were two Roman emperors that Jane read about in “Goldsmith’s History of Rome” (5). Jane’s interpretations of the two emperors deemed them slave-drivers and tyrants in Jane’s opinion, and she sees similarities between her John and the emperors, which she expressed here. Brontë includes this comparison to the Roman emperors to give her audience a better understanding of John’s behavior. Although the reference to Roman emperors is now outdated, at the time Brontë published Jane Eyre, Roman emperors had not been gone for long, thus making the reference useful.
Jane compares her cousin John to the Roman emperors, who were known for their tyranny and cruelty. Nero and Caligula were two Roman emperors that Jane read about in “Goldsmith’s History of Rome” (5). Jane’s interpretations of the two emperors deemed them slave-drivers and tyrants in Jane’s opinion, and she sees similarities between her John and the emperors, which she expressed here. Brontë includes this comparison to the Roman emperors to give her audience a better understanding of John’s behavior. Although the reference to Roman emperors is now outdated, at the time Brontë published Jane Eyre, Roman emperors had not been gone for long, thus making the reference useful.
Strengthened Resistance
“I resisted all the way: a new thing for me, and a circumstance which greatly strengthened the bad opinion Bessie and Miss Abbot were disposed to entertain of me” (6).
One theme of Jane Eyre is resistance, which is clearly shown for the first time in this line. Here, Jane is resistant to force; she does not want to be locked up in the red-room, so she fights the force of Bessie and Miss Abbot opposing her. Later in the novel, Jane resists conformity, change, and divulgence, but her earliest resistances are against authority.
One theme of Jane Eyre is resistance, which is clearly shown for the first time in this line. Here, Jane is resistant to force; she does not want to be locked up in the red-room, so she fights the force of Bessie and Miss Abbot opposing her. Later in the novel, Jane resists conformity, change, and divulgence, but her earliest resistances are against authority.
Chimney Prayers
“Say your prayers, Miss Eyre, when you are by yourself; for if you don’t repent, something bad might be permitted to come down the chimney and fetch you away” (8).
During the 19th century and previous, it was believed that evil spirits would enter a house through the chimney to bother and sometimes harm the residents of the house. Several countering methods were devised to deal with these intrusions, and one of those methods was prayer. By praying and repenting for one’s sins, evil spirits were not allowed to harm the occupants of the house. Brontë incorporates the supernatural to give the novel an added layer of meaning and to make later use of the supernatural more believable.
During the 19th century and previous, it was believed that evil spirits would enter a house through the chimney to bother and sometimes harm the residents of the house. Several countering methods were devised to deal with these intrusions, and one of those methods was prayer. By praying and repenting for one’s sins, evil spirits were not allowed to harm the occupants of the house. Brontë incorporates the supernatural to give the novel an added layer of meaning and to make later use of the supernatural more believable.
Snowy Marseilles
“Out of these deep surrounding shades rose high, and glared white, the piled-up mattresses and pillows of the bed, spread with a snowy Marseilles counterpane.” (8).
Marseilles is a major port in France situated on the Mediterranean Sea. Marseilles was where the popular Marseilles counterpanes, white bedspreads with intricate stitching, were produced in the 19th century. During the 19th century, Marseilles counterpanes were popular additions to bedrooms and symbolized wealth and prosperity. Brontë shows the Reeds’ wealth by placing the “snowy Marseilles counterpane” on the last bed Mr. Reed occupied. If the Reeds are able to afford a Marseilles counterpane for every bed, then they would not need to place this one in a room that does not have one.
Marseilles is a major port in France situated on the Mediterranean Sea. Marseilles was where the popular Marseilles counterpanes, white bedspreads with intricate stitching, were produced in the 19th century. During the 19th century, Marseilles counterpanes were popular additions to bedrooms and symbolized wealth and prosperity. Brontë shows the Reeds’ wealth by placing the “snowy Marseilles counterpane” on the last bed Mr. Reed occupied. If the Reeds are able to afford a Marseilles counterpane for every bed, then they would not need to place this one in a room that does not have one.
Works Cited: "Quilting Stitched or Woven." Old and Interesting. 13 June 2007. 30 Nov. 2008 http://www.oldandinteresting.com/marseilles-quilts-marcella.aspx
Punish and Avenge
“I began to recall what I had heard of dead men, troubled in their graves by the violation of their last wishes, revisiting the earth to punish the perjured and avenge the oppressed” (12).
Brontë again brings in the supernatural when Jane is locked in the bedroom that her uncle died in. Jane hopes and believes that her uncle’s spirit may come and avenge his troubled niece’s woes. During the era that Jane Eyre takes place, many people strongly believed in troubled spirits staying on earth until revenge is obtained. By bringing the supernatural into her novel, Brontë establishes a surreal setting that appeals to readers who believe in ghosts and spirits.
Brontë again brings in the supernatural when Jane is locked in the bedroom that her uncle died in. Jane hopes and believes that her uncle’s spirit may come and avenge his troubled niece’s woes. During the era that Jane Eyre takes place, many people strongly believed in troubled spirits staying on earth until revenge is obtained. By bringing the supernatural into her novel, Brontë establishes a surreal setting that appeals to readers who believe in ghosts and spirits.
Apothecary vs. Physician
“I scrutinized the face of the gentleman: I knew him; it was Mr. Lloyd, an apothecary, sometimes called in by Mrs. Reed when the servants were ailing: for herself and the children, she employed a physician” (14).
During the 19th century, an apothecary’s role was similar to a physician’s, but they did not receive the same training and education that a physician did. The first apothecaries simply distributed drugs to physicians, an act now practiced by pharmacists. Eventually, apothecaries began giving medical advice to patients who were unable to afford a physician. Brontë again contrasts the two social classes living in the home of Mrs. Reed. For the lesser servants and Jane, she employs an apothecary who is unable to provide the same level of service and care as a physician, yet for herself and her children, she employs a physician, which shows that she cares more about her family than her servants.
During the 19th century, an apothecary’s role was similar to a physician’s, but they did not receive the same training and education that a physician did. The first apothecaries simply distributed drugs to physicians, an act now practiced by pharmacists. Eventually, apothecaries began giving medical advice to patients who were unable to afford a physician. Brontë again contrasts the two social classes living in the home of Mrs. Reed. For the lesser servants and Jane, she employs an apothecary who is unable to provide the same level of service and care as a physician, yet for herself and her children, she employs a physician, which shows that she cares more about her family than her servants.
Works Cited: "Apothecary." Nation Master. 30 Nov. 2008 http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/apothecary
Bird of Admiration
“Bessie had been down into the kitchen, and she brought up with her a tart on a certain brightly painted china plate, whose bird of paradise, nestling in a wreath of convolvuli and rosebuds, had been wont to stir in me a most enthusiastic sense of admiration” (16).
Bird of paradise is a tropical bird found in New Guinea and surrounding isles. It is also a flower native to South America named for its resemblance to the bird. Jane’s description of the plate does not make it clear whether it is the bird or the flower that decorates the plate, but her affection for birds expressed earlier in the novel makes the bird more likely. Her adoration for an out of place bird trapped on a plate shows her feelings for her present surroundings. Brontë shows Jane’s desire to be content in her surroundings; the bird is pleased to be wrapped “in a wreath of convolvuli and rosebuds” and Jane wishes to feel the same.
Bird of paradise is a tropical bird found in New Guinea and surrounding isles. It is also a flower native to South America named for its resemblance to the bird. Jane’s description of the plate does not make it clear whether it is the bird or the flower that decorates the plate, but her affection for birds expressed earlier in the novel makes the bird more likely. Her adoration for an out of place bird trapped on a plate shows her feelings for her present surroundings. Brontë shows Jane’s desire to be content in her surroundings; the bird is pleased to be wrapped “in a wreath of convolvuli and rosebuds” and Jane wishes to feel the same.
Works Cited:
Park-Brown, Sydney G. "Bird-of-Paradise." EDIS. University of Florida IFAS Extension. 30 Nov. 2008 http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg106.
"Bird of Paradise." How Stuff Works. 22 Apr. 2008. 30 Nov. 2008 http://animals.howstuffworks.com/birds/bird-of-paradise-info.htm
Infantine Fawkes
“Abbot, I think, gave me credit for being a sort of infantine Guy Fawkes” (22).
Guy Fawkes was the first member in a group of conspirators caught having planted gunpowder in a cellar room under Parliament. Fawkes was extremely xenophobic and claimed that he wanted to “blow the Scotsman present back to Scotland” (Herber). Abbot compares Jane to Guy Fawkes because both were believed to constantly scheme up plots, though there is no proof that either ever did. Brontë uses a real person that was well known during the 19th century to show how Jane’s acquaintances feel about her. It also shows that Jane is intelligent if she knows about a man that died 200 years before her birth and understands what he is infamous for.
Guy Fawkes was the first member in a group of conspirators caught having planted gunpowder in a cellar room under Parliament. Fawkes was extremely xenophobic and claimed that he wanted to “blow the Scotsman present back to Scotland” (Herber). Abbot compares Jane to Guy Fawkes because both were believed to constantly scheme up plots, though there is no proof that either ever did. Brontë uses a real person that was well known during the 19th century to show how Jane’s acquaintances feel about her. It also shows that Jane is intelligent if she knows about a man that died 200 years before her birth and understands what he is infamous for.
Works Cited: Herber, David. "Guy Fawkes: A Biography." Britannia History. Britannia. 30 Nov. 2008 http://www.britannia.com/history/g-fawkes.html
Liars in the Lake
“ ‘Deceit is, indeed, a sad fault in a child,’ said Mr. Brocklehurst; ‘it is akin to falsehood and all liars will have their portion in the lake burning with fire and brimstone’ ” (31).
Brontë references the biblical lake of fire and brimstone where those who have committed wicked crimes are sent after death. This is meant to scare Jane to keep her from lying, but it also adds to the theme of religion that is constantly present throughout the novel. Religion was an important concept during the 19th century, and Brontë shows this with her allusions to the Bible and other religious works.
Brontë references the biblical lake of fire and brimstone where those who have committed wicked crimes are sent after death. This is meant to scare Jane to keep her from lying, but it also adds to the theme of religion that is constantly present throughout the novel. Religion was an important concept during the 19th century, and Brontë shows this with her allusions to the Bible and other religious works.
Works Cited: Eby, J. Preston. "The Lake of Fire." Freedom in Messiah. 30 Nov. 2008 http://www.freedominmessiah.com/lake_of_fire.html
Babel of Tongues
“Discipline prevailed: in five minutes the confused throng was resolved into order, and comparative silence quelled the Babel clamour of tongues” (45).
Again, Brontë references the Bible, this time with a story from Genesis. The Tower of Babel was a tower to Heaven built by men who spoke the same language. God interfered with the building of the tower by giving the men different languages, inhibiting their ability to understand each other, and scattering them throughout the Earth. Brontë compares the school full of young girls to the Tower of Babel to show how varying the girls are and how difficult it is to quell the uproar.
Again, Brontë references the Bible, this time with a story from Genesis. The Tower of Babel was a tower to Heaven built by men who spoke the same language. God interfered with the building of the tower by giving the men different languages, inhibiting their ability to understand each other, and scattering them throughout the Earth. Brontë compares the school full of young girls to the Tower of Babel to show how varying the girls are and how difficult it is to quell the uproar.
Works Cited:
Dolphin, Lambert. "The Tower of Babel and the Confusion of Languages." 16 Apr. 2000. 30 Nov. 2008 http://ldolphin.org/babel.html
Maas, Anthony. "Tower of Babel." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 30 Nov. 2008 http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15005b.htm.
Photo Credit: http://ldolphin.org/babel.html
Highlander's Frock
“with little pockets of Holland (shaped something like a Highlander’s purse) tied in front of their frocks” (45).
A Highlander was a Scottish soldier; his purse was a small bag tied to a belt that held small treasures and valuables. The more affluent soldiers decorated their purses with silver tops and tassels to show their wealth. Brontë compares the pockets of the girls’ frocks to a Highlander’s purse to show that they do not have much personal property at the school for orphans. Jane had never been around orphans other than herself, and she is startled to see dozens of girls all dressed the same.
A Highlander was a Scottish soldier; his purse was a small bag tied to a belt that held small treasures and valuables. The more affluent soldiers decorated their purses with silver tops and tassels to show their wealth. Brontë compares the pockets of the girls’ frocks to a Highlander’s purse to show that they do not have much personal property at the school for orphans. Jane had never been around orphans other than herself, and she is startled to see dozens of girls all dressed the same.
Works Cited: "Highland Dress For Men." Scottish Tartans Authority. Scottish Tartans Authority. 30 Nov. 2008 http://www.tartansauthority.com/web/site/highland_dress/highland_dress.asp
Monday, September 29, 2008
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway is unlike any novel written prior to it. It is one day in the life of Mrs. Dalloway, told in a stream of consciousness style, but shifting through various character's viewpoints to tell the story. With Mrs. Dalloway, Woolf opened a new world in literature and inspired many other writers to follow her ideas. 15 concordances on Mrs. Dalloway follow.
Big Ben Clock Tower
“For having lived in Westminster—how many years now? over twenty,--one feels eve in the midst of the traffic, or waking at night, Clarissa was positive, a particular hush, or solemnity; an indescribable pause; a suspense (but that might be her heart, affected, they said, by influenza) before Big Ben strikes” (4).
Big Ben is the name of the bell located in the Clock Tower in London. The Clock Tower itself is often mistakenly referred to as ‘Big Ben’, which is the way Woolf is using it here. Big Ben is a symbol to the people of London, uniting them and representing strength, time, and glory. Woolf’s use of Big Ben places the setting of the novel in London, which is until this point unknown. In the novel, Big Ben represents the elapsing of time, as its chime is heard at various points throughout the novel indicating that the day is passing.
Works Cited:
"The Clock Tower (Big Ben): Facts and Figures." About Parliament. 26 Sept. 2008 http://www.parliament.uk/about/history/big_ben/facts.cfm.
Big Ben is the name of the bell located in the Clock Tower in London. The Clock Tower itself is often mistakenly referred to as ‘Big Ben’, which is the way Woolf is using it here. Big Ben is a symbol to the people of London, uniting them and representing strength, time, and glory. Woolf’s use of Big Ben places the setting of the novel in London, which is until this point unknown. In the novel, Big Ben represents the elapsing of time, as its chime is heard at various points throughout the novel indicating that the day is passing.
Works Cited:
"The Clock Tower (Big Ben): Facts and Figures." About Parliament. 26 Sept. 2008 http://www.parliament.uk/about/history/big_ben/facts.cfm.
Photo Credit:
Shakespeare
“Fear no more the heat o’ the sun / Nor the furious winter’s rages” (9).
These are two lines from a Shakespearean song, “Elegy,” which appears in Shakespeare’s play Cymbeline. “Elegy” is a funeral song, which Clarissa happens to read as she is thinking about life and survival. Clarissa’s thoughts are contrasted by the two lines from “Elegy,” which are about the changing of the seasons and the passing of time, which represent aging and death.
These are two lines from a Shakespearean song, “Elegy,” which appears in Shakespeare’s play Cymbeline. “Elegy” is a funeral song, which Clarissa happens to read as she is thinking about life and survival. Clarissa’s thoughts are contrasted by the two lines from “Elegy,” which are about the changing of the seasons and the passing of time, which represent aging and death.
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Spectral Tyrants
“For it…had become one of those spectres with which one battles in the night; one of those spectres who stand astride us and suck up half our life-blood, dominators and tyrants” (12).
Spectres are ghostly apparitions that frighten any who see them; their existence has not been proven, but many people believe in them. Spectres are believed to drain humans of their life by taking sucking out the person’s soul. Woolf’s use of spectres in the novel brings in the surreal and supernatural, which makes the later use of ghosts and the surreal more believable.
Spectres are ghostly apparitions that frighten any who see them; their existence has not been proven, but many people believe in them. Spectres are believed to drain humans of their life by taking sucking out the person’s soul. Woolf’s use of spectres in the novel brings in the surreal and supernatural, which makes the later use of ghosts and the surreal more believable.
Great Bond Street
“Greatness was passing, hidden, down Bond Street, removed only by a hand’s-breadth from ordinary people” (16).
Bond Street is by far one of the most high-class streets in London. It is full of the most fashionable shops, and visited by the most famous people, as Lucrezia Smith is describing in this passage. Bond Street separates the exquisite from the ordinary, and has for the last three centuries. Woolf uses Bond Street to show that Clarissa, Lucrezia, Septimus, and all of the main characters are ordinary people based on their social statuses.
Works Cited:
Long, Christopher A. "Bond Street." Christopher Long. 27 Sept. 2008. http://www.christopherlong.co.uk/pri/bonstr.html
Bond Street is by far one of the most high-class streets in London. It is full of the most fashionable shops, and visited by the most famous people, as Lucrezia Smith is describing in this passage. Bond Street separates the exquisite from the ordinary, and has for the last three centuries. Woolf uses Bond Street to show that Clarissa, Lucrezia, Septimus, and all of the main characters are ordinary people based on their social statuses.
Works Cited:
Long, Christopher A. "Bond Street." Christopher Long. 27 Sept. 2008. http://www.christopherlong.co.uk/pri/bonstr.html
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Royalty!
“A small crowd meanwhile had gathered at the gates of Buckingham Palace. Listlessly, yet confidently, poor people all of them, they waited; looked at the Palace itself with the flag flying…and all the time let rumour accumulate in their veins and thrill the nerves in their thighs at the thought of Royalty looking at them” (19).
This shows how society worships the royalty of a country. To stand outside the palace, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Queen or the Prince just for the chance to have their eyes meet is absurd, but to these people it is very important. Woolf is using sarcasm to cast a disapproving tone on the actions of society and show that she does not agree with the worshipping of the royalty.
This shows how society worships the royalty of a country. To stand outside the palace, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Queen or the Prince just for the chance to have their eyes meet is absurd, but to these people it is very important. Woolf is using sarcasm to cast a disapproving tone on the actions of society and show that she does not agree with the worshipping of the royalty.
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Peter's Knife
“What an extraordinary habit that was, Clarissa thought; always playing with a knife” (44).
The knife is symbolic to Peter; it is a comforting habit to play with it when he is nervous or apprehensive. When Peter is being defensive, the knife comes out of his pocket. The knife also represents his indecisiveness and his volatility.
The knife is symbolic to Peter; it is a comforting habit to play with it when he is nervous or apprehensive. When Peter is being defensive, the knife comes out of his pocket. The knife also represents his indecisiveness and his volatility.
Battle Horses
“So before a battle begins, the horses paw the ground; toss their heads; the light shines on their flanks; their necks curve. So Peter Walsh and Clarissa, sitting side by side on the blue sofa, challenged each other” (44).
Woolf is comparing Clarissa and Peter to two horses ready for battle. Both horses are majestic, and although they are similar creatures, their fight is inevitable. Clarissa and Peter are close friends and love each other, yet they do not share the same feelings about several things, so they challenge each other. The imagery Woolf uses creates a tense atmosphere between Clarissa and Peter; they are sitting within inches of each other, yet there is about to be an immense battle between the two of them.
Woolf is comparing Clarissa and Peter to two horses ready for battle. Both horses are majestic, and although they are similar creatures, their fight is inevitable. Clarissa and Peter are close friends and love each other, yet they do not share the same feelings about several things, so they challenge each other. The imagery Woolf uses creates a tense atmosphere between Clarissa and Peter; they are sitting within inches of each other, yet there is about to be an immense battle between the two of them.
Socialist Duke
“Striding, staring, he glared at the statue of the Duke of Cambridge. He had been sent down from Oxford—true. He had been a Socialist, in some sense a failure—true. Still the future of civilisation lies, he thought in the hands of young men like that” (50).
Prince George, the Duke of Cambridge, was a member of the British Royal Family who was given the title Duke of Cambridge in 1850; he remained Duke until 1895. Prince George led his country as a Socialist using following the ideas and beliefs that everything should be owned by the public, without anything being owned privately. Peter believes that the future of not only his country, but civilization in general, would prosper best under Socialist rule.
Works Cited:
"Prince George, 2nd Duke of Cambridge." Knowledge Rush. 27 Sept. 2008
Prince George, the Duke of Cambridge, was a member of the British Royal Family who was given the title Duke of Cambridge in 1850; he remained Duke until 1895. Prince George led his country as a Socialist using following the ideas and beliefs that everything should be owned by the public, without anything being owned privately. Peter believes that the future of not only his country, but civilization in general, would prosper best under Socialist rule.
Works Cited:
"Prince George, 2nd Duke of Cambridge." Knowledge Rush. 27 Sept. 2008
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Lolloping Sirens
“Such are the visions which proffer great cornucopias full of fruit to the solitary traveler, or murmur in his ear like sirens lolloping away on the green sea waves, or are dashed in his face like bunches or roses, or rise to the surface like pale faces which fishermen flounder through floods to embrace” (57).
Here Woolf uses diction to create imagery that creates allusions. Woolf selects words that will stand out from the others because of their originality and the unusual flow they have with the rest of the sentences. The words in this passage are of a flowery language that becomes bulky at times, but serves to create imagery that helps the readers to understand the points Woolf is trying to make. An allusion created by this passage is to the sirens in the Odyssey. The sirens sit on rocks in the sea, and when travelers pass by they are drawn to the beauty of their singing.
Here Woolf uses diction to create imagery that creates allusions. Woolf selects words that will stand out from the others because of their originality and the unusual flow they have with the rest of the sentences. The words in this passage are of a flowery language that becomes bulky at times, but serves to create imagery that helps the readers to understand the points Woolf is trying to make. An allusion created by this passage is to the sirens in the Odyssey. The sirens sit on rocks in the sea, and when travelers pass by they are drawn to the beauty of their singing.
Photo Credit:
http://www.illusionsgallery.com/product.shtml?DR007
Finsbury Tomb
“Now they wore on them unmixed with sensual pleasure or daily preoccupations the solemnity of the wreath which they had fetched from Finsbury Pavement to the empty tomb” (51).
Here, Peter Walsh is following a group of young soldiers who carry a wreath from Finsbury Pavement to an empty tomb down the street of Whitehall. Peter is remarking on their dedication to their country, their expressionless faces, and their incredulous synchronization. Again, Woolf appears to be criticizing her country’s actions and beliefs through her character’s narration using a tone of sarcasm.
Here, Peter Walsh is following a group of young soldiers who carry a wreath from Finsbury Pavement to an empty tomb down the street of Whitehall. Peter is remarking on their dedication to their country, their expressionless faces, and their incredulous synchronization. Again, Woolf appears to be criticizing her country’s actions and beliefs through her character’s narration using a tone of sarcasm.
Weekly Water-Closets
“Now for instance there was a man writing quite openly in one of the respectable weeklies about water-closets” (71).
This shows the censorship that had taken place prior to the war. Talk of things such as water-closets (toilets) was not allowed in public, or published in a weekly magazine. The war caused a revolution in what was acceptable and society’s views became slightly more liberal.
This shows the censorship that had taken place prior to the war. Talk of things such as water-closets (toilets) was not allowed in public, or published in a weekly magazine. The war caused a revolution in what was acceptable and society’s views became slightly more liberal.
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Huxley and Tyndall Metaphors
“Her favourite reading as a girl was Huxley and Tyndall, and they were fond of these nautical metaphors” (77).
Huxley is Thomas Huxley, an English biologist, and Tyndall is John Tyndall, an Irish physicist. Both Huxley and Tyndall were authors of scientific topics, and their works being favorites of Clarissa shows that she enjoys the sciences more than she appears to. It also explains her analyses of everything through a scientific approach. Woolf makes Clarissa’s favorite books as a girl books filled with scientific research because Clarissa is critical of everything that she witnesses, and her enjoyment of the sciences explains that criticism.
Works Cited:
Van Wyhe, John. "John Tyndall." The Victorian Web. 28 Sept. 2002. 28 Sept. 2008 http://www.victorianweb.org/science/tyndall.htm.
Blinderman, Charles. "The Huxley File." The Huxley File. 1998. 28 Sept. 2008 http://aleph0.clarku.edu/huxley/.
Huxley is Thomas Huxley, an English biologist, and Tyndall is John Tyndall, an Irish physicist. Both Huxley and Tyndall were authors of scientific topics, and their works being favorites of Clarissa shows that she enjoys the sciences more than she appears to. It also explains her analyses of everything through a scientific approach. Woolf makes Clarissa’s favorite books as a girl books filled with scientific research because Clarissa is critical of everything that she witnesses, and her enjoyment of the sciences explains that criticism.
Works Cited:
Van Wyhe, John. "John Tyndall." The Victorian Web. 28 Sept. 2002. 28 Sept. 2008 http://www.victorianweb.org/science/tyndall.htm.
Blinderman, Charles. "The Huxley File." The Huxley File. 1998. 28 Sept. 2008 http://aleph0.clarku.edu/huxley/.
Keats?
“Was he not like Keats? she asked” (85).
John Keats is a famous English poet from the Romantic period. Woolf’s allusion to him continues a connection to the arts in the novel. Septimus’s appreciation for Keats suggests that he finds a sense of comfort in poetry, and because Septimus is a character parallel to Clarissa, that perhaps she finds comfort in poetry as well, even though her husband disapproves of expressing feeling and emotion. By referring to Keats, Woolf acknowledges and accepts that which Clarissa’s husband dislikes, and creates a contrast between her characters.
Works Cited:
"Biography." John Keats. 28 Sept. 2008 http://www.john-keats.com/.
John Keats is a famous English poet from the Romantic period. Woolf’s allusion to him continues a connection to the arts in the novel. Septimus’s appreciation for Keats suggests that he finds a sense of comfort in poetry, and because Septimus is a character parallel to Clarissa, that perhaps she finds comfort in poetry as well, even though her husband disapproves of expressing feeling and emotion. By referring to Keats, Woolf acknowledges and accepts that which Clarissa’s husband dislikes, and creates a contrast between her characters.
Works Cited:
"Biography." John Keats. 28 Sept. 2008 http://www.john-keats.com/.
Waterloo Shakespeare
“Lecturing in the Waterloo Road upon Shakespeare” (85).
Shakespeare has an influential role throughout this novel. Several of his works appear many times at various points in the novel. His play Cymbeline appears near the beginning of the novel and tries to open Clarissa to the idea of death, which she is dreading. Septimus is also drawn to a woman who lectures Shakespeare, who influences him to try his hand at poetry. During the time that Mrs. Dalloway takes place, the sharing and expression of thoughts, emotions, and feelings was unadvised and Shakespeare was not approved of, but Woolf disagreed and included Shakespeare anyway.
Shakespeare has an influential role throughout this novel. Several of his works appear many times at various points in the novel. His play Cymbeline appears near the beginning of the novel and tries to open Clarissa to the idea of death, which she is dreading. Septimus is also drawn to a woman who lectures Shakespeare, who influences him to try his hand at poetry. During the time that Mrs. Dalloway takes place, the sharing and expression of thoughts, emotions, and feelings was unadvised and Shakespeare was not approved of, but Woolf disagreed and included Shakespeare anyway.
Shakespeare, Shaw, and Darwin
“Shakespeare, Darwin…and Bernard Shaw” (85).
Shakespeare, Darwin, and Bernard Shaw were all revolutionary thinkers of their time. Shaw and Shakespeare were both famous playwrights, and Darwin was an evolution specialist. They were all freethinkers, something uncommon during the late 19th century and early 20th century. Through her inclusion of these freethinkers, Woolf is promoting the independence of thought.
Shakespeare, Darwin, and Bernard Shaw were all revolutionary thinkers of their time. Shaw and Shakespeare were both famous playwrights, and Darwin was an evolution specialist. They were all freethinkers, something uncommon during the late 19th century and early 20th century. Through her inclusion of these freethinkers, Woolf is promoting the independence of thought.
Works Cited:
"George Bernard Shaw." Kirjasto. 28 Sept. 2008 http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/gbshaw.htm.
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The Hours by Michael Cunningham
The Hours is a literary award receiving novel by Michael Cunningham based on Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway. It follows three women through the course of a day, interweaving their stories together. 15 concordances on The Hours follow.
Sarcophagus of Time
“Why did she buy this clock, this hideous thing, with its square green face in a rectangular black Bakelite sarcophagus”
The inclusion of this clock is significant because in Mrs. Dalloway, the tolling of Big Ben is heard and it represents the uncontrollable passing of time. Mrs. Brown does not like her clock for reasons more profound than the fact that it is ugly. She does not want the time to be slipping away from her as it is, yet there is nothing she can do to stop it and the clock just makes it inevitable.
The inclusion of this clock is significant because in Mrs. Dalloway, the tolling of Big Ben is heard and it represents the uncontrollable passing of time. Mrs. Brown does not like her clock for reasons more profound than the fact that it is ugly. She does not want the time to be slipping away from her as it is, yet there is nothing she can do to stop it and the clock just makes it inevitable.
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Muttering Voices
“She has failed, and now the voices are back, muttering indistinctly just beyond the range of her vision, behind her, here, no turn and they’ve gone somewhere else” (4).
At this early point in the prologue, the subject is unnamed, but it is clear that the character hearing voices is Virginia Woolf, the author of the novel The Hours is based on. In real life, Woolf suffered from mental insanity and attempted to commit suicide by drowning herself in a river. Michael Cunningham created an accurate character based on Virginia Woolf.
At this early point in the prologue, the subject is unnamed, but it is clear that the character hearing voices is Virginia Woolf, the author of the novel The Hours is based on. In real life, Woolf suffered from mental insanity and attempted to commit suicide by drowning herself in a river. Michael Cunningham created an accurate character based on Virginia Woolf.
Anzio
“Less than five years ago Dan himself was believed to have died, at Anzio” (39).
The Anzio landing took place in 1944 during World War II. Laura Brown’s husband, Dan, was in the landing at Anzio, Italy, and upon his return, he married Laura. This is similar to Septimus in Mrs. Dalloway, who also goes to war and marries his wife immediately upon returning. This is just another way that Cunningham creates a parallel story to Mrs. Dalloway.
Works Cited:
"Anzio 1944." 3 Oct. 2003. 28 Sept. 2008 http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/anzio/72-19.htm.
The Anzio landing took place in 1944 during World War II. Laura Brown’s husband, Dan, was in the landing at Anzio, Italy, and upon his return, he married Laura. This is similar to Septimus in Mrs. Dalloway, who also goes to war and marries his wife immediately upon returning. This is just another way that Cunningham creates a parallel story to Mrs. Dalloway.
Works Cited:
"Anzio 1944." 3 Oct. 2003. 28 Sept. 2008 http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/anzio/72-19.htm.
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Character or Author?
“Right now she is reading Virginia Woolf, all of Virginia Woolf, book by book” (42).
Virginia Woolf is the author of several well known critical literary works, with Mrs. Dalloway and A Room of One’s Own, among them. Woolf was the leading author to bring the new style of writing stream of consciousness into popularity during her time. Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway is the novel that inspired Cunningham’s The Hours. Characters from Mrs. Dalloway are recreated in The Hours with slight differences, but much of the basic plot remains the same.
Virginia Woolf is the author of several well known critical literary works, with Mrs. Dalloway and A Room of One’s Own, among them. Woolf was the leading author to bring the new style of writing stream of consciousness into popularity during her time. Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway is the novel that inspired Cunningham’s The Hours. Characters from Mrs. Dalloway are recreated in The Hours with slight differences, but much of the basic plot remains the same.
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Going Nuts
“I got a prize for having AIDS and going nuts and being brave about it, it had nothing to do with my work” (63).
Cunningham creates an alternate reason for Clarissa to be throwing a party. In Mrs. Dalloway, it is not explicit why there is a party, but during that period it was common for high-society women to throw parties frequently. Here in The Hours Clarissa is throwing the party for her friend Richard, who is about to receive a literary award. Cunningham brings the novel into the 21st century by addressing an issue that is much more common in current times: AIDS. AIDS is an immune system disease that has become much more known in recent times due to its widespread affliction in the United States.
Cunningham creates an alternate reason for Clarissa to be throwing a party. In Mrs. Dalloway, it is not explicit why there is a party, but during that period it was common for high-society women to throw parties frequently. Here in The Hours Clarissa is throwing the party for her friend Richard, who is about to receive a literary award. Cunningham brings the novel into the 21st century by addressing an issue that is much more common in current times: AIDS. AIDS is an immune system disease that has become much more known in recent times due to its widespread affliction in the United States.
Birds Singing in Greek
“Sometimes, faintly, she can distinguish a word. ‘Hurl,’ once, ‘under’ on two occasions. A flock of sparrows outside her window once sang, unmistakably, in Greek” (71).
The fictional Virginia Woolf is claiming to hear voices in her head that are telling her to hurl herself under, and that she heard birds singing in Greek. This is illustrative of the mental illness she is suffering from without blatantly saying that she is insane. The real Virginia Woolf also claimed to hear birds singing in Greek and to hear voices telling her to do rowdy things. By using real experiences of Virginia Woolf to create her fictional counterpart, Cunningham gives the novel a more realistic appeal.
Works Cited:
McManamy, John. "Virginia Woolf and Her Madness." McMan's Depression and Bipolar Web. 12 Feb. 2008. 28 Sept. 2008 http://www.mcmanweb.com/woolf.html.
The fictional Virginia Woolf is claiming to hear voices in her head that are telling her to hurl herself under, and that she heard birds singing in Greek. This is illustrative of the mental illness she is suffering from without blatantly saying that she is insane. The real Virginia Woolf also claimed to hear birds singing in Greek and to hear voices telling her to do rowdy things. By using real experiences of Virginia Woolf to create her fictional counterpart, Cunningham gives the novel a more realistic appeal.
Works Cited:
McManamy, John. "Virginia Woolf and Her Madness." McMan's Depression and Bipolar Web. 12 Feb. 2008. 28 Sept. 2008 http://www.mcmanweb.com/woolf.html.
The Host
“At this moment she could devour him, not ravenously but adoringly, infinitely gently, the way she used to take the Host into her mouth before she married and converted” (76).
The Host refers to the Eucharist in a Catholic Mass. The Eucharist is believed to be the body of Christ and is generally a cracker that is ingested during each service. Cunningham uses the Host to compare to the way Mrs. Brown feels about her son. The Host is not something that should be taken greedily, but rather savored and cherished, which is how Mrs. Brown feels about her son.
Photo Credit:
http://geoconger.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/eucharistic-wafers.jpg
The Host refers to the Eucharist in a Catholic Mass. The Eucharist is believed to be the body of Christ and is generally a cracker that is ingested during each service. Cunningham uses the Host to compare to the way Mrs. Brown feels about her son. The Host is not something that should be taken greedily, but rather savored and cherished, which is how Mrs. Brown feels about her son.
Photo Credit:
http://geoconger.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/eucharistic-wafers.jpg
Rilke's Apollo
“It is one thing to be asked to carry a cabbage across the street, quite another to be asked to carry the recently unearthed head of Rilke’s Apollo” (77).
Rilke’s Apollo, though it appears to be a statue, is actually a poem, “Torso of an Archaic Apollo.” Cunningham creates a weighted comparison between an ordinary cabbage and a literary statue. Rilke’s Apollo, if ever found, would be a great honor to carry, while a cabbage is merely a cabbage. The comparison is used to explain how Mrs. Brown’s son, Richie, is treating the cup of flour that he is holding with reverence.
Works Cited:
http://www.polyamory.org/~howard/Poetry/rilke_archaic_apollo.html
Rilke’s Apollo, though it appears to be a statue, is actually a poem, “Torso of an Archaic Apollo.” Cunningham creates a weighted comparison between an ordinary cabbage and a literary statue. Rilke’s Apollo, if ever found, would be a great honor to carry, while a cabbage is merely a cabbage. The comparison is used to explain how Mrs. Brown’s son, Richie, is treating the cup of flour that he is holding with reverence.
Works Cited:
http://www.polyamory.org/~howard/Poetry/rilke_archaic_apollo.html
Plato and Morris
“Owing nothing to old Aunt Helena, who sits every night in her accustomed chair and wonders aloud whether Plato and Morris are suitable reading for young women” (81).
Plato was a Greek aristocrat whose works dealt with life, its purpose, and how to live a successful life. William Morris was a British author who dabbled in politics on occasion. During Virginia’s time, it was highly unusual for a young girl to read novels and works of authors such as Plato and Morris, who were revolutionary thinkers of their times. Girls were supposed to read light and airy books, not the works of some of the greatest thinkers of all time.
Plato was a Greek aristocrat whose works dealt with life, its purpose, and how to live a successful life. William Morris was a British author who dabbled in politics on occasion. During Virginia’s time, it was highly unusual for a young girl to read novels and works of authors such as Plato and Morris, who were revolutionary thinkers of their times. Girls were supposed to read light and airy books, not the works of some of the greatest thinkers of all time.
Works Cited:
Kemerling, Garth. "Plato." Philosophy Pages. 9 Aug. 2006. 29 Sept. 2008 http://www.philosophypages.com/ph/plat.htm.
Cody, David. "Morris's Socialism." The Victorian Web. 15 Dec. 2002. 29 Sept. 2008 http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/morris/wmsocialm.html.
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An Amazonian
“So the subjugated Amazon stands on the riverbank wrapped in the fur of animals she has killed and skinned” (85).
An Amazonian warrior generally refers to a female warrior from the Amazon region. Amazons are known for being fierce fighters. In Amazonian culture, the women are more valued than the men are because it is their duty to provide for their family. Virginia compares Nelly to the Amazon warrior to show her fierceness and assumed superiority.
An Amazonian warrior generally refers to a female warrior from the Amazon region. Amazons are known for being fierce fighters. In Amazonian culture, the women are more valued than the men are because it is their duty to provide for their family. Virginia compares Nelly to the Amazon warrior to show her fierceness and assumed superiority.
Passing of Time
“Yes, and by four o’clock I meant the four o’clock that arrives almost five hours from now, now being exactly eight minutes past eleven. The twelve-thirty train would get you to London a few minutes past one. The two-thirty would deposit you back here just after three, quite promptly and safely, with the tea and ginger in hand. Am I miscalculating?” (86).
This passage shows the importance of time in the novel. Virginia places importance on Nelly being able to accomplish everything by a certain time. Virginia feels as though she has the power to control time by deciding which train to take and how much time there is remaining. By being able to control time, Virginia believes she is able to control her life as well because life is the passing of time.
This passage shows the importance of time in the novel. Virginia places importance on Nelly being able to accomplish everything by a certain time. Virginia feels as though she has the power to control time by deciding which train to take and how much time there is remaining. By being able to control time, Virginia believes she is able to control her life as well because life is the passing of time.
The Golden Notebook
“Clarissa’s copy of The Golden Notebook lay on the chipped white nightstand of the attic bedroom” (98).
The Golden Notebook is a novel by Doris Lessing focusing on the narcissistic aspects and the problems of the general society from the viewpoint of an artist. Cunningham specifically places The Golden Notebook on Clarissa’s nightstand because it is such a revolutionary novel and to show Clarissa reading it brings the feeling that Cunningham is trying to promote Lessing’s ideas.
The Golden Notebook is a novel by Doris Lessing focusing on the narcissistic aspects and the problems of the general society from the viewpoint of an artist. Cunningham specifically places The Golden Notebook on Clarissa’s nightstand because it is such a revolutionary novel and to show Clarissa reading it brings the feeling that Cunningham is trying to promote Lessing’s ideas.
Works Cited:
Hanford, Jan. "The Golden Notebook." Doris Lessing. 29 Sept. 2008 http://www.dorislessing.org/thegolden.html.
Photo Credit:
Doris Lessing
“Lessing had been long overshadowed by other writers” (98).
Doris Lessing is the author behind The Golden Notebook and The Grass is Singing. Lessing grew up in South Africa, a culture that has influenced many of her works. Though it is difficult to believe, Lessing did not graduate high school, but instead taught herself to be an intellectual thinker. This is what makes it important that Clarissa has The Golden Notebook and looks forward to being able to read it. Clarissa herself is an independent thinker, and it is clear why she would enjoy an author such as Lessing.
Works Cited:
Hanford, Jan. "Biography." Doris Lessing. 29 Sept. 2008 http://www.dorislessing.org/biography.html.
Photo Credit:
http://www.dorislessing.org/biography.html
Yellow Roses of Peace
“Clarissa fills a vase with a dozen of the yellow roses” (123).
Flowers, specifically yellow roses appear in many places in the novel. Clarissa sets out to buy flowers for Richard’s party, Virginia sees yellow roses as a symbol for peace when she helps her niece place them around a dead bird, and when Luis visits Clarissa she fidgets with the location of the vase of yellow roses. The roses are symbolic of different things to each of the characters, but they are one of the many connections keeping the characters together.
Flowers, specifically yellow roses appear in many places in the novel. Clarissa sets out to buy flowers for Richard’s party, Virginia sees yellow roses as a symbol for peace when she helps her niece place them around a dead bird, and when Luis visits Clarissa she fidgets with the location of the vase of yellow roses. The roses are symbolic of different things to each of the characters, but they are one of the many connections keeping the characters together.
Photo Credit:
Stereotypical Television Set
“Sally and Clarissa live in a perfect replica of an upper-class West Village apartment; you imagine somebody’s assistant striding through with a clipboard: French leather armchairs, check; bookshelves studded with small treasures acquired abroad, check. Even the eccentricities—the flea-market mirror frame covered in seashells, the scaly old South American chest painted with leering mermaids—feel calculated, as if the art director had looked it all over and said, ‘It isn’t convincing enough yet, we need more things to tell us who these people really are’” (127).
This passage looks at how Clarissa and Sally are a stereotypical New York couple, living in an apartment that is decorated as though it is a set for a television show or a movie. To outsiders, this is how their apartment appears—void of any emotion and creativity. It makes the readers question whether Sally and Clarissa have any originality or if they are just dreary women leading monotonous lives.
This passage looks at how Clarissa and Sally are a stereotypical New York couple, living in an apartment that is decorated as though it is a set for a television show or a movie. To outsiders, this is how their apartment appears—void of any emotion and creativity. It makes the readers question whether Sally and Clarissa have any originality or if they are just dreary women leading monotonous lives.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
Heart of Darkness is a novella written during the late 19th century that tells of a man's journey deep into the interior of the Congo of Africa. Marlow, the main character tells his shipmates of his experiences working for a Belgian ivory company during the time of Imperialist expansion into Africa. His story is told in a stream of consciousness style, and most of his tale revolves around the infamous Mr. Kurtz, an agent for the ivory company deep in the wilderness. When Marlow finally meets Kurtz, he is quite confused and disappointed.
Send Me to Graves End
“The air was dark above Gravesend, and farther back still seemed condensed into a mournful gloom, brooding motionless over the biggest, and the greatest, town on earth” (3).
Gravesend is a town located on the south banks of the Thames in Kent, England. Throughout the history of the town, it has played a vital role in England’s commerce and trade industry. The close relationship between Gravesend and the river Thames has allowed the economy of the town and, in some cases, the country as well, to prosper.
Gravesend is a town located on the south banks of the Thames in Kent, England. Throughout the history of the town, it has played a vital role in England’s commerce and trade industry. The close relationship between Gravesend and the river Thames has allowed the economy of the town and, in some cases, the country as well, to prosper.
Photo Credit: http://thames.me.uk/s00010_files/gravesend2.jpg
Architecture Dominoes
“The Accountant had brought out already a box of dominoes, and was toying architecturally with the bones” (3).
Dominoes is a game played with small tiles traditionally made out of ivory or small bones. Originally started in China, the game traveled to Europe through the Silk Road, and the Europeans’ added their adaptations to it, modernizing the style to the way it is today. Many variations of the game can be played, but the classic game involves matching the tiles in a chain form.
Dominoes is a game played with small tiles traditionally made out of ivory or small bones. Originally started in China, the game traveled to Europe through the Silk Road, and the Europeans’ added their adaptations to it, modernizing the style to the way it is today. Many variations of the game can be played, but the classic game involves matching the tiles in a chain form.
Works Cited: http://www.gamecabinet.com/rules/DominoIntro.html
Sir John Francis Drake Franklin
“It had known and served all the men of whom the nation is proud, from Sir Francis Drake to Sir John Franklin, knights all” (4).
Sir Francis Drake was a sailor from the 16th century who took a small fleet of ships on a lengthy voyage that was supposed to take them into the Nile River, but their true destination was the Pacific Ocean. After losing most of his fleet, he eventually circumnavigated the globe taking three years and accumulating approximately 36,000 miles on his ship.
Sir John Franklin led an expedition into the Arctic during the 19th century that proved to be quite dangerous. Leading his 129 men into the Arctic, he searched for a passage across the top of the North American continent. After years without word from the explorers, search expeditions were sent out to find the missing voyagers; the search crews discovered bodies of several crewmembers frozen in the ice.
Sir Francis Drake was a sailor from the 16th century who took a small fleet of ships on a lengthy voyage that was supposed to take them into the Nile River, but their true destination was the Pacific Ocean. After losing most of his fleet, he eventually circumnavigated the globe taking three years and accumulating approximately 36,000 miles on his ship.
Sir John Franklin led an expedition into the Arctic during the 19th century that proved to be quite dangerous. Leading his 129 men into the Arctic, he searched for a passage across the top of the North American continent. After years without word from the explorers, search expeditions were sent out to find the missing voyagers; the search crews discovered bodies of several crewmembers frozen in the ice.
Works Cited:
"The Disastrous Expedition of Sir John Franklin." ESSORTMENT. 25 Aug. 2008 http://www.essortment.com/all/sirjohnfrank_reib.htm
"The Franklin Expedition." The Victorian Web. 27 Mar. 2002. 24 Aug. 2008 http://www.victorianweb.org/history/franklin/franklin.html
Seeler, Oliver. "Francis Drake the Voyage." Sir Francis Drake. 1996. 24 Aug. 2008 http://www.mcn.org/2/oseeler/voy.htm
Terror of the Golden Erebus Hind
Golden Hind
Works Cited:
"The Voyage." Golden Hind. 25 Aug. 2008 http://www.goldenhind.co.uk/education/worksheets/voyage.html
“It had borne all the ships whose names are like jewels flashing in the night of time, from the Golden Hind returning with her round flanks full of treasure, to be visited by the Queen’s Highness and thus pass out of the gigantic tale, to the Erebus and Terror, bound on other conquests—and that never returned” (4).
The Golden Hind is the only ship of Sir Francis Drake’s that survived his three-year voyage around the globe. When it returned to England, its holds were full of treasures from every corner of the world, their value totaling an estimated £600,000 in 1580 (equivalent to around £25 million today).
The Erebus and the Terror were the two ships that Sir John Franklin commandeered when searching for the Northwest Passage. Neither ship returned to docks in England.
The Golden Hind is the only ship of Sir Francis Drake’s that survived his three-year voyage around the globe. When it returned to England, its holds were full of treasures from every corner of the world, their value totaling an estimated £600,000 in 1580 (equivalent to around £25 million today).
The Erebus and the Terror were the two ships that Sir John Franklin commandeered when searching for the Northwest Passage. Neither ship returned to docks in England.
Works Cited:
Ward, Paul. "Erebus and Terror, Ships of the Antarctic Explorers." Cool Antartica. 17 Aug. 2008. 25 Aug. 2008 http://www.coolantarctica.com/antarctica%20fact%20file/history/antarctic_ships/erebus_terror_franklin.htm
"The Voyage." Golden Hind. 25 Aug. 2008 http://www.goldenhind.co.uk/education/worksheets/voyage.html
The Chapman Shone Strongly
“The Chapman lighthouse, a three-legged thing erect on a mud-flat, shone strongly” (4).
Built in 1849, the Chapman lighthouse was the last of the lighthouse to be built on the Thames River. It served as a great tool during both world wars, providing guidance to the many ships assembling forces on the river. In Heart of Darkness, the light produced by the lighthouse symbolizes civilization, as Marlow refers to the uncivilized areas as “darkness.”
Built in 1849, the Chapman lighthouse was the last of the lighthouse to be built on the Thames River. It served as a great tool during both world wars, providing guidance to the many ships assembling forces on the river. In Heart of Darkness, the light produced by the lighthouse symbolizes civilization, as Marlow refers to the uncivilized areas as “darkness.”
Works Cited:
"London River Thames Lighthouses." 25 Aug. 2008 http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/amphiaraus1/page7.html
Photo Credit: http://www.canveyisland.org/page_id__191_path__.aspx
Old Romans
“I was thinking of very old times, when the Romans first came here, nineteen hundred years ago” (5).
In 43 A.D., the Roman Empire expanded into what is today called England. Emperor Claudius sent men into southern England, which was quickly taken over by the Romans. This invasion lends to the first ever written history of England. Around 400 A.D. the Romans withdrew to defend their homeland, leaving England to fend for itself and prosper into the country it is today.
Works Cited:
"The Romans in Britain 43-410 AD." History-UK. 26 Aug. 2008 http://www.historic-uk.com/historyuk/england-history/romanengland.htm
In 43 A.D., the Roman Empire expanded into what is today called England. Emperor Claudius sent men into southern England, which was quickly taken over by the Romans. This invasion lends to the first ever written history of England. Around 400 A.D. the Romans withdrew to defend their homeland, leaving England to fend for itself and prosper into the country it is today.
Works Cited:
"The Romans in Britain 43-410 AD." History-UK. 26 Aug. 2008 http://www.historic-uk.com/historyuk/england-history/romanengland.htm
No Falernian, No Ashore
“No Falernian wine here, no going ashore” (5).
The grapes for Falernian wine were grown on the slopes of Mt. Falernus in ancient Rome. It was generally served to emperors, and was one of the more expensive types of wine, generally unavailable to the public. Marlow refers to the Falernian wine when he is talking about the lack of extravagance on the ship, and how there is not much for a civilized man to eat.
Works Cited:
"Falernian Wine." Wikipedia. 17 July 2008. 26 Aug. 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falernian_wine
The grapes for Falernian wine were grown on the slopes of Mt. Falernus in ancient Rome. It was generally served to emperors, and was one of the more expensive types of wine, generally unavailable to the public. Marlow refers to the Falernian wine when he is talking about the lack of extravagance on the ship, and how there is not much for a civilized man to eat.
Works Cited:
"Falernian Wine." Wikipedia. 17 July 2008. 26 Aug. 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falernian_wine
Buddha Flower
“He had the pose of a Buddha preaching in European clothes and without a lotus-flower” (6).
Guatama Buddha is the founder of the religion, Buddhism. Buddhists believe in seeking a state of enlightenment and truth. The lotus-flower is symbolic to Buddhists, representing spiritual and mental purity. If the narrator is comparing Marlow to Buddha, he could be hinting that he is not mentally or spiritually pure.
Guatama Buddha is the founder of the religion, Buddhism. Buddhists believe in seeking a state of enlightenment and truth. The lotus-flower is symbolic to Buddhists, representing spiritual and mental purity. If the narrator is comparing Marlow to Buddha, he could be hinting that he is not mentally or spiritually pure.
Works Cited: "Buddhist Lotus Symbol." Religion Facts. 17 Apr. 2004. 26 Aug. 2008 http://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/symbols/lotus.htm
Steamboats!
“I thought to myself, they can’t trade without using some kind of craft on that lot of fresh water—steamboats!” (8).
Steamboats play an important role in this novel. Without the steamboat, Marlow would be unable to get his crew to Mr. Kurtz, an influential man in Marlow’s life; it provides Marlow with a reason to travel to Africa in the first place. The steamboat symbolizes trade and commerce, and civilization, too.
Steamboats play an important role in this novel. Without the steamboat, Marlow would be unable to get his crew to Mr. Kurtz, an influential man in Marlow’s life; it provides Marlow with a reason to travel to Africa in the first place. The steamboat symbolizes trade and commerce, and civilization, too.
Photo Credit: http://www.clpgh.org/exhibit/images/gif/boatz.gif
Channel Crossing
“I flew around like mad to get ready, and before forty-eight hours I was crossing the Channel to show myself to my employers” (9).
The English Channel is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that divides Northern France from England. Approximately 350 miles long and between 21 and 150 miles wide, it serves as an important method of transportation between France and England. It enables the two countries to trade effortlessly and provides their navies with excellent defenses. It is through the English Channel that the first Roman legions invaded England and since William of Normandy in 1066, no other forces have successfully penetrated England through its Channel.
The English Channel is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that divides Northern France from England. Approximately 350 miles long and between 21 and 150 miles wide, it serves as an important method of transportation between France and England. It enables the two countries to trade effortlessly and provides their navies with excellent defenses. It is through the English Channel that the first Roman legions invaded England and since William of Normandy in 1066, no other forces have successfully penetrated England through its Channel.
Works Cited: "English Channel." World Atlas. 26 Aug. 2008 http://www.worldatlas.com/aatlas/infopage/englishchannel.htm
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