Hello everyone--
I hope you have all enjoyed your beach reading this summer and are ready to start AP Literature. Before school starts, I'd like all of you to post here so we can get the discussion started as soon as possible.
In your post, please identify the book you are discussing and if you don't create an account and post as a guest, please put your name in the post. You only have to post once, but please feel free to post more than once and try to respond to the comments of your peers.
Topics for discussion:
What is the author's purpose? How did he/she achieve it?
To what extent does the author's style affect the meaning of the text?
What questions do you have about any of the books?
Which book delivered its message most effectively? Why?
I'll check in throughout the week and see how the discussion is going. See you soon!
Miss B/Mrs. Dwyer (I'm still transitioning to the new name...) :)
Fyodor Dostoevsky’s purpose of writing Crime and Punishment is to explore the theme of isolation. He succeeds in doing so by showing the progression of Raskolnikov’s alienation throughout the book. At the beginning of the story, Raskolnikov is almost completely separated from society. He does not show affection towards anyone really, except for Dunia and Pulcheria. He cares about their well-being, for they are his family. As time goes on, and Raskolnikov commits a murder, he even becomes isolated from them. This is due to the fact that he does not want to be discovered as a murderer, and therefore does not trust himself to be around anyone, for fear of revealing what he did. However, eventually Raskolnikov lessens his alienation by associating himself with Sonia. He brings them closer together when he confides in her about the murder, in addition to telling his sister. At the very end of Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov finally puts an end to all the isolation he used to have with society. Dostoevsky wrote, “She knew and had no doubt that he loved her above everything else and that at last the moment had come…” (Dostoevsky 520). In this quote, Sonia knows that Raskolnikov is finally going to truly love her, and not remain at a distance from everyone, including her, anymore. Since Raskolnikov cannot remain isolated throughout the entire book, it shows that everyone needs to be connected with some people. Dostoevsky is expressing the idea that people need to have trust in others, and cannot be completely separated from society.
ReplyDelete-Abby Wolff
The author’s (Charles Dickens) purpose in Great Expectations is to tell a story of both ungratefulness and selflessness. In the beginning Pip is embarrassed of his low social standing he wants to be up to Estella’s standard. “I was a common labouring-boy; that my hands were coarse; that my boots were thick; that I had fallen into a despicable habit of calling knaves Jacks…and generally that I was in a low-lived bad way,” (Dickens 64). In this quote, Pip reflects on how he comes from a low standing, but longs to be something more, a gentleman. In this way Dickens also links in the importance of social standing. Once Pip comes into his fortune he becomes more selfless. He chooses to use his money to help Herbert have a better life too. Perhaps the most selfless thing that Pip decides to do is instead of abandoning his benefactor, Magwitch, he stays along with him. Pip comes full circle by the end of the story. He realizes the value of hard work even though his initial fortune was handed to him. Dickens achieves all this by showing Pip’s inner struggle of wanting to be more and distancing himself from his low background. Dickens portrays how Pip grows and becomes more modest from all that he encountered.
ReplyDelete-Lizi Bouregy
Undoubtedly, the style in which a book is written will affect the way a reader interprets the texts meaning; Fyodor Dostoevsky clearly exhibits his understanding of this in his composition of Crime and Punishment. It is agreeable that Dostoevsky's use of third person perspective "fly on the wall" writing greatly affected the meaning of his piece. Without the overlaying, broad view, presented to the reader throughout the novel, the true meaning in the story could easily get lost. Had it been written in the style of a first person "point of view", the reader, due to the complexities of Raskolnikov's thought process and dialogue, would be both mislead as to the meaning of the story and likely confused especially without other character opinions to compare to except the individual perspective. Instead though, the presentation of this book allows the reader to understand the texts meaning clearly. For example, on page 112-113 this quote is found. "... Razumihin saw at once that his visitor was ill. 'Why, you are seriously ill, do you know that?' He began feeling his pulse. Raskolnikov pulled away his hand. 'Never mind,' he said, 'I have come for this; I have no lessons. ... I wanted ... but I don't want lessons. ...' 'But I say! You are delirious, you know!' Razumihin observed, watching him carefully. 'No, I am not'" (Dostoevsky112-113). Under the style of a third person view, the meaning is obvious: Raskolnikov is ill, delusional, and in denial; however, had this been structured as a first person perspective style, there would be a much different interpretation of the quotes meaning, potentially presenting Raskolnikov as a man with no mental or physical problems when certianly that is not the case. It is evident that an authors style can manipulate the way in which a reader perceives a novels meaning, with that being said, Dostoevsky's writing style largely affects his piece's message, arguably for the better.
ReplyDelete~ Spencer Russo
Many messages can be recieved from "Great Expectaions", but the most effective message delivered in this piece of literature was the aspect of companionship and how it can prosper through relationships. Throughout the story, Pip remains loyal to the people that mean the most to him throughout his life. Although there are many, the bond that sticks out the most from the beginning to the end is between Pip and Joe. All throughout the childhood of Pip, Joe remains by Pip's side, when no one else does. Joe always makes sure that Pip is well taken care of, especially when Mrs. Joe is cold and ill-tempered towards him. As Pip becomes older and moves to London to acheive a larger status as a gentleman,the compassion between himself and Joe is strained,especially during the first time Joe comes to visit him. The visit made Pip feel "impatient and out of temper with him..."(174) The loyal bond between Pip and Joe is restorred once Pip's attitude about being a gentleman changes and his expectations start unravelling. When he is at his lowest point, obtaining a large amount of debt and becomes extremely ill, Joe is the one that steps up to take care of him and makes sure that he recovers well, just as he would when Pip was a young boy. Pip feels extremely suprised and touched when Joe even pays off his entire debt. Pip says,"I had never dreamed of Joe's having paid the money; but Joe had paid it, and the receipt was in his name" (Dickens, 370). Through this generous act,Dickens subliminally takes this message of companionship even further as a whole, inferring that no matter how different two people may end up being, they will always be there for eachother in the long run through good times and bad. This message was effectively active throughout all of "Great Expectations".
ReplyDelete-Lily Anderson
Throughout Charles Dickens' renowned novel, "Great Expectations", there is a reoccuring theme and purpose of the book to show human's tendency of unrequited and thankless love and the ways in which it pays off. This love is seen in not only Pip's obvious love for Estella, but also in Joe Gargery's loyalty to Pip. Pip loves Miss Havisham's adopted daughter from the moment he meets her until the end of the story, regardless of the ache and hurt she has caused him. Pip admits to this, saying, "The unqualified truth is, that when I loved Estella with the love of a man, I loved her simply because I found her irresistible. Once for all; I knew to my sorrow, often and often, if not always, that I loved her against reason, against promise, against peace, against hope, against happiness, against all discouragement that could be. Once for all; I loved her none the less because I knew it" (Dickens 181). Estella had been nothing but cruel to Pip and he loved her, regardless. Even after she married Bentley Drummle, Pip's enemy, he loved her with all his heart. Finally as the book comes to a close, he meets her at Miss Havisham's old property. She is changed and humbled, saying to Pip, "'I have been bent and broken, but- I hope- into a better shape" (380) and she wishes to be friends. Pip's suffering and painful love have paid off. Joe's circumstances are similar. When Pip comes into his Great Expectations, Joe is happy for him and resolves to be "ever the best of friends". As Pip abandons Joe and forgets him, Joe keeps a loyal and good, though thankless, place in his heart for Pip. When Pip falls ill, it is none other than poor, forgotten Joe who immediately returns to Pip's side and nurses him to health, not to mention the fact that he pays off Pip's debt, despite his own poor circumstances. Pip finally realizes how cruel he has been to Joe and asks for forgiveness, as Estella asks of him. Joe’s response is a final demonstration of his unrequited love and loyalty. “ ‘O dear old Pip, old chap… God knows as I forgive you, if I have anythink to forgive!’” (376). Joe is not angry with Pip, as Pip was not angry with Estella, but only thankful to have an honest companionship with him again. Both Pip with Estella and Joe with Pip are examples of Dickens’ theme of unrequited love and are evident and focused throughout the length of the story.
ReplyDeleteAs a comedian Mark Twain was always looking for ways to poke fun at all sorts of people while teaching lessons. Twain's purpose for writing "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" was to show the hypocrisy behind civilization through the journey undertook by Huck Finn and the escaped slave, Jim, and his use of satire. Twain brilliantly used satire as a way to point out flaws in society while keeping the story light and filled with comedy. "'I don't know. But that's what they do. I've seen it in books; and so of course that's what we've got to do'" (page 18). Twain, throughout "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", satirizes media, religion, and the habit of people to follow others. This one statement joined with the entire novel is completely effective in showing all the flaws of society by those things. In the beginning Tom wants to create a gang based off the books he's read. He is highly influenced by the media filled with romanticism, an unrealistic genre he is introduced to in books. Through Tom, the neighborhood boys are influenced to believe that his way is right because he was the most intelligent. The children follow him believing in the excitement and superiority he gives off. The same is shown for religion. Huck wouldn't want to live by an old book written by/about long dead people. It influences many 'sivilized' people, yet they are influenced by society that slavery is right and influenced by those around them start to only look out for themselves. Along his journey with Jim along the river, Huck is separated from society and the influences within. He by the end of the book sees the flaws in 'sivilization' that are ludicrous to both he and the audience. Through the satire of all the flaws of society, Mark Twain is the most successful an author could ever be in writing the plot of 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" due to its uniqueness and ability to bring all the matters down to earth.
ReplyDelete-Jessica Grote
One purpose of Crime and Punishment is the idea that feelings of superiority inevitably lead one to alienation. When Fyodor Dostoevsky introduces the character of Raskolnikov, he simultaneously and successfully presents a character who views himself as superior to others. Although Raskolnikov is struggling and hardly able to pay his rent, he genuinely believes that he is on a level above the rest of society. Because of this belief, it appears that Raskolnikov finds that he is entitled and capable of almost anything, such as murdering an innocent old woman. When a student and officer are talking, the student says, "Besides, what value has the life of that sickly, stupid, ill-natured woman in the balance of existence!" (Dostoevsky 57). At this moment, Raskolnikov overhears his own idea echoed by another, giving him even more verification that he should murder the woman. By murdering the pawnbroker and her sister, Raskolnikov's lack of empathy is shown. The pawnbroker was completely innocent, yet because Raskolnikov does not value the life of others, he follows through with murder. As the novel progresses, the audience and Raskolnikov himself start to realize that Raskolnikov isn't the superman he thought he was. His feelings of guilt tear him apart mentally, causing him to be physically unwell. Raskolnikov's initial belief that he would suffer no repercussions is proven to be inaccurate. Raskolnikov's feeling of authority is also the main factor that causes him to be isolated from the rest of humanity. By truly believing he is better, he spends less time with others who he views as "below" him. Isolation is also a result of his crimes, which were committed due to his mistaken self-worth.
ReplyDelete-Alicia Wichtowski
My questions involving Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novel Crime and Punishment relate to possible similarities between the influences on the character’s behaviors and the life of the author. Many of the themes prevalent in Crime and Punishment, like pride amongst the impoverished and dealing with guilt without being aware of one’s own guilt, could have stemmed from the tragic and unusual life of the author. Dostoevsky, not unlike Raskolnikov, lost his father at an early age. The other notable similarities between the two individuals may stem from the fact that Dostoevsky himself was sentenced to prison following his arrest for ties to a radical organization, sentenced to death, and at the last minute his sentence was reduced to four years hard labor. Both the fictional and real individual engage in criminal actions. The themes of death, paying for ones misdeeds, and living under the threat of a worse future are all subjects that the author had become intimately knowledgeable about. Therefore, I cannot help but wonder how much of Raskolnikov’s psychological issues were also experienced by Fyodor Dostoevsky to some extent. While I seriously doubt the author committed murder at any point in his life, it is my belief that he could easily have undergone a number of the other issues Raskolnikov did, such as depression, self-inflicted solitude, and anger at those who cared for him. As most of the mental illness in a majority of the book’s characters could be attributed to pride, poverty, or especially in Raskolnikov’s case, an overwhelming sense of dread and guilt, I am curious as to whether or not there is any documentation of Dostoevsky dealing with similar inner turmoil or mental illness.
ReplyDelete- Harry Taylor
Harry,
DeleteI believe the library has recently purchased a biography video of Dostoevsky-- if so, we will watch it! I always like to see the connection between the author and the work as well.
Mark Twain's purpose for writing Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was to bring up the topic of racism and slavery. Even though at the time slavery was abolished, he wanted people to know that racism against African Americans was still a big problem. Throughout the novel, Huck becomes good friends with Jim, a runaway slave. All of the characters except Huck and Tom are racist towards Jim and other African Americans. Even the characters that seem like good people are not respectful of African Americans. Silas and Sally Phelps seem like good people, but when they find Jim, they do not think twice about catching him and trying to return him to his owner. Jim says to Huck and Tom, "Please to don't tell nobody 'bout it sah, er ole Mars Silas he'll scole me" (Twain 198). Silas and Sally Phelps are the nicest people to anyone they meet, but they could not care less about the feelings of African Americans. They do not see Africans Americans as equal human beings and this thought was in the minds of most people during this time. This just goes to show that even the kindest, most respectful Americans could be racist and mean to African Americans. All in all, Mark Twain wrote this novel because he wanted to bring attention to the growing problem of racism in America and to show people how they were badly they were treating other human beings.
ReplyDelete-Holly Riccitelli
I would like to continue a bit of what Harry brought up in his post about the parallels between Dostoevsky’s and Raskolnikov’s worlds. Crime and Punishment was published in 1866 in Russia. During this time, nihilism was spreading. Nihilism, from what I’ve been able to conclude, is that philosophy that believes that morality doesn’t exists and relationships with people aren't truly important. Raskolnikov is a nihilist for the majority of the novel and doesn’t really have any meaningful bonds with people or things (This also ties in with Abby’s post about Isolation in the novel), which is shown through his avoidance of people on a daily basis and lack of any sentimental objects throughout his garret. This philosophy leads him to murder, which under a “normal” moral compass really wouldn’t even be an acceptable option. But at the end when Raskolnikov falls in love, his nihilism perspective crumbles and Dostoevsky is able to show the wrongs of nihilism and the importance of emotional connections to keep you grounded and moral. While many of the themes and messages are timeless and still have meaning today, they are a cultural/political representation of Dostoevsky’s lifetime and possibly his own life as he himself was forcefully isolated and given the “silent treatment” for eight months in prison where he, I’d imagine, found the importance of people and emotional connections.
ReplyDelete-Shelby Olson
Nice job responding to and linking other posts. We will definitely be talking about some nihilist philosophy. Very uplifting...
DeleteI am writing in response to Charles Dickens' classic novel, Great Expectations. Lily wrote in her comment that Pip remains loyal to those who mean the most to him throughout the novel. I agree with this (despite his occasional respites from loyalty, he overall retains his connections to those most important to his life), but have to question whether in every case this is in his best interest. As might be guessed, the case I am referring to is that of Estella, with whom he falls in love as a child, continuing to hold her in an almost child-like esteem throughout the novel. This love for her serves only to distance Pip from those who deserve his affection and esteem, creating the adult whose "great expectations" are not quite as great in terms of kindness and friendship. (As a side note, I believe this to be a large part of Dickens' purpose in writing this novel- to show that Pip's rise in society was not in fact lucky for him, but rather, harmed his character, as seen in the Second Stage of Pip's Expectations. It seems to me that he wanted to show that money cannot buy everything, that staying humble and true to those who have cared about you is the surest way to have a happy life.) From the very beginning, Estella only serves to hurt Pip. Upon their first meeting at Miss Havisham's, she makes him cry from a belief that he is "much more ignorant than [he] had considered [himself] last night." While this is certainly cruel, it is not nearly so cruel as her afflicting him with misery of a different sort: "It is a most miserable thing to feel ashamed of home...Joe had sanctified it, and I had believed in it...I had believed in the forge as the glowing road to manhood and independence. Within a single year all this was changed. Now it was coarse and common, and I would not have had Miss Havisham and Estella see it on any account." Estella's mockery of him for his less privileged upbringing make him so ashamed of everything he holds dear to him- Joe, the forge, his home, Biddy- that, when he finally gets his wish and becomes a gentleman, he is willing to throw it all aside to prove to her that he is no longer the coarse, common boy she once knew. It is disturbing to me that throughout the book, no matter what damage Estella causes in his life, even after she admits that she does not and never will be able to care about him or anyone the way he wants her to, Pip insists on seeing her as the epitome of perfection. Granted, he admits to himself that he is never as happy with her as he pretends to be, but the fact that at no point does he recognize the need to release himself from her poisonous influence makes me question whether he really changes by the end of the novel. The reason he had loosed himself from his ties to Joe and his home is that he'd believed Miss Havisham to wish him to marry Estella; when Magwitch comes and he discovers this is not the case, only then does he begin to transform back into the Pip who had wished to have "such larks" with Joe at the forge. Even so, at the end of the novel, it is implied that Pip and Estella end up together: "In all the broad expanse of tranquil light they showed to me, I saw no shadow of another parting from her." I am forced from this to question whether her influence will again make him ashamed of his home and family, shame being such a prevalent feeling throughout the novel. While his growth seems to be such that nothing could shake it, Estella has been the one factor that consistently shows up in his ability to lose sight of all that is really important. He is blinded by his belief in her superiority, and one can only hope that this will not happen again in the aftermath of the book. In spite of this, I am glad that he was able to rekindle relationships with Joe and Biddy, who are true examples of loyalty in the novel, caring for Pip even when he leaves them to the wayside.
ReplyDelete-Kaitlin Sandmann
Author Fyodor Dostoevsky's third person narrative in Crime And Punishment shows a different meaning in the text than a first person narrative would have. It allows the reader to view Raskolnikov subjectively, compare him to other characters, and not be influenced by a narration from his perspective. By comparing Raskolnikov to other characters the reader can see that the theme of "extraordinary men" take effect, in a conversation Raskolnikov has he expresses his beliefs, "I simply hinted that an 'extraordinary' man has the rights... that is not an official right, but an inner right to decide in his own conscience to overstep... certain obstacles, and only in case it it is essential for the practical fulfillment of his idea(sometimes, perhaps, of benefit to the whole of humanity)"(Dostoevsky 215). Raskolnikov brings up the topic that there are certain men in the world that are extraordinary, that they can break laws and bend rules so that mankind as a whole can be better. Through Fyodor Dostoevsky's writing style it becomes clear to the reader, if not to the characters that Raskolnikov may be an extraordinary man, he has committed a terrible crime, but he has so far not been punished for it(I apologize i have not finished the book at this time so i can not tell if he truly gets punished). Raskolnikov, even though he has done wrong helps and brings joy to people, as is the case for his mother, sister and Sonia. The third person writing allows readers to look at other characters, such as Pyotr Petrovich, a man who attempts to marry Raskolnikov's sister Dounia and raise her out of poverty. In comparison to Raskolnikov he does this so that people will respect him more, so that he can have a greater sense of nobility, not out of goodness in his heart. It becomes clear that he is not a "extraordinary man" because he commits the simplest of falsehoods, trying to gain the admiration and devotion of a young girl. He can not "overstep obstacles" so to speak and do right by a young woman even through deceit. This comparison shows how Raskolnikov is more comparably extraordinary. The Idea of Raskolnikov being extraordinary though also brings up the idea that great men in history, "Lycurgus, Solon, Mahomet, Napoleon, and so on."(216) were insane. Dostoevsky shows that Raskolnikov is a extraordinary man and that he is insane, this gives the reader the idea that Dostoevsky personally believes that all great men are not in their right mind. That to truly help the world, to step outside of the box, outside of the rules one needs to be in a alternate state of mind, or in planer terms, insane.
ReplyDelete-Josef Lenz
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain was written to expose the wrongdoings of slavery, as Holly and Jessica, also discussed above. During the time period that this was published, African Americans were going through a time of serious prejudice and racism was very prevalent. Twain's opinions of slavery and racism were channeled into the character of Huckleberry Finn and his journey throughout the novel. Huck Finn becomes friends with Jim, a runaway slave and makes it his job to protect him and change the ideas of the majority towards African Americans. Although throughout the novel the word "nigger" is used by pretty much all the characters, Twain was using that word to emphasize the common treatment of African Americans and also that was a largely used word at the time. This novel has been scrutinized because of the use of that term but I believe that it further accentuates Twain's ideas of slavery and makes the literature more real. In the period that Huck is living in, his mental state far exceeds that of the rest of the world regarding equality of people. Twain wrote this novel to show that the common opinion of people is not the only opinion. Another one of Twain's purposes of writing this novel was to showcase the new-world thinking of Huckleberry Finn in a time where slavery was accepted. He successfully exposes all the flaws in the society he is among and creates a wonderfully written piece of literature.
ReplyDelete~~Kelly Feola
The style in which an author writes a book and the literary devices they use to enhance their writing do indeed have an effect on the way a reader reads and understands the text. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain uses many dialects in his story, which are an important part of his style of writing. Each of the characters in Huckleberry Finn has a different manner of speaking that helps distinguish and identify them as unique, believable characters. Huckleberry Finn’s style of speaking is a product of both the time and place he lives in, as well as his young age. His use of words such as 'ain't' and 'sivilize' give his narration a realistic, but casual tone, which is appropriate for the way he tells his story. The dialects used not only enhance the characters, but they allow the reader to better immerse themselves in the setting of the book. Had all of the character's dialogue been written in 'proper' English, it would have been harder to imagine and see them as normal people living in the South in the 1800's. And while the book has been criticized for its use of the word 'nigger', it was a commonly used word in the period the book was set and written in, and to remove it would be taking away some of the authenticity of the character’s dialogue. The dialects can also be seen as a way to add humor to the story. Jim's offhand comments "En what use is half a chile? I would'n give a dern for a million un um" (Twain 73) and the Duke and King's forced proper manner of speaking "I am the rightful Duke of Bridgewater; and here am I, forlorn, torn from my estate... and degraded to the companionship of fellows on a raft!" (113) as well as their misquotation of Hamlet’s soliloquy (125) are humorous quips of dialogue that would not have been as effective had they not been written in a dialect. The various dialects of the characters play an important part in the book, and had they not been used the novel would have lost some of what made it an effective and humorous piece of literature.
ReplyDeleteGreat Expectations also makes use of dialects, though to a lesser extent than Huckleberry Finn. Joe in particular has his own way of speaking that is representative of his social standing and lack of education. Compared with the language Pip uses when narrating the story, Joe’s speech is a lot less formal and proper. “But supposing you did?” “It can’t be supposed, tho’ I’m oncommon fond of reading too.” (Dickens 50). Pip values his education highly, and Joe’s uneducated manner of speaking may be a source of some shame to him, and may serve as a reminder of the low class life he is unsatisfied with.
-Alexandra Dilger
Great point! I like that you applied the concept of dialect and language to two different books-- it's quite significant in a number of the texts we will read this year.
DeleteHi everyone--
ReplyDeleteYour posts so far look great. I hope to see about 10 more by tonight! If you know anyone taking the class who hasn't posted yet, please remind them. We don't want anyone starting off the year with a zero! Don't forget to bring your completed practice test and contract (if you didn't turn it in at the end of the year.)
See you tomorrow!
Fyodor Dostoevsky’s purpose of Crime and Punishment is to examine the theme of alienation to society. When the character Raskolnikov is introduced, he views himself as superior over humanity, and therefore cannot connect to anyone. This is the cause to his alienation to society. Raskolnikov believes that he is superior over others and thus gets the idea to take the life of an innocent pawn broker because according to him, it is justified. “Besides what value has the life of that sickly, stupid, ill-natured woman in the balance of existence!” (Dostoevsky 57). This is the justification in the murder of the innocent Alyona Ivanovna. The empowerment that Raskolnikov receives from believing he is superior to others pushes him in committing this murder. However, after the murder, Raskolnikov gets even more alienated from the society. This is mixed with guilt, mental illness, paranoia, and Raskolnikov’s inability to accept human relationships. Raskolnikov is alienating himself for the reason of someone finding out he is the murderer. When Raskolnikov starts becoming closer with Sonia he starts to lessen the alienation. When he confides in her and tells her the truth about the murder, she does not push him away; instead, she encourages him to turn himself in. Raskolnikov goes to the police station and turns himself in for Sonia. When he is sent away to Siberia for 9 years, Sonia goes with him. Here Raskolnikov realizes his love for Sonia. “She knew and had no doubt that he loved her above everything else and at last the moment had come…” (520). This quote is the point where Raskolnikov falls to the ground weeping to Sonia about his love for her. At last he was not alienated from society but part of it, and that was because of Sonia.
ReplyDelete-Stephanie Clapp
Crime and Punishment delivers many messages, but among its most important are isolation and its negative repercussion, as Abby mentioned. We see through Raskolnikov’s own alienation the effects one suffers without connection.
ReplyDeleteIn the first few chapters of “Crime and Punishment,” Raskolnikov is not in a proper mental state due to the isolation he experienced after leaving school. It is only in this state that Raskolnikov begins to consider murder. In his own mind the idea brews and he cannot see its absurdity because he has become unhinged from others and their perspective.
As you follow Raskolnikov and his mental status through the events of the book, the consequences of isolation are always present. Dostoevsky often reminds the reader of Raskolnikov’s dreary situation and state of alienation through dialogue and imagery, such as in this passage:
“Raskolnikov turned to the wall where in the dirty, yellow paper he picked out one clumsy, white flower with brown lines on it and began examining it… He did not attempt to move but stared obstinately at the flower.” (Dostoevsky 113).
Another message emphasized in the book is that there are extraordinary men who are able to live above society’s rules. As both Alicia and Josef discussed, Raskolnikov considers himself to be an extraordinary man, one of a “separate breed of men” who can justly commit crimes because they are done for the good of others and without negative repercussions.
With the belief that Raskolnikov himself is an extraordinary man, he thinks that he can murder the old women and suffer no consequences. It is clear that Raskolnikov is not extraordinary, as the meat of the book is spent following Raskolnikov experiencing his “punishment” of mental anguish. Even though it is clear, Raskolnikov never admits that he is not of this “superior breed,” and says, even in the end: “What is meant by crime? My conscience is at rest.” (Dostoevsky 441). But he is, in fact, the same as every other man and suffers just the same. This message is clearly understood because Dostoevsky presents it as a subject of conversation many a time between the characters. Dostoevsky does an excellent job of creating a novel in which not one, but many, many messages are delivered in a clear but thought provoking way.
-Britta McCarthy
Mark Twain wrote The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to express his feelings towards the racism towards African Americans that was so prevalent in the late 1800s. Although slavery had been abolished for decades by the time the novel was written, most Americans did not view African Americans as equals. Even though the novel takes place in a time before slavery had been abolished, Twain tried to show African Americans as not only people who should not be forced into slavery, but as equals to European Americans. One of his tools he used to achieve this is Huckleberry Finn. Huck Finn represents an innocent child who is not tainted by the practices of society, so he does not view African Americans as harshly as most Southern Americans do. He is also a rebellious teenager, which helps him not conform to the popular opinions of society. Through his adventures with the escaped slave Jim, Huck Finn views Jim as more and more of a friend and a fellow human. After Huck Finn tricks Jim, Jim becomes very mad at Huck because he thought Huck was lost. This is when Huck first realizes that Jim genuinely cares for Huck Finn. Huck was so sorry that he thought, “It made me feel so mean I could almost kissed his foot to get him to take it back” (Twain 91). This is a fairly significant statement because kissing someone’s feet is a tremendous sign of respect, and that level of respect towards an African American was almost unheard of at that time in American history. Such opinions were revolutionary to write about in the late 1800s.
ReplyDelete-Ben Stevens
Mark Twain does a brilliant job addressing the issues of slavery and racism through the eyes of his protagonist in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. As discussed above by Jessica, one interesting way Twain addresses the difficult issues of the time is with humor. Even though it's awful that Jim has a monetary value, he still can chuckle about it with Huck, saying "Yes - en I's rich now, come to look at it. I owns myself, en I's wuth eight hund'd dollars. I wisht I had de money, I wouldn' want no mo'" (Twain 52). He highlights the fact that Jim is worth money that he can't even collect - others profit off of Jim by treating him as an item. While humor is an effective tool, Twain also utilizes sadness to highlight the human side of Jim, the side most people of that time period just could not manage to see. Huck, being awake without Jim's knowing, saw him crying and supposed "He [Jim] was thinking about his wife and his children, away up yonder, and he was low and homesick; because he hadn't ever been away from home before in his life; and I do believe he cared just as much for his people as white folks does for their'n" (171). The author manages to make Jim human to the reader, a difficult task in a time when racism flourished. The author is very successful in creating a dynamic, and, most importantly, human character with Jim.
ReplyDeleteThis story is also successful in creating discussion about guilt, one's conscience, and moral relativity. After Huck goes missing, Jim is absolutely devastated. With him gone, Jim cares nothing of himself or the raft any longer. So, when Huck returns, only to immediately play a mean spirited prank on Jim, Jim makes sure Huck knows how he should feel. "En when I wake up en fine you back agin, all safe en soun’, de tears come, en I could a got down on my knees en kiss yo’ foot, I’s so thankful. En all you wuz thinkin’ ’bout wuz how you could make a fool uv ole Jim wid a lie. Dat truck dah is TRASH; en trash is what people is dat puts dirt on de head er dey fren’s en makes ’em ashamed" (95). Huck's conscience is silent while he is planning a cruel prank on Jim, but seeing Jim's sadness and anger afterwards, Huck apologizes profusely. This part shows that friendships don't need to be broken because of a dumb mistake - and Jim can forgive Huck. A few pages later, however, Huck's morals begin to weaken when he thinks of the morals the people around him have. Huck has been trained by society to believe that a runaway slave is the equivalent to stolen property, and that it's wrong to help Jim do that. He makes plans to turn Jim in. But when he really thinks about the friendship he and Jim share, and the promises he's made to Jim, he realizes his morals do not line up with everybody else's. Huck's morals are out of line relative to society's, but that's okay. Mark Twain is really able to capture the internal struggle Huck goes through to make his decisions. Twain successfully gets his messages to the reader in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
-Connor Mitchel
Twain brings a gently philosophical flavor to the table as he depicts Huck's journey down the Mississippi by incorporating not only themes of righteousness and family, but of the power of deception and the often overlooked futility of conflict. As Mr. Finn floats lazily down the river, he is exposed to so much more than he had been in the quiet town of St. Petersburg. When he discovers common ground with a remarkably resilient slave who shares a similarly desperate interest in skipping town, he also finds a new family. Jim selflessly cares for Huck, and looks out for him with the love of an older brother. Thus, right off the bat Huck learns a little bit about the meaning of family, and how it isn't defined by blood or lineage, but by unconditional love and trust. Of course, this relationship with Jim prompts Huck delve into the differences between right and wrong as he ponders whether his choice to help Jim in his quest for freedom is an act of kindness or an act of treason. As he debates the morality of his decisions, he creates his own specific parameters to define what is right, and begins to understand that there is no explicit, universal, code that applies to all situations, but that a sense of intuition and a belief in treating others with kindness is all that can truly be relied upon. Twain conveys the above two themes in a serious tone, and the contexts in which these lessons are learned bear intimidating consequences. But during slightly more peaceful times, and in much less desperate contexts, Twain also introduces a few more subtle themes that are just as powerful, but induce more contemplative thoughts, and don't produce particularly clear answers. He encourages the readers to question everything they see by depicting the deceptive acts of the 'Duke of Bilgewater' and the 'King of France.' As these two ridiculously greedy, yet massively hilarious, individuals pilfer money from innocent townspeople, the reader gets the chance to see how casually they pursue these endeavors, and how astonishingly effective they can turn out to be. As much as the theme could easily be 'be super careful or you'll get burned,' well, that might be too over simplified. Sure, you can go ahead and be crazy-careful, yet, regardless, you're bound to find yourself the victim of some misunderstanding-- no matter how elaborate your efforts. So… is it acceptable to enact your own revenge (i.e. throwing a variety of partially decayed fruits and vegetables from the audience) or should you take a deep breath and say, 'okay, you got me'? Is it appropriate to do unto others as they have done unto you? If everyone starts... (to be continued in next comment) -->
ReplyDelete-- > breaking the rules, does that make them no longer valid whatsoever? Twain stirs the pot on this one a little bit, prompting some deep thought, but certainly doesn't provide any sort of clear conclusion. Again, when Huck finds himself a detached observer in the conflict between the Grangerfords and the Shepardsons, the reader sees another situation from a unique perspective. The conflict, begun in the times of generations gone by, is not over principles nor property, but about pride-- the foolish, self-serving pride of those who have only ever thought of their side of the story. In fact, as the two sides maliciously describe each other as imposters merely disguising themselves as proper families, but who are actually nothing of the sort (laughably comparable to the pot calling the kettle black, at least to the reader), they fail to see how similar they actually are. Thus, once again, Twain compels his readers to consider their own lives and assess the validity of the conflicts that they engage in. And, for a second time, he gives the reader a few more options: Is it wrong to fight for a cause that you cannot define, but that you deeply feel is right? Is it just to pursue someone who has done you no wrong, but who is distantly associated with someone, who, at some point, may have wronged someone that you distantly know? In the aforementioned instances, Twain places a character in a situation that enlightens the reader about a moral or philosophical concept, without granting the situation a sense of immediacy. By interspersing solid, foundational, themes with loftier, less clear, ones, Twain leaves you thinking long after you're done reading!
ReplyDeleteAmanda Mitchel
It is evident that one of Charles Dickens’ purposes in writing Great Expectations was to convey malcontent. Pip is a small boy when his parents die, and is left in the care of his older sister and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Gargery. He has never seen life outside the marshes, and suspects he never will. His only expectation is to become a blacksmith, and work in the forge with Joe. His aspirations change, however, when he is asked to visit Satis House as a playmate for the young and beautiful Estella. When Pip spends his first day at Miss Havisham’s, and is teased by Estella about his current circumstances, he realizes how different and poor his life is compared to that of the Havishams’. The more he visits Satis House, the more dissatisfied he becomes with his life in the marshes, and immensely desires to become a gentleman in order be worthy of Estella. After corrupting Pip’s thoughts with her more wealthy life, Miss Havisham cruelly sends Pip off to an apprenticeship to Joe to become a blacksmith. Although he works obediently for his brother in law, he yearns for another life. Miraculously, Pip’s expectations change when Mr. Jaggers, his lawyer, comes to Pip and tells him of a handsome sum of money left by an anonymous benefactor that was meant for him, and which is to be used to take Pip along the journey of becoming a gentleman. He jumps at the opportunity, and when he takes off for London, leaving behind all that he has ever known, claims that “...it was easier to go than I had supposed it would be” (Dickens 153). Despite the new training, clothes, and friends, Pip is still not content. His new life has not brought him any closer to his ultimate goal; marrying Estella. He is put into more grief when he discovers that his benefactor is Magwitch--the convict he gave a file and food to when he was a young boy, and who is a murderer that had run away from prison. Pip is disgusted with this information, and considers leaving the wealth behind as to avoid the convict altogether. It is at this point, with Estella marrying another man, and with himself going ever deeper into debt, that Pip begins to wonder how much happier he would have been not to know what life was like beyond the marshes. Through overcoming the initial revulsion of his true benefactor, and assuming all care of him, Pip regains his empathy. After the loss of his fortune, he goes with his friend Herbert and his wife Clara to Egypt, where Pip is promised work. Finally semi-content, Pip stays with Herbert and Clara for approximately 11 years before returning to London. During his last visit to Satis House to pay his respects to the late Miss Havisham, he happens upon Estella, who is there for the same purpose as he is. All the years Pip had spent dissatisfied ended where they had began; with Estella. What Pip did not realize, was that he had the ability to find happiness wherever he was. As Dickens kept Pip out of reach of what he desired, Pip drove himself into dissatisfaction and malcontent. If Pip, like Joe, had chosen to change what he wanted, he could have led a happier life. Because he did not, it was not until the end of the book that he was truly content, finally having what he had worked so hard to get.
ReplyDeleteIndigo Carlson
Great Expectations, written by Charles Dickens shows the importance of remembering where you come from as well as not taking anything for granted. Pip loses his parents at a very young age causing him to be brought up by his sister and her husband, Joe. Pip is exposed to very little while living on the marshes. However, perhaps one of the most defining moments in the book is when Pip has a run in with the convict. He is told to bring a file and food in the early morning to the convict, or have his liver eaten. However, Pip does what he is asked and life as he knew it goes back to normal. Soon after, the convict is chased, caught, and shipped away with another man. Pip is then summoned to go to Mrs. Havisham’s home. I believe this to be one of the happiest that Pip is in the book. Mrs. Havisham, as well as Estella, become tremendous parts of Pips life. They guide his thoughts and actions for a fair portion of his life. Then, when Pips sister is mauled and left for dead, this is the first introduction to not taking anything for granted. Mrs. Joe becomes very simple following the accident, and is no longer a defining person in Pips life. When Pip travels to London at the expense of his secret benefactor, he is shocked by how different it is from the marshes. The theme of guilt is also introduced at this point in the book. Mr. Jaggers is a rather heart-less lawyer. He compulsively washes his hands after talking to each client. He seems to have trouble dealing with the guilt, since he does not separate his work and his life. This is also remembering where you come from. Mr. Wemmick, who works for Mr. Jaggers, is in a far better place. He leads a happy life outside of his work. Part of this is that he lives in a castle. His castle I surrounded by a moat and he does not leave alone. He makes it much known to Pip that he should lead both lives separately, and leave work at the office. Pip seems to lose sight of where he came from, because he no longer contacts Joe very much. Instead he goes to visit Mrs. Havisham and Estella. Since he has such an intense invlvment with Mrs. Havisham and Estella, he oftens only visits them. However, Estella marrys Drummel and Mrs. Havisham dies. This causes Pip to be very much alone. He took the people he had in his life for granted and in the end he lost them. Joe and Biddy get married, following Mrs. Joe’s log awaited death. Although Pip wanted to become a gentleman, it would seem that he was much happier beforehand. Charles Dickens also achieved this through the tone that he had Pip speak and through the interactions with the prisoner, and having Pip completely abandon his family. Also, it was written in a Victorian style. This means that it is written in prose and long, descriptive sentences. It also was the constant thought process of Pip. Great Expectations was a very dramatic story, in which every character played a huge role to accomplish the theme of remembering where you come from and not taking anything for granted.
ReplyDelete-Neve Flynn
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ReplyDeleteIn Crime and Punishment there are many seperate themes that Fyodor Dostoevsky uses. I perosnally like to explore the theme that Radion Raskolnikov believes he is "superhuman" and above the law. I believe that Dostoevsky is showing that no one is above the law. He shows this by showing how Rodya thinks he is above the law, and he is mentally distraught and cannot function in society. There are two major points in the novel where the theme of the "superhuman" is very prevelent. The first being the murders of Alyona Ivanovna and Lizaveta. Before Rodya commits the murders he hears a conversation about how the old pawnbroker would be better off dead. He believes, because he is in the act of planning the murder, that it is his destiny to kill her. The more specific time that this theme is shown in is when Rodya and Porfiry are talking about the article that Raskolnikov wrote when he was at the university. "In his article all men are divided into 'ordinary' and 'extraordinary.' Ordinary men have to live in submission, have no right to transgress the law, because, don't you see, they are ordinary. But extraordinary men have a right to commit any crime and to transgress the law in any way, just because they are extraordinary. That was your idea, if I am not mistaken?" Raskolnikov answers that he does believe in this theory. Throughout the book he believes he in extraordinary. He thinks tha he can break the law and that it is okay. He thinks he is above the law, and that is why he wrote this and commited the murders. We see throughout the book that Radion is mentally distraught and that the idea that he is above the law wears him down and he ends up turning himself in becausre after all, no one is above th law. Dostoevsky knew this and he used Radion as an example that no one is above the law, which i found very creative.
ReplyDelete-Brian Patterson
Mark Twain creates an unbelievably realistic early 19th-century society in the novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Throughout this classic, Twain's style of writing creates an intimate and in-the-action experience for the reader. It is not an incredible vocabulary and extensive use of superb sentence structure that captivated my thoughts throughout this book, rather, it is the lack thereof. The book is narrated by Huck Finn himself, a small-town, southern young boy with an abusive father and rocky past, so therefor it is only suiting that Twain's use of slurs, conjunctions, and purposeful misspellings is perfect in setting the tone and setting of the book. An interesting aspect about the style of writing seen in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is that when a man or woman, black or white, speaks to Huck, the amount of misspellings, conjunctions, and slurs Twain uses in the dialogue increases as overall wealth and social stature decreases. To put it more simply, the deeper Twain delves into the poverty of the 19th century southern United States, the messier speech he uses. I find it amazing that with a couple simple apostrophes and spelling errors, Twain can create an intense image of the level of wealth, intelligence, and education a person has. To elaborate further, Twain even uses his style of writing to create a picture of a persons race in the book, as well for whenever an african american speaks, the use of the shortened, slurred speech is increased so much so that it is nearly hard to read, as in this excerpt from page 73, "I doan k'yer what de widder say, he warn't no wise man, nuther. He had some er de dad-fetchedes' ways I ever see. Does you know 'bout dat chile he 'uz gwyne to chop in two?". One almost has to read it slowly out-loud to themselves to even interpret the basic meaning of the sentence. The broken and fragmented structure, and as previously mentioned, slurs and misspellings, all add to the overall picture of the black man being almost unreadably uneducated. With that, another issue surfaces as well, that of slavery and racism. Every single black person to speak in the story uses the same tongue as that described above, signifying the drastic difference in the education of colored people to white, even education enough to simply read and write. All in all, Twains style of writing illustrates precisely the era he was aiming to portray; but between racism, educational priority, deceit, trickery, and death, nothing is as consequential to the story as the style the book was written in.
ReplyDeleteIn Dostoevsky's novel Crime and Punishment,the purpose is more or less to delve into human nature, and how people think. While not really discussed in the book,Dostoevsky showed it as Raskolnikov coping with what he had done. Raskolnikov thought he was a superior human, so he attempted to break the law, in accordance to his article on crime. He ended up proving himself wrong, and sliding down a slippery slope of mental deterioration. Meanwhile, his sister Dounia (Dunya) is the exact opposite of him. When 'confronted' by Svidrigailov, she sees she cannot in fact kill another person. Dostoevsky essentially eschews the usual gender roles, with Raskolnikov being weak and ill-minded and Dounia being strong, resourceful and clever. Dostoevsky's writing style is a bit boring, but more or less readable. With the constant statements along the lines of 'Raskolnikov felt sad' 'Raskolnikov felt angry', or 'Raskolnikov suddenly wanted to be left alone' This tends to make the story a bit hard to follow at some points, the ten-odd other names ending in -ov or -ovna notwithstanding. It is an interesting read, though. I do have a question about the relation of Raskolnikov to Dostoevsky, though. As with what Harry asked, I am also curious if Dostoevsky has mental issues as well. To wrap it up, while Crime and Punishment intrigued me, I think Great Expectations is most effective at delivering its message. To me, this book was much easier to follow and understand, and the message was just much clearer in my opinion. Dickens does tend to take a while to describe things in the story, but it is still very enjoyable and does get the message across better than Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and punishment. That's not to say Crime and Punishment can't be enjoyable, but it just takes a bit more engagement to understand.
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