Thursday, November 1, 2007
Heart of Darkness
Pg. 3-11
A: “It was difficult to realize that his work was not out there in the luminous estuary, but behind him, in brooding gloom”
I: The captain is standing in front of three men, and they say his work is in the “brooding gloom.” Does the captain live a sad life? Most probable since he is head away from the light into the darkness.
A: brooding gloom, gloom brooding
I: Once again the same two words come up when speaking of the captain. Although they are in different syntax they still depict the captain as a sad and lonely fellow. I believe the story is full of depression and solitude.
October 18
Pg. 11-19
A : whited sepulchre
I: This is sort of a paradox since sepulchre is a tomb which are usually dark a eerie, but this sepulchre is whited. Maybe he is referring to the darkness that cities withhold and the ability for it to be hidden which is referred to by the “whited” part.
A: “Morituri te salutant. Not many she looked at ever saw her again ..”
I: I believe something tragic is going to happen to Marlow on his journey to the “river that looks like a snake.” Morituri is latin for death, I believe Marlow is going to die. The snake represents evil, I think Marlow is going to an evil river.
October 19
Pg. 19-27
A: “..I felt as though, instead of going to the centre of the continent, I was going to the centre of the earth”
I: Marlow is head to the Congo which is around the center of Africa. I think Conrad uses center of the earth because to make a reference to the period of time in which all of Europe wanted a piece of Africa, especially of Congo. Its natural resources and the enslavement of its people made it a coveted area which everyone wanted.
A: “After all, I also was a part of the great cause of these and just proceedings”
I: Conrad once again, I believe, makes a reference to the justification for the treatment of the natives that the Europeans withheld. It was all for the common good. Maybe Conrad himself is justifying the actions of the Europeans.
October 20
Pgs. 27-35
A: collar, vast cuffs, appearance, demoralization of the land, respect
I: Marlow describe the Company’s chief accountant as a white man with great appearance and clothes; his collar and vast cuffs. He respects the accountant because he can keep civil in a demoralizing land. Marlow instantly feels the superiority over the natives and the land itself.
A: health is power
I: The manager is seen as a powerful man because he’s always in good health. During the invasion of Africa the primary cause of death was disease, health was the root of power.
October 22
Pgs. 35-43
A: wilderness, evil or truth, fantastic invasion
I: Marlow is looking outside and says the wilderness is invincible like evil or truth. Then he mentions the “fantastic invasion.” Is Marlow trying to say that they too are invincible, in his eyes they are most likely truth.
A:”draped blindfolded carrying a lighted torch. The background was somber – almost black”
I: Marlow describes a painting of a woman walking around blindfolded. Black represents evil. I think it ties in with Marlow, up to this point of the novel he’s been walking around aimlessly trying to get his steamboat fix. Although he has something to guide him he walks around surrounded by evil, just like the woman has the torch to guide her and surrounded by black.
Pgs. 43-51
October 23
A: taint of death, mortality of lies, detest about the world
I: Marlow says he hates when people lie because it brings death and bad things to the object. However he is in the Congo, invading a civilization through the lies of European continent. Although he’s benefitting from the lies indirectly, he is benefitting nonetheless.
A: we live as we dream --- alone
I: I think this statement has a lot meaning to the events that were happening in that time period. The people that were invading Africa, usually traveled alone. They knew what they wanted from the land and kept it to themselves. Marlow is the same way. He travels alone until he get a crew, and doesn’t really know what he wants.
Pgs. 51-59
October 24
A: station, better things, centre for trade, humanizing, improving, instructing
I: The two, that Marlow overhears, speak of their duty to make the land “better.” Bring civilization to the savages of the land. They say the trading posts need to be a center for trade and improve the continent. They also need to “instruct” the natives.
A: “Going up that river was like traveling back to the earliest beginnings of the world”
I: Marlow looks at his surroundings and compares it to the times of the beginning of the world. Most likely referring to cavemen and savages that used to roam the earth. Once again Marlow implies that he’s superior to the natives of the land.
Pgs. 59-67
October 25
A: “we penetrated deeper and deeper into the heart of darkness”
I: Conrad finally makes a connection to the title of the novel. I don’t really understand what he’s trying to imply by using the heart of darkness as he goes down the river. I understand that heart implies the center. Is darkness referring to the people? Or does darkness mean evil?
A: “The mind of man is capable of anything ---because everything is in it, all the past as well as all the future.”
I: He compares the chant of the natives to the noise that animals made in the past. Marlow says that that is the beauty of the mind , being able to compare the past with the future.
October 26
Pgs. 59-67
A: beautiful resignation
I: Usually resignation is disappointing and could be considered “ugly” because it’s a sort of cowardice. However, such kind of resignation is considered beautiful.
A: living tree, living bush
I: Marlow describes the bush and the tree by emphasizing its characteristics by adding living. Is it living because there are people hiding in it? Or is he noticing the nature of his surroundings?
November 6
Pgs. 91-99
A: “He declared he would shoot me unless I gave him the ivory…I gave the ivory. What did I care.”
I: Mr. Kurtz is really obsessed with ivory. The guy the follows him around is an idiot for allowing himself being pushed around. He didn’t even care Mr. Kurtz threatened him with death if he didn’t give him the ivory, the Russian still idolized him.
A: “Mr. Kurtz couldn’t be mad. If I had heard him talk, only two days ago, I wouldn’t dare to hint at such a thing.”
I: The Russian says that Mr. Kurtz isn’t going crazy, but of course he would say that. The Russian admires Mr. Kurtz too much to see his “hero” as a such a thing.
November 7
100-108
A: stretcher, natives, bows, spears, arrows, shields
I: The natives protect Mr. Kurtz as if he was part of their tribe. Mr. Kurtz seems like a very powerful man and is greatly admired even by the natives, who outnumber him, plus they have weapons, yet they follow as he was a god of some sort.
A: voice, secrets, mysterious, immortal
I: Even Marlow sees Kurtz as more than a mere human. Marlow says that Kurtz will get better without a doubt because he’s an immortal. Also when he looks at Kurtz in his deathbed he says that he is a man full of secrets and describes his voice as if were in perfect health.
November 8
109-117
A: shook the earth
I: once again Marlow describes Kurtz of some sort of god. Also the event occurring around Kurtz makes him seem all powerful. Kurtz the native attack the paramedics in order for Kurtz to get away.
A: mad, the wilderness, the natives
I: Marlow blames the insanity of Kurtz on the natives and the land. Although his insanity could possibly be caused by the obsession he has over ivory and all of the other resources. Once again Marlow demeans the natives and the land.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre
A: dread, twilight, sombre, hear saddened, Master Reed
I: The words that the author uses in the beginning of chapter one are those that demonstrate misery in life. The word dread creates a mood of despair and shows the misery of Jane. It seems that she is disliked by her entire family and even the housemaids. She is forced to refer to her older brother as master, is she adopted or a result of an infidelity? Is this the reason she is treated as trash. Her father isn’t around which leads to the assumption that he is dead and she was left to the care of the "Missis." The housemaids tell her she cannot compare to the other "missies." Basically she is told that she is not good enough, which leads to support the assumption that she is not part of the family. Will she be accepted soon? It seems not since she is tied down and kept under restraint. The only way to tell is to read on.
Pages 23-37
A: weary, lonely, good apothecary, good-natured looking face
I: Jane passes out when she’s locked in the master room. She think she sees a ghost and is very frightened. She is taken in the living room where she sits in front of the fire as Bessie sings a song. The song closely resembles Jane. The song speaks of a "poor orphan child" who although she thinks she’s alone God is by her side. Soon after Bessie finishes the song an apothecary comes over. It shocking to know that Mrs. Reed sends over an apothecary rather than a real doctor to take care of Jane. The apothecary is really nice to her.
Are the apothecary and Jane going to be good friends later on in the book?
Pages 37-51
A: hell, keep in good health and not die, psalms, the book of revelations
I: Jane is talking to Mr. Brocklehurst about being a "naughty girl," although she is very young she already has a corrupted mind. She doesn’t believe in heaven. When Brocklehurst asks her how she’s going to keep from going to hell, she simply says she won’t die instead of saying being nice. Also Jane prefers the book of revelations rather than the psalms. The book of revelations speaks of the coming of the beast, of evil and the destruction of mankind while the psalms are angelical hymns. It’s disturbing for a 10 yr. old girl to choose evil over good.
Pages 52-66
A: companionship of a book, nobody can be sure of the future, you will change you mind, reading alone
I: Jane walks up to Helen Burns and have a small conversation about a book Helen is reading. Helen is very similar to Jane, she also fiends companionship in books and is alone most of the time Jane sees her. During this section Helen is beat unjustly but she say she deserves it because she has faults. The she tells Jane that she will change her mind soon.
Does Jane become like Helen?
Will Helen be used to foreshadow events of Jane since they’re so similar?
Pages 67-80
A: nature of men, can only see defects, death is an entrance to happiness, breathed hard and coughed a short cough
I: Helen Burns is punished once again and they make her wear the "untidy badge." Jane says that the nature of men is to only see the bad and not the good. In a way she’s talking about herself because everyone automatically judges her as a bad child and they see her "bad" actions but not her knowledge or intelligence. Soon after she thinks this she is humiliated in front of the 80 girls and is accused of being possessed. She cries to herself and then Helen comes and soothes her. Helen tells her that true happiness is death. Is Helen going to dies soon?
Pages 81-95
A: we all must die some day, my mind is at rest, when I die?, good night, resurgam
I: Jane goes up to Ms. Temple’s room where Helen is. She says her final good byes. Helen tells Jane that everyone dies some day and their mind is at rest. At such a young age she accepts the idea of death. She’s not scared, and Jane shows the same courage when she asks about her own death. Before Helen dies they tell each other good-night instead of good-bye, Jane is hoping to see her again soon. On Helen’s tombstone it says "resurgam" which means "I shall rise again." Will she rise again in Jane? This part is really intense, Helen, her best friend dies in the hands of Jane. Once again Jane loses another part of her innocence.
96-110
A: "...they are only servants, and one can’t converse with them on terms of equality: one must keep them at due distance, for fear of losing one’s authority"
I: Mrs. Fairfax, although she seems like a nice old lady she feels herself superior to other people. She thinks masters have to treat servants differently in order for them to obey. Jane is "governess" but she is still under Mrs. Fairfax. Will she turn out to be a deceitful lady like Mrs. Reed?
111-125
A: "same low ha! ha!..thrilled me," "In those days I was young, and all sorts of fancies bright and dark tenanted my mind: the memories of nursery stories were thee amongst other rubbish; and when they recurred, maturing youth added to them a vigour and vividness beyond what childhood could give"
I: Even a grown woman Jane still finds entertainment from the nursery stories she was told. When she hears one of the servants laughing she believes is a ghost. Also when she hears the horse coming she believes to be a horse she was told when she was younger. Jane says everything else in her mind is rubbish, it could be the pain she went through. She rather keep her life like a fairy-tale than actual pain and suffering. Also she keeps strong bonds with the people she was close to before, Bessie and Ms. Temple. They we’re the only people that always told her nursery stories.
125-139
A: Inmates, cells, imagine something which I was powerless to realize, submit to money
I: Jane is coming back from a walk that she made to the post office. When she returns to Thornfield Hall she describes of some sort of prison, she says that everyone in the house is an inmate. There is no excitement in her life and she states that she would rather go through all her experiences than to be solitary in one moment of peace. When she talks about the painting to Mr. Rochester, she says that her thoughts and actions aren’t coordinated. Mr. Rochester after examining the paintings, tells her that everyone has a price.
139-153
A: "since happiness is irrevocably denied to me, I have a right to get pleasure in out of life: and will get it, cost what it may."
I: Mr. Rochester is have a conversation with Jane about anything that keeps him entertained. Mr. Rochester tells Jane that since he was young he led a miserable life. He say since life didn’t give him happiness he has to obtain it one way or another. Mr. Rochester and Jane are very similar, they’re both emotionally scarred. Do they get together? It seems that Jane has an attraction to Mr. Rochester. Mr. Rochester also states that Jane has never been in love or felt jealousy, he says that she still needs to experience it. Will Rochester fall in love with Jane or vise versa? Will Jane be heartbroken because of Rochester?"
153-167
A: Grace Poole, no consciousness of guilt or fear, conscious
I: Jane finally meets Grace Poole, the servant that is always laughing. She’s sewing rings on curtains when Jane decides to approach her and speak to her. Grace is uninterested by what Jane has to say but when Jane mentions Mr. Rochester, Grace becomes little more "conscious." Is Grace attracted to Mr. Rochester too? Are Jane and Grace going to become enemies?
168-182
A: Jane meets Ms. Ingram and describes her, she says that it reminds her of Mrs. Reed
I: After she finishes describing Ms. Ingram, Jane says she doesn’t like her because she’s too simple. All her ideas are either things she’s read or things she’s heard from other people, and Jane dislikes that. Maybe the reason Jane dislikes her is because she’s jealous that Mr. Rochester pays more attention to Ms. Ingram than to her. After contemplating Jane’s feelings, it is possible that Jane is reminded of Mrs. Reed because she dislikes her, and since Ms. Ingram arouses the same emotions she compares them.
183-197
A: jealous, inferior, pride, paradox, social classes
I: Jane sits alone while Mr. Rochester flirts with Ms. Ingram, she feels something that she hasn’t felt before but she says it’s not jealousy. Jane states that she cannot be jealous of someone who is inferior to her. However this creates a paradox because she’s losing the love of Mr. Rochester of someone she is better to. The intellectual level between the two women is very different, which contradicts the belief that those who were part of the elite were much more educated. It also shows that Jane has a lot of pride, and can be quite judgmental.
198-212
A: Jane doesn’t believe in the gypsy
I: After the two ladies finish talking to the gypsy they are terrified of the secrets she has revealed, yet Jane enters the room cool headed, and thinks it’s a silly thing to believe in what she has to say. Jane is but curious to find what the gypsy has to say about her, however after some time she is mystified by gypsy’s words. Although Jane is well educated and thinks critically before she believes in anything people says, she’s fooled by the words of the gypsy and doubts her own opinions. The gypsy turns out to be Mr. Rochester. Does Mr. Rochester have such control over Jane that he makes her doubt herself? Will Mr. Rochester be capable of controlling Jane in the future?
213-227
A: inexperienced eyes, marble is sorlid slate, cobweb draperies, polished woods are scaly barks
I: Mr. Rochester speaks to Jane of all of his fortune. He is very wealthy but he is very unhappy, all of his precious jewels are nothing but a mask for his suffering. While everyone else sees him as a rich successful man, he sees himself fall into his misery; he can’t seem to find happiness. Will Jane become that happiness?
228-240
A: living, she had ever hated me---dying, she must hate me still
I: Mrs. Reed is on her death bed and calls for Jane to plead for her forgiveness for all the past offenses. However, when Jane asks her aunt to love her she turns away. Although she claims regret she shows none, and Jane states that it’s too late for her too change. I believe Bronte wants to show, that people don’t try to change until it’s too late for them to do so. When they try, they don’t really do change but just try to give the impression that they are changing.
241-255
A: Jane is leaving because Mr. Rochester is going to marry
I: Jane is jealous and disillusioned because Mr. Rochester is going to marry another women, she hates being second to anybody, although she always self-deprecates herself. She rather leave than see Mr. Rochester happy with another woman. However, she believes that he will not be happy because he doesn’t and isn’t loved by Ms. Ingram.
256-270
A: rainy night, full of thunder, horse chestnut split in half
I: Soon after Mr. Rochester proposes to Jane it starts to rain heavily, as if the heavens were condemning their love. The rain brings thunder and they have to flee where they were sitting, soon Adele informs her that the horse chestnut was split in half. The horse chestnut is where Jane and Mr. Rochester were sitting and where they announced their love. Could it be symbolizing that their love will be a failure and that they will soon split.
271-285
A: song, Jane will not die with him
I: Jane says that he loves Mr. Rochester but she also says that she does not wish to die along him. If he dies, she will have her time to die also. I believe that Jane is only obsessed with Mr. Rochester and doesn’t really love him, but is intrigued by his intellect.
286-300
A: no tears, Jane finds out that Mr. Rochester is married
I: Jane is about to marry Rochester when Mr. Mason and his lawyer intervene with the accusation that Mr. Rochester’s former wife still lives. Mr. Rochester admits to it, and shows her to them. Jane looks herself up in her room, and gets intense emotions, but has no tears. Does Jane truly love Rochester?