Skype class - scenes 6 and 7

So, we had a lovely little Skype class yesterday afternoon. Shenali (p) Jemiah, Shenuka and (sometimes) Yoga! It wasn't as bad as you thought it would be, right?

For those of you who could not make it, here were some highlights:

Scene 6 we walk in on Blanche and Mitch exchanging double entendrés and then the conversation gets a little serious when we realise that Mitch has his own insecurities, like sweating and his weight. This was interesting, because who's normally Queen of Insecurity? It seems, by this point, that they seem to be the perfect match - they both have insecurities and that seems to work quite well for them.

Blanche's speech about her husband and her 'deluded' thoughts about the marriage also brought up some interesting points.

Firstly, she's done this before with Stella about Belle Reve. It's important to note that she does this whenever she feels that people have the wrong impression of her. She does it with Stella when she feels Stella isn't listening to her etc and now she's doing it to Mitch because she thinks Stanley has told him 'all about her'.

Secondly, like her Belle Reve speech, she is not taking responsibility. With Belle Reve it was 'Stella's fault' and here it was her husband's fault, when she uses words like "But I was unlucky. Deluded" deluded, ie mislead by her husband...she "didn't know". She's the innocent party and she does this to make people feel sorry for her.

Thirdly, she uses direct speech in both - direct speech being "things-said-by-people-when-recalling-events" which is interesting. This brings up reality and illusion - she feels like she's there and getting lost between now and the past...Poor Blanche!

Ok - so have a look at this. Think of them as poems and annotate the hell out of them! Look for emotive language (ie language that's emotional) similies, metaphors, imagery etc


Scene 6

He was a boy, just a boy, when I was a very young girl. When I was sixteen, I made the
discovery – love. All at once and much, much too completely. It was like you suddenly turned
a blinding light on something that had always been half in shadow, that’s how it struck the
world for me. But I was unlucky. Deluded. There was something different about the boy, a
nervousness, a softness and tenderness which wasn’t like a man’s, although he wasn’t the least
bit effeminate looking – still – that thing was there…. He came to me for help. I didn’t know
that. I didn’t find out anything till after our marriage when we’d run away and come back and
all I knew was I’d failed him in some mysterious way and wasn’t able to give the help he
needed but couldn’t speak of! He was in the quicksand’s and clutching at me – but I wasn’t
holding him out, I was slipping in with him! I didn’t know that. I didn’t know anything except
I loved him unendurably but without being able to help him or help myself. Then I found out.
In the worst of all possible ways. By coming suddenly into a room that I thought was empty –
which wasn’t empty, but had two people in it… the boy I had married and an older man who
had been his friend for years….. Afterwards we pretended that nothing had been discovered.
Yes, the three of us drove out to Moon Lake Casino, very drunk and laughing all the way…..
We danced the Varsouviana! Suddenly in the middle of the dance the boy I had married broke
away from me and ran out of the casino. A few moments later – a shot!.... I ran out – all did! –
all ran and gathered about the terrible thing at the edge of the lake! I couldn’t get near for the
crowding. Then somebody caught my arm. “don’t go any closer! Come back! You don’t want to
see!” See? See what! Then I heard voices say – Allan! Allan! The Grey boy! He’d stuck the
revolver into his mouth, and fired – so that the back of his head had been – blown away!... It
was because – on the dance-floor – unable to stop myself – I’d suddenly said – “I saw! I know!
You disgust me…” And then the searchlight which had been turned on the world was turned
off again and never for one moment since has there been any light that’s stronger than this –
kitchen – candle…

Scene 1

I, I, I took the blows in my face and my body! All of those deaths! The long parade to the
graveyard! Father, mother! Margaret, that dreadful way! So big with it, it couldn’t be put in a
coffin! But had to be burned like rubbish! You just came home in time for the funerals, Stella.
And funerals are pretty compared to deaths. Funerals are quiet, but deaths – not always.
Sometimes their breathing is hoarse, and sometimes it rattles, and sometimes they even cry
out to you, “Don’t let me go!” Even the old, sometimes, say, “Don’t let me go.” As if you were
able to stop them! But funerals are quiet, with pretty flowers. And, oh, what gorgeous boxes
they pack them away in! Unless you were there at the bed when they cried out, “Hold me!”
you’d never suspect there was the struggle for breath and bleeding. You didn’t dream, but I
saw! Saw! Saw! And now you sit there telling me with your eyes that I let the place go! How in
hell do you think all that sickness and dying was paid for? Death is expensive, Miss Stella! And
old Cousin Jessies’ right after Margaret’s, hers! Why, the Grim Reaper had put up his tent on
our doorstep!... Stella. Belle Reve was his headquarters! Honey – that’s how it slipped through
my fingers! Which of them left us a fortune? Which of them left a cent of insurance even? Only
poor Jessie – one hundred to pay for her coffin. That was all, Stella! And I with my pitiful
salary at the school. Yes, accuse me! Sit there and stare at me, thinking I let the place go! I let
the place go? Where were you! In bed with your – Polack!

Another interesting thing it brought up was the idea of 'power'. Obviously, Stanley is the most powerful character because he is physically described as such, and he over powers everyone, even though he is less intelligent. BUT! Although Blanche likes to portray herself as the weakest, she's the most manipulative and wields her power through such speeches as we can see above. She overpowers her older sister and here she's overpowering Mitch. And as noted yesterday, she ultimately falls from her status of power as she's shipped off to the looney-bin!

In scene 7 - five months later - we see Blanche taking a bath (not literally...she's off stage somewhere singing a deluded song) and Stanley and Stella discussing her. It's quite interesting to read, because as we hear Stanley telling Stella the "truth" about her sister, Blanche intermittently comes in singing a song about the moon: “It’s only a paper moon, Just as phony as it can be – but it wouldn’t be make-believe If you believed in me!” - reality check, Blanche! The moon is not made out of paper! "It wouldn't be make believe if you believed in me" is very important, children. Nobody believes in Blanche, everyone thinks she's a liar (mainly because of Stanley) so it's not make-believe. It's strange, in any case, that the audience has been taken out of the last 5 months - normally we know more than the characters! We're just as confused as everyone else.

It's important to know that none of the characters on stage are trust-worthy. Do you trust any of them? They're all deluded! Stella, Stanley, Blanche, Mitch...they all have their own imaginary life and the reality that they actually live.

Ok - so important things I want you to think about - these are excellent revision questions

"To what extent is Blanche the weakest character"
"How central is dramatic irony in the revelation of the play"

(when in doubt, google words you dont know...!!)

Typical exam questions - Streetcar

This is you in 7 weeks time!

Here are some tough and not-so-tough questions on Streetcar.

I strongly urge you to practise these within an one hour time limit - if at first you don't succeed, try try again...practice makes perfect, time waits for no man, procrastination is the thief of time etc etc

You should at least attempt to write a plan for each of these. That way, you've covered everything and nothing will scare you in the exam!

1. Describe the use of light in the play. What does its presence or absence indicate?
2. How does Williams use sound as a dramatic device?
3. How does Blanche’s fascination with teenage boys relate to her decline and fall?
4. Compare and contrast Mitch to the other men in the play.
5. Compare and contrast Blanche and Stella.
6. What does Williams’s depiction of Blanche and Stanley’s lives say about desire?
7. The plot of A Streetcar Named Desire is driven by the dueling personalities of Blanche and Stanley. What are the sources of their animosity toward one another?
8. A Streetcar Named Desire can be described as an elegy, or poetic expression of mourning, for an Old South that died in the first part of the twentieth century. Expand on this description.
9. Streetcar is divided into eleven scenes rather than the traditional act and scene divisions. What is the effect of this structure?
10. How does Williams tend to end scenes? On a consistently dramatic note? A tragic one? With suspense?
11. Are there any moral or ethical lessons to be found in A Streetcar Named Desire?
12. We’ve spent a lot of time contrasting Blanche and Stanley as opposite characters and symbols of conflicting ideals. But in what ways are these two similar? And how do these commonalities complicate the interpretation of the play?
13. What sort of acting choices do you see the characters having to play, particularly Blanche, Stanley, and Stella? Are the characters pretty clearly mapped out in the script, or is there much room for interpretation?
14. How important is the final scene (Eleven) of Streetcar? What does it add to the play? Why not just end with the rape in Scene Ten?
15. In what ways does Blanche represent the faded American Dream?
16. What effect does the combination of fantasy and reality have in A Streetcar Named Desire?
17. Does Williams' presentation of all the characters in this play evoke sympathy and compassion from the audience?
18. Discuss the presentation of Stella/Stanley/Blanche/Mitch in A Streetcar Named Desire.

Women in the 1950's

This has to be one of the funniest and probably most unethical ways I can express the sexist and misogynistic (remember that word?!) attitudes in the 1950's. Check out this website and the article on how advertisements used to 'appeal' to women.

This may also be entertaining... 

How to analyse poetry - where do you begin?

We all know I love my mind maps, so here is a really good one to help you with your poetry.

Have a look at these ideas too:

	ELEMENTS OF ANALYSIS DESCRIPTION SUBJECT-MATTER What event, situation, or experience does the poem describe or record? Who is the speaker? Is the poet speaking in the role of another person, an animal, a thing? To whom is the speaking talking? What is the time setting - hour of day, season, era? What is the place setting? PURPOSE,THEME, OR MESSAGE What seems to be the poet's purpose in writing this - what message, ideas, issues, themes, (etc.) are communicated? EMOTION, MOOD, OR FEELING What is the poet's tone? Watch for shifts in tone especially toward the end of the poem. What is the poet's attitude toward the subject? What is the predominant emotion, or mood, of the poem? Does the mood change during the poem? What emotions or feelings does the poet seek to evoke in the reader / listener? CRAFTSMANSHIP, OR TECHNIQUE (see below) This aspect of the poem deals with specific skills the poet has used in creating his or her work of art: • Structure • Language • Imagery • Movement • Sound SUMMARY Having analysed the poem, it is important to synthesise (pull all the information together) into a summary. What is the impact of the whole poem for you? How successful is it as a work of art? Does it successfully achieve the poet's purpose or is it flawed in some serious way? Looking Closer at Craftsmanship Structure How is the poem structured? Does it have a conventional structure such as a sonnet, or an ode? Does it have stanzas with a regular number of lines, or any other interesting features of structural design? Can you identify the type of poem - sonnet, free verse, ballad, etc.? Is the poem lyric, dramatic, narrative, or a combination? How can you tell? Language How would you describe the poet's use of words - vivid, striking, effective or colourless and predictable? What visual images are brought to mind? What sensations does the poem evoke: sound, touch, smell, taste, movement, etc.? What words are used in surprising or imaginative ways? Look for puns. Are there any inverted word orders or sentences? What would be the usual order? What purpose is served by the inversion? Is the language appropriate to subject and/or theme? What effect does the language have on the poem's achievement? Imagery Are there any striking examples of figurative language used? What things are compared (similes, metaphors, personifications or symbols) in the poem? Are their analogies or conceits? What is their effect? Movement or Rhythm Does the poem have a regular (slow or fast) rhythm? What is the effect of any rhythmic qualities? Sounds Does the poem have any significant sound features? Is it musical? Does the poet use onomatopoeia, alliteration, or assonance? Does the poem rhyme? What are the effects of these features of sound on the achievement of the poem?

Poetry - Getting to grips with the texts

Apart from going through the notes I emailed you on every single poem, I strongly suggest you do some background reading - not just on the text but on the poets themselves. A poet can either reinforce your idea or contradict it (depending on what you're writing about) and you can give you a better insight as to whether the author is dependable and reliable.

Think about how you feel about the poem. Does it make you sad? Does it make  you happy? Read it to yourself and try and identify the places that evoke emotions and try and work out a precise word or phrase that triggers those feelings.

Remember, personal response is very important and you can score really high marks with poetry if you just engage with the material. Look between the lines, look further into the poem, rather than look at it as a bunch of words on the page.

This is quite a good summary of what you should be doing:

The very first step in critical appreciation of a poem is that of determining whether you initially liked or disliked it and to what extent. This is not to say that further readings and thoughts about the poem will not alter your initial opinion. Here are some points to check:

Title - Is it appropriate to the subject, tone and genre? Does it generate interest, and hint at what the poem is about? 

Subject - What does the basic situation appear to be? Who is talking, and under what circumstances? Try writing a paraphrase to identify any gaps or confusions. 

Shape - What is it appealing to: the intellect or emotions of the reader? What structures such as progressions, puns, comparisons, analogies, bald assertions, acrostics, repetitions, etc, have been used? Are these aspects satisfyingly integrated? Does structure support content? 

Tone - What attitude to the subject is expressed? Is it appropriate to content and audience: assured, flexible, sensitive, etc.? 

Word Choice - Are these appropriate and uncontrived, economical, varied and energizing? Can each word be understood properly, considering its common uses and associations? Are there any innovations? List the verbs and see if they truly push the poem along. Are words repeated? Do they set mood, emotional rapport, and distance? 

Personification - Is this striking or persuasive? Does it add to unity and power? 

Metaphor and Simile - Are these fresh and convincing? Do they combine on many levels? 

Rhythm and Metre- Are these natural and inevitable? Do they integrate the poem's structure? 

Rhyme - Is this fresh and pleasurable? Is it unassuming but supportive? 

Dynamics - Is the poetic force pure, unpolluted and unadulterated? 

Weight - Is the poem light, medium or heavy? 

Overall Impression -Is the poem original, honest, coherent, expressive, and significant?

Have a look at this website too

 

PEEing in your essays

Have a look at this guy - try not to get distracted by his fantastic bit of facial hair, I suggest if you can't, just listen and don't look!

Writing an essay becomes far simpler once you get the hang of what you need to achieve within each paragraph. While the detail of this obviously changes between paragraphs and between essays, the broad structure can remain the same. When planning your essay, try basing each paragraph around the simple acronym, PEE -- P - E - E.

P is for Point. Start your paragraph by explaining the idea you are introducing. How does this paragraph develop your work? Try to avoid stating the obvious here, and make sure that your point relates to the plan you outlined in your introduction.

E is for Evidence. Once you have established the point you are making you will need to provide proof. This might be a quote from your primary text, reference to a secondary critic, supporting statistics or even the explanation of a logical progression.

E is also for Explanation. This might be an explanation of your evidence, of how it relates to your point, and/or where it takes your argument. This is where your personal interpretation comes in. The explanation should help to build towards your final conclusion.

So, to write a well-structured paragraph, you simply need to PEE. But it only remains effective if it avoids being formulaic -- be flexible and vary the lengths of your sentences. Also, remember that the separate paragraphs need to work together, so the explanation of one should lead into the point of the next.

This is also another link for explaining the process. The examples are not very helpful as it doesn't deal with English Literature, but you will get the idea of how it should be done. It's very detailed so read it step-by-step and understand it.

The idea is that you interweave the quote into your text. For example,
Lord Goring seems to be the voice of reason at this point, explaining to Lady Chiltern how men and women "love differently"... (I don't think that's a real quote but never mind! You get the picture!)

Victorian Education

Education

"Education is an admirable thing but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing worth knowing can be taught". Daily Life in Victorian England (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1996).

This quote by Oscar Wilde shows his distaste for formal education with no self reflection and self thought. Often Wilde is able to express his views through his characters such as in "The Importance of Being Earnest" with a particular exchange between Lady Bracknell and Jack Worthing.

Lady Bracknell: A man who desires to marry should know everything or nothing. Which do you know?

Jack Worthing: I know nothing.

Lady Bracknell: I am pleased. I do not approve of anything that tampers with natural ignorance.

This exchange can be compared to education in that a man who knows nothing would be a man who knows only what he is told through formal education (memorizing languages, learning facts, and rewritting various information). A man who knows everything would be someone who knows both how to take the important information from formal education that he recieves and apply that information to the way he thinks. The fact that Lady Bracknell is pleased that Jack does not know anything is showing that Jack Worthing is someone who relies solely on formal education and Lady Bracknell believes that is all that is important. Oscar Wilde seemes to have made Lady Bracknell exemplify an educated, close-minded individual of the upper class of whom he does not agree with.

Robert Browning agrees with Oscar Wilde in that education is necessary, but individual thinking and coming to realizations through your own experiences and thoughts is not only more rewarding but necessary. In "The Ring and the Book" Robert Browning renders the Pope as handling the morality through the book. Guido is condemned to death by the pope who was considering pardoning him but instead cannot be pardoned. In response to the Pope's decision he says, "There's a new tribunal now higher than God's- the educated man's".

The fact that Robert Browning was indecisive about his belief in Christianity makes this statement in the "The Ring and the Book" fairly ambiguous. It is hard to determine whether this quote is satirizing the fact that no tribunal can be higher than God's, or if Browning is trying to show that through the Victorian Era the ideological shift to man being equal to god becomes prevalent. This quote is also very ambiguous because an educated man could mean that he is self-taught, or formally taught which begs that question, "What is education?" It is tough to be able to see where Robert Browning stands.