Please take out a notebook. You need three sections

•Journals

•Literary Terms

•Notes on texts

In this Power Point, when I talk about

• STYLE terms will be yellow

• THEME will be red

LITERARY TERMS-- Style

LITERARY TERMS YOU SHOULD KNOW • Point of View (handout)• Tone (handout)• Imagery• Surrealism• Stream of Consciousness___________• THEME (not style)

Two areas of study:Two areas of study:STYLESTYLE and and THEMETHEME

STYLESTYLE refers to refers to Formal Formal aspects of aspects of the story; the story; howhow the story is told. the story is told.

Deals with Deals with Point of View, Plot Point of View, Plot Structure, Tone, ImageryStructure, Tone, Imagery, etc. , etc. (Modernism experiments with style.)(Modernism experiments with style.)

THEMETHEME refers to ideas or truths refers to ideas or truths about life. (These are also about life. (These are also specifically Modern.)specifically Modern.)

““Memento Mori”Memento Mori”STYLESTYLE

PlotPlot– Major gaps reflecting subjective view of – Major gaps reflecting subjective view of time (also a theme here)time (also a theme here)

Each 3Each 3rdrd person “chapter” happens multiple person “chapter” happens multiple times (indicated by “maybe”)times (indicated by “maybe”)

The plot could be cyclical--the end leads back The plot could be cyclical--the end leads back to the beginning and could be interchangedto the beginning and could be interchanged

Point of ViewPoint of View– experimental:– experimental: use of two P.O.V.’suse of two P.O.V.’s Third Person Limited Third Person Limited and and Second PersonSecond Person

Memento Mori

Themes

SELF /ConsciousnessSELF /Consciousness(this is “subject”– below are questions to build THEME)(this is “subject”– below are questions to build THEME)

How do we define ourselvesHow do we define ourselves– “I think, therefore I – “I think, therefore I am”? (Descartes) Are you what you am”? (Descartes) Are you what you believebelieve you you are? (a good person– what about how you are? (a good person– what about how you cheated/lied/stole?)cheated/lied/stole?)

Are you the sum of your memories?Are you the sum of your memories? (What about (What about what you have forgotten or altered?)what you have forgotten or altered?)

Are you the sum of your actions?Are you the sum of your actions? Are you what mommy thinks you are?Are you what mommy thinks you are? (What about (What about

when she– or your wife– is gone?)when she– or your wife– is gone?) FRACTURED SENSE OF SELFFRACTURED SENSE OF SELF

Life/ existenceLife/ existence Can we define our own lives and Can we define our own lives and

give them meaning– rather than give them meaning– rather than look for meaning from God, social look for meaning from God, social institutions, mommy, etc. (You get institutions, mommy, etc. (You get yours from mommy)yours from mommy)

Is there an objective moral Is there an objective moral guideline for that purpose? (Does guideline for that purpose? (Does God judge it? Can “to get the most God judge it? Can “to get the most stuff” be a valid purpose then?)stuff” be a valid purpose then?)

LIFE IS MEANINGLESS/ ONLY LIFE IS MEANINGLESS/ ONLY WE GIVE IT MEANINGWE GIVE IT MEANING

The Nature of TimeThe Nature of Time

Though we measure it with minutes and seconds Though we measure it with minutes and seconds and such, it is and such, it is subjective. subjective. Consider: Consider:

““Time flies when you are having fun”Time flies when you are having fun” Time is dragging by right nowTime is dragging by right now

And yet a minute is always sixty seconds…And yet a minute is always sixty seconds…

EVIDENCE IN THE TEXT: EVIDENCE IN THE TEXT: – Gaps in plotGaps in plot– Use of “Maybe”Use of “Maybe”– Earl’s comments about timeEarl’s comments about time

AlienationAlienation

From friends and familyFrom friends and family

Society– its rewards (jobs, status) and Society– its rewards (jobs, status) and punishments (prison)punishments (prison)

God– His love and his rules (Via the first two God– His love and his rules (Via the first two bullets)bullets)

Evil

Without the rewards or punishments of society, are people inherently evil?

Can you do bad things but not be a bad person?

Is there such a thing as evil or do circumstances just cause/allow bad things to happen? (Which brings us to…)

stream of consciousness a narrative mode that seeks to portray an

individual's point of view by giving the written equivalent of the character's thought processes:

a loose interior monologue, characterized by associative leaps in syntax and punctuation that can make the prose difficult to follow.

often depicted as overheard in the mind (or addressed to oneself)

or in connection to his or her actions.

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce Chapter 1 Once upon a time and a very good time it was there was a moocow coming down along the road and this moocow that was coming down along the road met a nicens little boy named baby tuckoo... His father told him that story: his father looked at him through a glass: he had a hairy face. He was baby tuckoo. The moocow came down the road where Betty Byrne lived: she sold lemon platt. O, the wild rose blossoms On the little green place. He sang that song. That was his song. O, the green wothe botheth. When you wet the bed first it is warm then it gets cold. His mother put on the oilsheet. That had the queer smell. His mother had a nicer smell than his father. She played on the piano

After I Was Thrown in the Water and Before I Drowned

• Dave Eggers

More Keys to understandingMore Keys to understanding

• The Language– how does it change?

• The images/ details:

• The tone changes from ___________ to __________

denotation a literal meaning of the word connotation an association (emotional or otherwise) which the word evokes

• For example, both "woman" and "chick" have the denotation "adult female" in North American society, but "chick" has somewhat negative connotations, while "woman" is neutral.

For another example of connotations, consider the

following:

• negative – There are over 2,000 vagrants in the city.

• neutral – There are over 2,000 people with no fixed

address in the city.

• positive – There are over 2,000 homeless in the city.

• I see in the windows. I see what happens. I see the calm held-together moments and also the treachery and I run and run. You tell me it matters, what they all say. I have listened and long ago I stopped. Just tell me it matters and I will listen to you and I will want to be convinced. You tell me that what is said is making a difference that those words are worthwhile words and mean something. I see what happens. I live with people who are German. They collect steins. They are good people. Their son is dead. I see what happens.

•  

• The squirrels have things to say; they talk before and after we jump. Sometimes while we're jumping they talk.

• I don't know why the squirrels watch us, or why they talk to us. They do not try to jump the gap. The running

• and jumping feels so good even when we don't win or fall into the gap it feels so good when we run and jump-and when we are done the squirrels are talking to us, to each other in their small jittery voices

• Some of them laugh. Franklin is angry. He walks slowly to where they're sitting; they do not move. He grabs one in his jaws and crushes all its bones. Their voices are always talking but we forget they are so small, their head and bones so tiny.

• When and why does the verb tense change? When and why does the dog use big words?

• The verb tense and diction changes from present to past tense when Stephen is reflecting on events or ideas. He has had time to “intellectualize” – organize, analyze, and judge– the events.

• The Dog names seem weird– what do you make of them?

• P.O.V. From where is the dog speaking?• He is dead. Remember? (BTW, that is a full sentence,

with “you”, understood. Second Person POV.)

• Franklin was angry and took five or six of them in his mouth, crushing them, tossing them one after the other. The other dogs watched; none of them knew if squirrel killing made them happy or not.

Narrative

• Stream of Consciousness*• Repetition of words (“grabbing”)

• “Big” words for reflection (ravishing)

• Tense– present tense/ past tense when he dies

• Plot goes beyond Story

How We Are Hungry

• The characters and narrators in How We Are Hungry, in which longer stories are interspersed with some of Eggers's Guardian pieces, find themselves on the edge—on the verge of breakdowns, breakups and other crises…

• His narrative responds in kind, patrolling what lies on and beyond the far edges of speech and thought. In the work of lesser writers—including some of those for whom Eggers has become a talisman—such narration can shrink into an aesthetic of studied faux-inarticulacy ... it is a mark of what Eggers can achieve at his best that his feeling for speech and its limitations rarely hits false notes.

Authors have themes to which they return

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius (2000) and the freewheeling Velocity made a virtue of sheer sprawl; this collection of stories points to another quality, present in those books but perhaps less well noted: Eggers's way with significant omissions and ellipses .

Authors have themes to which they return

As Anne Henry has pointed out, 'the gaps and lacunae so often discussed in twentieth-century criticism are not always empty or silent, but filled with pieces of type, marks which have voices of their own', and Eggers's significant gaps and lapses similarly have their silent speeches

THEME: Language fails usTHEME: Language fails us

Overtly stated:Overtly stated: about human conversationabout human conversation

Suggested by:Suggested by: Steven is his name?Steven is his name? Descriptions of the dogDescriptions of the dog Language fun—diction, squirrel talkLanguage fun—diction, squirrel talk

Action versus Talk (Thought/Intellect)Action versus Talk (Thought/Intellect) About the squirrelsAbout the squirrels The TitleThe Title

Where Are You Going, Where Where Are You Going, Where Have You BeenHave You Been

Where Are You Going…Where Are You Going…

• Joyce Carol Oates

• Inspired by Bob Dylan Song

• Written in the sixties. In 1966 which is relevant because…

• ““It’s All Over Now Baby Blue” Bob DylanIt’s All Over Now Baby Blue” Bob Dylan

• You must leave now, take what you need, you think will last.You must leave now, take what you need, you think will last.But whatever you wish to keep, you better grab it fast.But whatever you wish to keep, you better grab it fast.Yonder stands your orphan with his gunYonder stands your orphan with his gun,,Crying like a fire in the sun.Crying like a fire in the sun.Look out the saints are comin' throughLook out the saints are comin' throughAnd it's all over now, Baby Blue.And it's all over now, Baby Blue.

The highway is for gamblers, better use your sense.The highway is for gamblers, better use your sense.Take what you have gathered from coincidence.Take what you have gathered from coincidence.The empty-handed painter from your streetsThe empty-handed painter from your streetsIs drawing crazy patterns on your sheets.Is drawing crazy patterns on your sheets.This sky, too, is folding under youThis sky, too, is folding under youAnd it's all over now, Baby Blue.And it's all over now, Baby Blue.

• The carpet, too, is moving under youThe carpet, too, is moving under youAnd it's all over now, Baby Blue.And it's all over now, Baby Blue.

Leave your stepping stones behind, something calls for you.Leave your stepping stones behind, something calls for you.Forget the dead you've left, they will not follow you.Forget the dead you've left, they will not follow you.The vagabond who's rapping at your doorThe vagabond who's rapping at your doorIs standing in the clothes that you once wore.Is standing in the clothes that you once wore.

• All your seasick sailors, they are rowing home.All your seasick sailors, they are rowing home.All your reindeer armies, are all going home.All your reindeer armies, are all going home.The lover who just walked out your doorThe lover who just walked out your doorHas taken all his blankets from the floor.Has taken all his blankets from the floor.

The carpet, too, is moving under youThe carpet, too, is moving under youAnd it's all over now, Baby Blue.And it's all over now, Baby Blue.

Leave your stepping stones behind, Leave your stepping stones behind, something calls for you.something calls for you.Forget the dead you've left, they will not Forget the dead you've left, they will not follow you.follow you.The vagabond who's rapping at your doorThe vagabond who's rapping at your doorIs standing in the clothes that you once Is standing in the clothes that you once wore.wore.Strike another match, go start anewStrike another match, go start anewAnd it's all over now, Baby And it's all over now, Baby Blue.Blue.

IMAGERYIMAGERY

A word or group of words in a literary A word or group of words in a literary work which appeal to one or more of the work which appeal to one or more of the senses: sight, taste, touch, hearing, and senses: sight, taste, touch, hearing, and smell. smell.

The use of images serves to intensify the The use of images serves to intensify the impact of the work.impact of the work.

Imagery: EXAMPLE

• The following example of imagery in T. S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,

" When the evening is spread out against the sky Like a patient etherized upon a table.”

Uses images of pain and sickness to describe the evening, which as an image itself represents society and the psychology of Prufrock, himself

STYLE—IMAGES in the storySTYLE—IMAGES in the story

• MusicMusic is a constant image in the is a constant image in the story and has significance story and has significance

• This is true of America at the time– This is true of America at the time– pop music defined this young pop music defined this young generation and led them “astray”generation and led them “astray”

Morality Tale

• The theme of youthful, romantic fantasy. The illusory dreams of adolescence blind them to the harsh, dangerous world of maturity. We see Connie separating from the world of living under her mother's wing and breaking through to the other side of sexual maturity, adulthood and independence. Sexual desire can be deadly serious stuff. It takes this experience for Connie learn that. Until Friend pulls up the driveway, she has been flirting with sexuality. Now she will confront its harsher face.

Feminist Feminist

• The victimization of women is explored, and how men act as predators in our society. The story intensifies the fear and suspense associated with this power differential by putting Connie in an untenable, vulnerable situation from which she has no choice but to leave the house with Arnold Friend. So this story heightens our awareness of this problem. The story asks us: is Connie really independent? Has she left the mother's nest only to live under the protection of the domineering man?

Psychological Lens, sort of: • The story represents a case study in

manipulative psychology. Friend coerces Connie through intimidation and identification. He's tracked his prey, understood it, disoriented it, and is now prepared to go in for the kill. A true crime serial killer named Charles Schmid, the Pied Piper of Tucson served as the inspiration for Oates's tale. She makes Arnold Friend into a smooth talking, play acting, and ultimately menacing suitor. When interpreted from this angle, the story becomes a cautionary lesson: "don't let this happen to you!"

AllegoryAllegory

•Dream allegory of death and the maiden. An allegory is a narrative with at least two layers of meaning: the literal and the symbolic. The story, when read as allegory, becomes a kind of coming of age dreamscape where evil (or death) arrives to corrupt what is innocent. Death escorts the woman away from her childhood self. You might interpret this death literally or symbolically.

SymbolsSymbols

• Three– mystical number

• Flies

• The Highway

• Mirrored sunglasses

• Possibly cloven or goat-like feet

• Take out the ‘r’ – A n old Fiend

SurrealismSurrealism• movement in visual art and literature, flourishing in

Europe between World Wars I and II. Surrealism grew principally out of the earlier Dada movement, which before World War I produced works of anti-art that deliberately defied reason; but Surrealism’s emphasis was not on negation but on positive expression. The movement represented a reaction against what its members saw as the destruction wrought by the “rationalism” that had guided European culture and politics in the past and that had culminated in the horrors of World War I.

• According to the major spokesman of the movement, the poet and critic André Breton, who published “The Surrealist Manifesto” in 1924,

• Surrealism was a means of reuniting conscious and unconscious realms of experience so completely that the world of dream and fantasy would be joined to the everyday rational world in “an absolute reality, a surreality.”

• Drawing heavily on theories adapted from Sigmund Freud, Breton saw the unconscious as the wellspring of the imagination. He defined genius in terms of accessibility to this normally untapped realm, which, he believed, could be attained by poets and painters alike.

Modernism Modernism THEMESTHEMES

Modern theme– the individual Modern theme– the individual separate from the family and separate from the family and community? (Alienation)community? (Alienation)

THEME: Loss of THEME: Loss of Innocence/ RiskInnocence/ Risk

• There is danger inherent in the desire to grow up.

• Story can be read as an allegory:American Society at this time was

losing it’s innocence—There is also the “Modern” element of questioning our forward movement or progress while leaving behind traditional values.

• The last image…

ViolenceViolence

•We do not truly know ourselves until confronted with violence or death.

•Dramatic device for literature because (see above).

The ending

• Connie felt the linoleum under her feet; it was cool. She brushed her hair back out of her eyes. Arnold Friend let go of the post tentatively and opened his arms for her, his elbows pointing in toward each other and his wrists limp, to show that this was an embarrassed embrace and a little mocking, he didn't want to make her self-conscious.

• She put out her hand against the screen. She watched herself push the door slowly open as if she were back safe somewhere in the other doorway, watching this body and this head of long hair moving out into the sunlight where Arnold Friend waited.

• .

• "My sweet little blue-eyed girl," he said in a half-sung sigh that had nothing to do with her brown eyes but was taken up just the same by the vast sunlit reaches of the land behind him and on all sides of him—so much land that Connie had never seen before and did not recognize except to know that she was going to it

SurrealismSurrealism ..\..\Honors Modern Fiction\SURREALISM.ppt

The dreamlike MOOD and DIALOGUE at the house

The “wolf in sheep’s clothing” The last image– SYMBOLIC of her entering the

adult world (loss of innocence)

A Good Man is Hard to FindA Good Man is Hard to Find

A Good Man is Hard to FindA Good Man is Hard to Find

Flannery O’ConnerFlannery O’Conner Southern Gothic/ the Southern Gothic/ the

Grotesque (Faulkner)Grotesque (Faulkner) CatholicCatholic She connects her religious She connects her religious

concerns with being concerns with being southern, for, she says, southern, for, she says, "while the South is hardly "while the South is hardly Christ-centered, it is most Christ-centered, it is most certainly Christ-haunted" certainly Christ-haunted"

STYLESTYLE: GENRE-- : GENRE-- Southern GothicSouthern Gothic

subgenre of the subgenre of the Gothic Gothic writing style, writing style, unique to American unique to American Literature.Literature.

Like its parent Like its parent genre, it relies on genre, it relies on supernatural, supernatural, ironic, or unusual ironic, or unusual events to guide events to guide the plot.the plot.

The GrotesqueThe Grotesque

SouthernSouthern Gothic Gothic

UnlikeUnlike its predecessor, its predecessor, it uses these tools not it uses these tools not for the sake of for the sake of suspense, but to suspense, but to explore social issues explore social issues and reveal the cultural and reveal the cultural character of the character of the American SouthAmerican South

ForeshadowingForeshadowing

ForeshadowingForeshadowing is a is a literary device in which an in which an author drops subtle drops subtle hints about hints about plot developments to developments to come later in the come later in the story. .

An example of foreshadowing might be when a An example of foreshadowing might be when a character displays a gun or knife early in the character displays a gun or knife early in the story. Merely the appearance of a deadly story. Merely the appearance of a deadly weapon, even though it is used for an innocuous weapon, even though it is used for an innocuous purpose — such as being cleaned or whittling purpose — such as being cleaned or whittling

wood — suggests terrible consequences later onwood — suggests terrible consequences later on. .

In her words: Flannery In her words: Flannery O’ConnerO’Conner

the creative action of the the creative action of the Christian's life is to prepare his Christian's life is to prepare his death in Christ. death in Christ.

"I'm a born Catholic and death "I'm a born Catholic and death has always been brother to my has always been brother to my imagination. I can't imagine a imagination. I can't imagine a story that doesn't properly end story that doesn't properly end in it or in its foreshadowings." in it or in its foreshadowings."

THEMESTHEMES

Evil Evil (Catholic concept): (Catholic concept):

Redemption– never too late. Redemption– never too late. EpiphanyEpiphany

The sins of the SouthThe sins of the South

Modernism: Modernism: ThemesThemes

Old World values (Grandma) versus Old World values (Grandma) versus Modern world view (the family)Modern world view (the family)

Cultural Relativity – definitions of Cultural Relativity – definitions of Good and EvilGood and Evil

The concept of Evil…this is not The concept of Evil…this is not modernmodern

JuxtapositionJuxtaposition The grandmother offered to hold the baby and

the children's mother passed him over the front seat to her. She set him on her knee and bounced him and told him about the things they were passing. She rolled her eyes and screwed up her mouth and stuck her leathery thin face into his smooth bland one. Occasionally he gave her a faraway smile. They passed a large cotton field with five or fix graves fenced in the middle of it, like a small island. "Look at the graveyard!" the grandmother said, pointing it out. "That was the old family burying ground. That belonged to the plantation."

Empathy/ “God’s Empathy/ “God’s Children”Children”

"Tennessee is just a hillbilly dumping ground," John "Tennessee is just a hillbilly dumping ground," John Wesley said, "and Georgia is a lousy state too." Wesley said, "and Georgia is a lousy state too."

"You said it," June Star said. "You said it," June Star said. "In my time," said the grandmother, folding her thin "In my time," said the grandmother, folding her thin

veined fingers, "children were more respectful of veined fingers, "children were more respectful of their native states and their parents and everything their native states and their parents and everything else. People did right then. else. People did right then. Oh look at the cute little Oh look at the cute little pickaninny!" she said and pointed to a Negro child pickaninny!" she said and pointed to a Negro child standing in the door of a shack. "Wouldn't that make standing in the door of a shack. "Wouldn't that make a picture, now?" she asked and they all turned and a picture, now?" she asked and they all turned and looked at the little Negro out of the back window. He looked at the little Negro out of the back window. He waved waved

"He didn't have any britches on," June Star said. "He didn't have any britches on," June Star said. "He probably didn't have any," the grandmother "He probably didn't have any," the grandmother

explained. "Little riggers in the country don't have explained. "Little riggers in the country don't have things like we do. If I could paint, I'd paint that things like we do. If I could paint, I'd paint that picture," she said. picture," she said.

The children exchanged comic books. The children exchanged comic books.

E.A.T. -- How racism is passed onE.A.T. -- How racism is passed on

This story tickled John Wesley's funny bone This story tickled John Wesley's funny bone and he giggled and giggled but June Star didn't and he giggled and giggled but June Star didn't think it was any good. She said she wouldn't think it was any good. She said she wouldn't marry a man that just brought her a marry a man that just brought her a watermelon on Saturday. watermelon on Saturday. The grandmother The grandmother said she would have done well to marry Mr. said she would have done well to marry Mr. Teagarden because he was a gentleman and Teagarden because he was a gentleman and had bought Coca-Cola stock when it first had bought Coca-Cola stock when it first came out and that he had died only a few came out and that he had died only a few years ago, a very wealthy man years ago, a very wealthy man

institutional racism The term "institutional racism" describes societal patterns that

have the net effect of imposing oppressive or otherwise negative conditions against identifiable groups on the basis of race or ethnicity.

 generally long-term and grounded more in inertia than in intent.

United States, institutional racism results from the social caste system that sustained, and was sustained by, slavery and racial segregation. Although the laws that enforced this caste system are no longer in place, its basic structure still stands to this

day.

ExamplesExamplesFROM http://civilliberty.about.com

Opposing public school funding is not necessarily an act of individual racism; one can certainly oppose public school funding for valid, non-racist reasons. But to the extent that opposing public school funding has a disproportionate and detrimental effect on minority youth, it furthers the agenda of institutional racism.

Most other positions contrary to the civil rights agenda--opposition to affirmative action, support for racial profiling, and so forth--also have the (often unintended) effect of

sustaining institutional racism.

Black Americans were nearly four times as likely as whites to be arrested on charges of marijuana possession in 2010, even though the two groups used the drug at similar rates, according to new federal data.

The Tower– A good manThe Tower– A good man""His wife brought the orders, carrying the five plates all at once without a tray, two in each hand and one balanced on her arm. "It isn't a soul in this green world of God's that you can trust," she said. "And I don't count nobody out of that, not nobody," she repeated, looking at Red Sammy.

"Did you read about that criminal, The Misfit, that's escaped?" asked the grandmother.

"I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he didn't attack this place right here," said the woman. "If he hears about it being here, I wouldn't be none surprised to see him. If he hears it's two cent in the cash register, I wouldn't be a tall surprised if he . . ."

"That'll do," Red Sam said. "Go bring these people their Co'-Colas," and the woman went off to get the rest of the order.

"A good man is hard to find," Red Sammy said. "Everything is getting terrible. I remember the day you could go off and leave your screen door unlatched. Not no more."

The Misfit sneered slightly. "Nobody had nothing I wanted," he said. "It was a head-doctor at the penitentiary said what I had done was kill my daddy but I known that for a lie. My daddy died in nineteen ought nineteen of the epidemic flu and I never had a thing to do with it. He was buried in the Mount Hopewell Baptist churchyard and you can go there and see for yourself."

"Jesus was the only One that ever raised the dead," The Misfit continued, "and He shouldn't have done it. He thrown everything off balance. If He did what He said, then it's nothing for you to do but thow away everything and follow Him, and if He didn't, then it's nothing for you to do but enjoy the few minutes you got left the best way you can by killing somebody or burning down his house or doing some other meanness to him. No pleasure but meanness," he said and his voice had become almost a snarl.

Issues with faithIssues with faith

"Maybe He didn't raise the dead," the old lady mumbled, not knowing what she was saying and feeling so dizzy that she sank down in the ditch with her legs twisted under her.

"I wasn't there so I can't say He didn't," The Misfit said. "I wisht I had of been there," he said, hitting the ground with his fist. "It ain't right I wasn't there because if I had of been there I would of known. Listen lady," he said in a high voice, "if I had of been there I would of known and I wouldn't be like I am now." His voice seemed about to crack and the grandmother's head cleared for an instant.

Justice and Religion Justice and Religion ""Jesus thrown everything off balanceJesus thrown everything off balance. It was the . It was the

same case with Him as with me except He hadn't same case with Him as with me except He hadn't committed any crime and they could prove I had committed any crime and they could prove I had committed one because they had the papers on me. Of committed one because they had the papers on me. Of course," he said, "they never shown me my papers. course," he said, "they never shown me my papers. That's why I sign myself now. I said long ago, you get That's why I sign myself now. I said long ago, you get you a signature and sign everything you do and keep you a signature and sign everything you do and keep a copy of it. Then you'll know what you done and you a copy of it. Then you'll know what you done and you can hold up the crime to the punishment and see do can hold up the crime to the punishment and see do they match and in the end you'll have something to they match and in the end you'll have something to prove you ain't been treated right. I call myself The prove you ain't been treated right. I call myself The Misfit," he said, "Misfit," he said, "because I can't make what all I because I can't make what all I done wrong fit what all I gone through in done wrong fit what all I gone through in punishment." punishment."

Misfit ReligionMisfit Religion

If there is no justice in life (for the If there is no justice in life (for the Misfit, his Dad, Jesus)Misfit, his Dad, Jesus)

And there is no justice after life (no And there is no justice after life (no God or Heaven or hell)God or Heaven or hell)

What is the law of the world that is What is the law of the world that is left?left? Natural law which is…Natural law which is…

So why does he shoot Grandma?So why does he shoot Grandma?

Children/Epiphany/ Children/Epiphany/ RedemptionRedemption

Grandmother makes no connection Grandmother makes no connection between her own and the African between her own and the African American boy in povertyAmerican boy in poverty

She finally makes a connection with the She finally makes a connection with the Misfit:Misfit:

She saw the man's face twisted close to her own as if he were going to cry and she murmured, "Why you're one of my babies.. Then he put his gun down on the ground and took off his glasses and began to clean them.“You're one of my own children !" She reached out and touched him on the shoulder. The Misfit sprang back as if a snake had bitten him and shot her three times through the chest

StyleStyle

Point of ViewPoint of ViewThere was a secret:-panel in this house," she said craftily, There was a secret:-panel in this house," she said craftily,

not telling the truth but wishing that she were, "and the not telling the truth but wishing that she were, "and the story went that all the family silver was hidden in it when story went that all the family silver was hidden in it when

Sherman came through but it was never found . . ."Sherman came through but it was never found . . ." Bailey was looking straight ahead. His jaw was as rigid as a Bailey was looking straight ahead. His jaw was as rigid as a

horseshoe. "No," he saidhorseshoe. "No," he said. . The horrible thought she had had before the The horrible thought she had had before the

accident was that the house she had accident was that the house she had remembered so vividly was not in Georgia but in remembered so vividly was not in Georgia but in

Tennessee.Tennessee.

THEME

• The main idea or underlying meaning of a literary work. A theme may be stated or implied. Theme differs from the subject or topic of a literary work in that it involves a statement or opinion about the topic. Not every literary work has a theme. Themes may be major or minor. A major theme is an idea the author returns to time and again. It becomes one of the most important ideas in the story. Minor themes are ideas that may appear from time to time.

Theme vs. Subject

• It is important to recognize the difference between the theme of a literary work and the subject of a literary work.

• The subject is the topic on which an author has chosen to write.

• The theme, however, makes some statement about or expresses some opinion on that topic.

• For example, the subject of a story might be war while the theme might be the idea that war is useless.

Four ways in which an author can express themes are as follows:

• NUMBER ONE

Themes are expressed and emphasized by the way the author makes us feel.. By sharing feelings of the main character you also share the ideas that go through his mind

Number TWO

• Themes are presented in thoughts and conversations. Authors put words in their character’s mouths only for good reasons. One of these is to develop a story’s themes. The things a person says are much on their mind. Look for thoughts that are repeated throughout the story.

Number THREE

• Themes are suggested through the characters. The main character usually illustrates the most important theme of the story. A good way to get at this theme is to ask yourself the question, what does the main character learn in the course of the story?

NUMBER FOUR

• The actions or events in the story are used to suggest theme. People naturally express ideas and feelings through their actions. One thing authors think about is what an action will "say". In other words, how will the action express an idea or theme?

Fight ClubFight Club

Chuck Chuck Palahniuk. .

Fight Club -Fight Club -StyleStyle

Is this a reliable narrator/Is this a reliable narrator/ What is his tone? How do you know?What is his tone? How do you know? What is his attitude toward you the What is his attitude toward you the

reader? (Does he think you are smart; the reader? (Does he think you are smart; the enemy; the converted, etc.)enemy; the converted, etc.)

Themes• Freudian – blaming parents• Self Destruction• “Reality” (What is it about? How

can we experience it more intensely?)

• Know thyself• Alienation from Culture, History

Violence (again)

• How is violence used by the narrator (for what purpose)?

• How is it used by the author? • This story is NOT about fighting…

what is it about?Violence as redemptive (see also…)

Hegemonic masculinity • the normative ideal of masculinity to

which men are supposed to aim. "Hegemonic Masculinity" is not necessarily the most prevalent masculinity, but rather the most socially endorsed.

• Characteristics: aggressiveness, strength, drive, ambition, lack of emotion, and self-reliance.

Modern Man

• Emotional• Physically strong• Nurturing • Responsible for income• Restrained/makes sacrifices• Responsible for raising the children