文學作品導讀 Approaches to Literature
藍舶銓 Polan
411182044
Approaches to Literature
March 6,2023
Vonnegut, Kurt A Man without a Country
"A Man Without a Country" is a worth provoking book that offers unique perspectives the world and the human circumstance. It will appeal to those who are interested in social and political issues as well as fans of Vonnegut's work. The book was published in 2005, shortly before Vonnegut's death in 2007. The type of character in this article is written Round way. Because the author is candid and irreverent. The character might struggle to find a sense of belonging or purpose in the world they inhabit. In addition, he has fully developed thoughts, feelings, complexities, and contradictions in his hometown, the United States.
In the book, the writing contents presented the biography from childhood to senior period. The prominent stories were that he participated in World War II, occurring in Vietnam as well as Germany of the Nazi dynasty, and experienced the 911 attack in New York. He validated the cruelty of war, and the military peers continued to die by the fatal weapons. There were desperate stories in his mind that he emphasized the importance of humanism and compassion, calling for greater empathy and understanding among people. After pondering the issue of what is life all about and what was lost in the war, he started to call into question himself. For instance, he mentioned that “ He was a German-American, but some guilt-free guys speaking English at work but German at home, built not only a successful business but their own banks and concerts halls and social.” He gradually recognized who is the real native of America and who the hell’s country was in this.
The other perspective in the book was exploring the social issue- “Prohibition is a better than no liquor at all”. Some people thought when you are addicted to alcoholic beverages, you could indulge in the very difficult, such as committing violent crimes. From my perspective, we always depended on resources, for the sake of living on the earth, such as being addicted to fossil fuels. However, it didn’t make us addicted. Ultimately, in the stories, he expressed that banning people from doing something because they may become addicted highlights the ignorance of society. He also elaborated on how leaders, driven by their own desires, can cause immense suffering for others.
In deduction, his work encourages readers to examine their own beliefs and values and to question the status quo in order to make positive changes in the world.
藍舶銓 Polan
411182044
Approaches to Literature
March 6,2023
Orwell, George Animal Farm
• Explosion-Rising Action:
Animal Farm, written by George Orwell, is a well-known political satire that has been captivating readers for decades. The story commences with Old Major, who shares his dream of creating a society where all animals are equal and liberated from human oppression. This leads to the animals rebelling against their human oppressors and establishing their own country called the Republic of Animals. However, the process is not without obstacles, and some animals are reluctant to participate, creating difficulties in the integration process.
• Climax:
After lengthy discussions, the animals successfully resist their human oppressors and form their own country with territorial sovereignty. The pigs become the leaders of the new society, and they control the farm while the other animals work hard to build it.
• Falling Action:
The pigs maintain their power by manipulating education, teaching animals vocabulary and living luxuriously while the other animals struggle to survive.
• Resolution:
The novel concludes with the animals realizing that their aspirations for a better life have been betrayed as the pigs become the new oppressors.
• Extended Thinking:
This story prompts readers to question the value of rebelling against humans and whether it was necessary to enhance their lives. An extension of Animal Farm can delve into a plethora of issues related to power, manipulation, education, and social inequality, providing insight into these themes in modern society.
藍舶銓 Daniel/ Polan
411182044
文學作品導讀 Approaches to Literature
Date: March 11, 2023
Kafka, Franz. Metamorphosis
This is a horrific story for me, which explores Gregor who sees his occupation as his life, significantly having burdened him from many duties of earning money; however, he ultimately transfers to a very weak and shapeliness creature, abandoned by all of his family and world. In this article, there are two issues I can analyze. First and foremost, the phenomena of a wage slave (社畜／しゃちく), Gregor always works day and night, because he has to pay off all debts from his father. He gets rid of his liberty and sticks himself in a bad cycle, even though the job is not his famous, but forcing on reality, he eventually dismisses his dignity, sleeping quality, and interaction as a human being. In contemporary society, most people in order to get high-standard lives, always chase fame and wealth., which causes they could not to get out of hell such as wealth and health. Therefore, in the metamorphosis of all the characters, Gregor becomes a big bug, which impacts him initially only in the physical shape but advancing with time, his emotional parts continually twist into another extreme, because he starts to feel lonely and hangry. He cannot control himself, he always controls by his mind, eventually, he loses the spiritual parts, just like the zombie without thinking. Another feature: Gregor’s father, is the first person to reject how his son changes. He regrets meeting him and regards him as evil. He never wants to have eye contact with him. From my perspective, as a father, he has to take care of his son as a responsibility, in contrast, he casts aside him. This is not very kind and terrible behavior. If I were a father, I would like to guard what my families possess. Not just like the value exchange. For instance, some stuff we will feel pleasant when it is available, on the other hand, when it is useless. I will throw away any more. There is a question I think for a while: how can we treat human beings like a machine? The other vital role: Gregor’s sister, is very crucial in the book. Because she changes the status quo and even exacerbated Gregor’s sadness and weakness in the mental part. Before her brother become a monster, she make a great relationship with him. Whereas, she changes her mind due to the pressure. Additionally, she finds that her brother is getting worst. Hence, she starts to persuade her family to neglect all her brother’s needs. In conclusion, this story gives me a lot of inspiration and incentive. Especially, in the society aspect, it is very worthy for us to think about how we treat our family when they get older, and also when they become a disabled person, what attitude we can do.
藍舶銓Polan
411182044
文學作品導讀 Approaches to Literature
Date: June 16, 2023
Jamaica Kincaid, A Small Place
Our honorable author was born in Antigua; after that, she immigrated to the United States as a teenager. She has published at least five novels. The settings in the story discuss neocolonialism and the illness of globalization in Antigua, a tourist island in the Caribbean region, which was colonized by the British. The narrator took advantage of plenty of rhetorical questions to express her perspective called Erotemata, and used second person narrative the point of view to depict the whole paragraph. In this analysis, I intend to break down this book into three sections: identity, the effect of tourism, and the effects of colonial education.
First and foremost, identity. It is a very sensitive issue that impacts their self-identification deeply. Antigua was colonized and gained independence in 1981, so they have a lot of British privileged culture and the economic system easily relied on their mother country, which lead their indigenous culture to be erased from auditory. In addition, they are poor and strive for living in the agriculture and travel industry. Relatively, their religious and self-recognition both inclined to the West.
Therefore, the effect of tourism. Because of developing tourism, the process of the infrastructural facilities is focusing on economic value instead of people's livelihood needs. For instance, the narrator mentioned that there was an area shall be constructed a hypermarket in the city marketing center. However, due to financial issues, they renovated it into a gorgeous library for visitors to enjoy this wonderful space. To the narrator, it was very contradictory.
Furthermore, the effects of colonial education. The stimulation from outsiders brings multicultural to the island. The local population feed on popular songs. In the fact that they are not intelligent and well-educated enough, they will be cheated and lied to by an uncontrollable government.
Overall, the book has a strong critique of the colonial field and emphasizes how vital and damaging the culture is as well as how critical of conveying the horrible habits to these residents. In terms of connecting directly from the article, the article did not use first person perspective making our stance more powerful. Ultimately, it is a worthy statement for learning creative non-fiction.
藍舶銓 Polan
411182044
Approaches to Literature
March 6,2023
Atwood, Margaret
Burning Questions: essays and occasional pieces 2004 to 2021
This is a biography written by a renowned writer, Margaret, who is a feminist. In part I, she was going through the times she found that most writers were male, and most perspectives were not depicted by the female. After that, she commenced writing her own stories. In that period, the trend of the work was sci-fi, also called “scientific romance”. In addition, she earned her right to eliminate discrimination or stereotype of both genders. There is a quote I found very essential “Dip into the present, which contains the seeds of what might become the future.” This sentence appealed to me to read more. I asked myself what will happen next.
In part II, the author used a very crucial work from Charles John Huffam Dickens. The small boy had seldom friends when everyone went to celebrate Christmas. He came alone and nobody invited him. However, he had some peers, which were fictitious in his brain. The desperate took away the only remaining hope. The child was neglected and forgotten in a dreary place, just like in “Dickens’ Nightmare”. From this example, I felt that humanity was dark and easy to get rid of. Additionally, the author used the method of antithesis to portray the literature they faced as well as melting it into one case.
In part IV, there was a very fascinating topic called: am I a bad feminist? The story was that Steven Galloway, the former chair of the Department of creative writing at UBC, had a sexual crime, and knew the details of the accusation before the public media. And then, he signed up a confidentiality agreement. He was verdict without a sexual assault in the end (non-guilty). The result made everyone angry. Additionally, the judge didn’t present any evidence. From that moment, The #MeToo protests exploded all around the world, because the legal system could not protect victims. In this article, the author said that both Good Feminists and Bad Feminists were all like her. She dropped her unproductive squabbling, join the force, and resist the system at UBC, so the employees could regard her as a bad one. However, many sexual-abuse complainants could see her as a hero and would wish to get fair treatment. The description made UBC have a great suppression from public opinion, and accelerate the improvement of society.
In Part V- Caught in Time’s Current, which was a very heavy heart to read. She lost her relative, emphasized the loss of mind, watched the world die, and walked to the target herself; however, I never thought that these things could break down her. She neglected her pain and trauma to live. At the age of 81, she had abundant experiences of joys and sorrows. For instance, she wrote very deeply in her work- Dearly to express her missing husband, which made me cry and connect to my dead grandma, we had a great relationship in my childhood.
Part V- Big Science, which was talking about humanity. There is a question what the structure of our value? In 1981, the military action revealed that the U.S. was a country also gotten the victory. However, this strong country, United States, always looked upon itself as a top country in the world, they always vanished significant nature and culture, instead of high technology. This is a very vital issue we have to think about.
All in all, the book gives me concepts from a variable angle of view to define the world. Furthermore, the content broadens my horizons in multiple realms. This is a very useful material for me to approach to literature.
藍舶銓 Polan
411182044
Approaches to Literature
May 14,2023
Bayard Taylor, Beauty and the Beast, and Tales of Home
This story takes place in the town of Kinesma and revolves around two princes, several princesses, and their adventures. The settings change often, moving from a palace to a forest, which adds excitement to the prince's journey as he is pursued by the military.
The narrator uses contrasting settings to show how mysterious the prince is. The sleeping flag represents an upcoming disaster and plays a crucial role throughout the story, connecting the beginning and the end.
In Chapter III, a grand festival is organized to celebrate Prince Boris's coronation. The festivities start in the grand hall and extend to the riverside, where a lavish banquet is held. During the celebration, people dance, talk, and enjoy themselves, revealing their true selves and their wild side. For example, Prince Alexis, in a moment of madness, forcefully hugs a man, tearing his clothes with his sharp claws. This incident highlights Prince Alexis's strange behavior, as he always acts oddly, no matter the situation.
After the festival, the characters briefly step outside to enjoy a beautiful night with fireworks and performances featuring actors playing Muse God and Apollo. This marks a turning point, where they transition from hardship to happiness.
Chapter V paints a romantic picture. The beauty walks alone in the cold weather until she is joined by Prince Boris, who comments on the coldness and offers to accompany her. Although the girl doesn't recognize him, his presence brings her warmth. The scene then shifts to a normal room, where they have a pleasant conversation about their careers, dreams, and future plans. However, Prince Boris only reveals that his father is a general to keep his royal identity a secret. Their conversation reveals Prince Boris's growing love for the beauty.
Overall, the changing settings in the story show a deep connection between Beauty and the Beast, forged through unexpected encounters. This interpretation of "Beauty and the Beast" offers a fresh perspective and challenges traditional ideas of love through its dynamic changes in location. It is an engaging and worthwhile read.