PART I ------- Chapters 1-11
(Oklahoma, sharecroppers, Dust Bowl, Tom returning home, Bank taking the land, people preparing, tractors plowing everything.)
PART II ------ Chapters 12-19
(Route 66 - On the Road to California, Grandpa + Grandma dying, truck stops, one-eyed man.)
PART III ----- Chapters 20-30
(Hooverville, Weedpatch Camp, Hooper Ranch, Boxcar-Cotton picking camp.)
Traditional plot layout:
Exposition: Tom getting out of Jail, meeting Jim Casy, living out a couple days with Muley Graves, walking to meet up with the family.
Inciting Event: Leaving the land, having to find work outside of Oklahoma.
Rising Action:
Climax: The Death of Jim Casy and Tom's retaliation which is to kill a guard in response.
Falling Action:
Resolution: Rose of Sharon has her child yet it is dead, and Ma, realizing that Rose of Sharon can still produce milk despite losing her child, she tells her to nurse the dying man in a shed.
THEMES:
We vs. I:
Society vs. Moloch:
People vs. Owners/Businessmen:
Anger:
-Tom's anger when Casy gets killed. He has been angry before the book when he murdered someone with a shovel which landed him in prison. Anger of the people, they will rise up and overthrow the owners. Anger is a good thing, and by turning fear into anger is a great strength. Ma says that he needs to get a hold of his anger, or else he will change sides.
Strength of Women:
-Character of Ma, Rose of Sharon's transformation in the end/coming of age, Ma keeps family together and transforms into the leader as the story progresses since Pa starts to dwindle and become consumed by self-doubt. Ma when she hears about Ruthie and Winfield, taking the discipline into her own hands and tells them all not to worry as she will venture out and to warn Tom. Ma attempts to handle many situations without the help of Pa. She rides in the back of the truck with Grandma's dead body without telling everyone that she had been dead for hours.
Importance of Family/Change of the Definition of Family:
-Family sticking together throughout the hardships, change of definition comes when family goes further than just blood relation, but those who are suffering along with you and share the same plights, all the people who are migrant workers, Ivy and Sairy Wilson coming along the road with the Joads, Jim Casy's philosophy that turned him away
Pretty Boyd Floyd:
-Famous bank robber that took from the rich and gave to the poor, the 1930's Robin Hood, and the people almost worshipped him for his heroic generosity, symbol of the hard times, he must become a criminal in order to survive pretty much, he cannot survive with the limited work because he too is a lower class 'Okie' and must do what he can to support his family just like the rest of the people.
Moloch = God of Capitalism (idea) Capitalism is destroying people and paving the way for selfishness and allowing big businessmen to rule the world.
The One-Eyed Man:
-The man in the junkyard who hates his boss. He doesn't like to do anything because he has so much self-pity, using his deformity as an excuse. Symbolizes what Steinbeck DIDN'T want people to do in the tough times. Using excuses, such as a horrible boss and a missing eye as a means of giving up on life.
The Plague!:
-The Plague can be the dust storm, while it can also be the tractors that take over the land of the Oklahoma farmers, taking away their livelihood and way of a self-sufficiency. The amount of migrant workers coming from Oklahoma to California answering the yellow handbills to make some money, invading the new state.
Exodus:
-Exodus refers to the mass migration of a group of people. In the bible, it was the slaves and the Israelites travelling through the desert to the promised land. This book is heavily influenced by the bible,
Moses:
-He was the one who lead the Israelites who parts the Red Sea, Grandma represents Moses because she initially leads the Joad family to the 'promised land' yet is not allowed to see it. (She dies!)
Judas:
-Willy Freely, anyone who has sold themselves out to the big owners,
Handbills:
-The yellow handbills are a symbol of false hope. The owners use these to get many people to come for work so that they can pay very, very minimalistic pay.
Hooper Ranch Incorporated:
-The worst place out of the bunch. The camp because the people know that the migrants need work and need food, so they pay very little and charge a lot for food/necessities. Almost like slavery in the way they totally control the tenant's lives, the exact opposite of Weedpatch Camp.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Yay Yay Yay - Group Questions Part Deux
1. Who are the "owners of the land"? What are their main characteristics? How do the owners use terms such as "the Bank" and "the Company"? Why do the owners speak "as though the Bank or the Company were a monster"? Why is it said that "When the monster stops growing, it dies. It can't stay one size"? Why is it said that "The bank is something more than men, I tell you. It's the monster. Men made it, but they can't control it."?
The owners of the land are the banks, who are characterized by a large, destructive monster who sucks up everything and eats the farmer's. The bank and the company are used because they are associated with money and the process of making more of it. This puts money as the primary concern for them; the top on the list of priorities, leaving little room for caring about the farmers of the land that they work. It repossesses the land in the sake of saving as much money as possible, no matter how minuscule the amount it is.
2. What does the cotton do to the land? Why do the farmers plant it?
The cotton is planted and it takes all the nutrients and water from the already hard-to-work soil. They hope to plant it all and make the land essentially useless, so they can sell to unsuspecting people.
3. What is the role and effect of technology in the mode of production depicted in the novel? What are the effects of increased productivity (due to technology) on the lives of farmers and labourers? How are tractors characterized? How about their drivers? What is their relationship to the land they work? What is happening to the land? What economic trend do the hired tractor drivers represent? What forms of production seem no longer possible? What seems to be the only alternative?
(Tractors --> Described as Insects --> Locusts --> Plague!)
4. What are the tenants thoughts on large amounts of property (five, ten thousand acres)? How does the size of the land affect the relations between the owner and the land he owns? How is the size of the land related to economic imperatives and emerging modes of production?
5. What arguments do the tenants use against the repossession of their lands by the owners? Why do they repeatedly point out that "Grampa took up the land, and he had to kill the Indians and drive them away... and he killed weeds and snakes"? Is this Ironic? Why?
They feel that the repossession isn't at all fair since the land is their livelihood and their way of sustaining themselves, supporting their family. They do so much with it, and they figure they should own because they're physically, mentally, and to some extent emotionally attached to it, rather than holding a piece of paper which is the only notification of the banks' ownership. Comparing snakes and weeds to the Indians, symbolizing them as things that are not wanted on the land that need to get out. However, the irony is that the farmers are mad that they are getting kicked off their land, when in fact Grampa kicked the Indians off their land and they feel this is justified. Snakes are more than likely a biblical reference here.
6. What is the significance of the unhung gate and the story of the Jacobs's baby devoured by a pig because a door was left open? What does the unhung gate indicate? What do the gates symbolize? What is their purpose, both literal and symbolic? How do such images relate to the concerns of the novel?
The gate was never kept open after the incident with the Baby getting eaten by a pig! :) The fact the gate is left open indicated to Tom that no one is around. His family, or more specifically, his mother is dead or they've moved somewhere else.
7. Why is there a picture of an Indian girl ("Red Wing") on the wall of the house? What about the sofa pillow (with a picture of an Indian on it) Grampa stole from Albert Rance? What about Albert's claim that "Grampa got Injun blood"?
Perhaps there is a connection between the manifest destiny and the overtaking of Indian land and the banks repossession of the land from the farmers. The house is desolate, ripped apart, with all the things taken out. Tom Joad has nothing left here, which is how the Native Americans felt once they got their land taken from them while being relocated to reservations or getting killed off.
8. What is the significance of the figure of Muley Graves who refuses to leave the land? What does his name suggest? Why is he "like a damn ol' graveyard ghos'"? Why does he say, "If they throw me off, I'll come back, an' if they figger I'll be quiet underground, why. I'll take couple-three of the sons-a-bitches along for company"? Is this the only ghost that walks the land? What are ghosts anyway? Is this land haunted?
Muley means hornless when referring to a cow, or just a cow without horns. Stubborn as a mule is also an expression which fits the stubborn quality of Graves' wanting to stay on the land to rebel against the owners. Graves equates to death, lack of life, depression, all of which seem to suit the surrounding farmlands. He is described like a graveyard ghost due in part to his name, and perhaps the idea of a ghost town is a town that had all its inhabitants relocated with just empty buildings sitting alone. The farmlands seem to fit this description.
9. Why do the owners claim (in Muley's words) that "We can't afford to keep no tenants... the share a tenant gets is jus' the margin, a profit we can't afford to lose."
It's too costly to keep folks around, especially on the land that is costing them money and not receiving any revenue from shortage of crop prices. The tenants get a portion of the share of the final profit, which is imperative to sustain their families and lead a life. The money-monster-bank can't see this as anything important, so they have to constantly be making as much money as possible, so they kick the families out on their own and possess their land. The amount paid to the farmer's is too much to be given away, so the bank feels it needs it.
10. Why does Muley share his food with Tom and Casy? What is his argument justifying his obligation to share?
He does this because he has food and the other two men don't. He feels that he doesn't have a choice if one man's hungry and the other man has food, nothing can be done. He has to share. He was brought up on this value, and goes into the farmer morality and the good qualities in the farmer's as opposed to the Bank-monster who feel that if they have money and the farmer/tenants are struggling for it, they have the right to take it away from them and hoard the money for themselves. :(
The owners of the land are the banks, who are characterized by a large, destructive monster who sucks up everything and eats the farmer's. The bank and the company are used because they are associated with money and the process of making more of it. This puts money as the primary concern for them; the top on the list of priorities, leaving little room for caring about the farmers of the land that they work. It repossesses the land in the sake of saving as much money as possible, no matter how minuscule the amount it is.
2. What does the cotton do to the land? Why do the farmers plant it?
The cotton is planted and it takes all the nutrients and water from the already hard-to-work soil. They hope to plant it all and make the land essentially useless, so they can sell to unsuspecting people.
3. What is the role and effect of technology in the mode of production depicted in the novel? What are the effects of increased productivity (due to technology) on the lives of farmers and labourers? How are tractors characterized? How about their drivers? What is their relationship to the land they work? What is happening to the land? What economic trend do the hired tractor drivers represent? What forms of production seem no longer possible? What seems to be the only alternative?
(Tractors --> Described as Insects --> Locusts --> Plague!)
4. What are the tenants thoughts on large amounts of property (five, ten thousand acres)? How does the size of the land affect the relations between the owner and the land he owns? How is the size of the land related to economic imperatives and emerging modes of production?
5. What arguments do the tenants use against the repossession of their lands by the owners? Why do they repeatedly point out that "Grampa took up the land, and he had to kill the Indians and drive them away... and he killed weeds and snakes"? Is this Ironic? Why?
They feel that the repossession isn't at all fair since the land is their livelihood and their way of sustaining themselves, supporting their family. They do so much with it, and they figure they should own because they're physically, mentally, and to some extent emotionally attached to it, rather than holding a piece of paper which is the only notification of the banks' ownership. Comparing snakes and weeds to the Indians, symbolizing them as things that are not wanted on the land that need to get out. However, the irony is that the farmers are mad that they are getting kicked off their land, when in fact Grampa kicked the Indians off their land and they feel this is justified. Snakes are more than likely a biblical reference here.
6. What is the significance of the unhung gate and the story of the Jacobs's baby devoured by a pig because a door was left open? What does the unhung gate indicate? What do the gates symbolize? What is their purpose, both literal and symbolic? How do such images relate to the concerns of the novel?
The gate was never kept open after the incident with the Baby getting eaten by a pig! :) The fact the gate is left open indicated to Tom that no one is around. His family, or more specifically, his mother is dead or they've moved somewhere else.
7. Why is there a picture of an Indian girl ("Red Wing") on the wall of the house? What about the sofa pillow (with a picture of an Indian on it) Grampa stole from Albert Rance? What about Albert's claim that "Grampa got Injun blood"?
Perhaps there is a connection between the manifest destiny and the overtaking of Indian land and the banks repossession of the land from the farmers. The house is desolate, ripped apart, with all the things taken out. Tom Joad has nothing left here, which is how the Native Americans felt once they got their land taken from them while being relocated to reservations or getting killed off.
8. What is the significance of the figure of Muley Graves who refuses to leave the land? What does his name suggest? Why is he "like a damn ol' graveyard ghos'"? Why does he say, "If they throw me off, I'll come back, an' if they figger I'll be quiet underground, why. I'll take couple-three of the sons-a-bitches along for company"? Is this the only ghost that walks the land? What are ghosts anyway? Is this land haunted?
Muley means hornless when referring to a cow, or just a cow without horns. Stubborn as a mule is also an expression which fits the stubborn quality of Graves' wanting to stay on the land to rebel against the owners. Graves equates to death, lack of life, depression, all of which seem to suit the surrounding farmlands. He is described like a graveyard ghost due in part to his name, and perhaps the idea of a ghost town is a town that had all its inhabitants relocated with just empty buildings sitting alone. The farmlands seem to fit this description.
9. Why do the owners claim (in Muley's words) that "We can't afford to keep no tenants... the share a tenant gets is jus' the margin, a profit we can't afford to lose."
It's too costly to keep folks around, especially on the land that is costing them money and not receiving any revenue from shortage of crop prices. The tenants get a portion of the share of the final profit, which is imperative to sustain their families and lead a life. The money-monster-bank can't see this as anything important, so they have to constantly be making as much money as possible, so they kick the families out on their own and possess their land. The amount paid to the farmer's is too much to be given away, so the bank feels it needs it.
10. Why does Muley share his food with Tom and Casy? What is his argument justifying his obligation to share?
He does this because he has food and the other two men don't. He feels that he doesn't have a choice if one man's hungry and the other man has food, nothing can be done. He has to share. He was brought up on this value, and goes into the farmer morality and the good qualities in the farmer's as opposed to the Bank-monster who feel that if they have money and the farmer/tenants are struggling for it, they have the right to take it away from them and hoard the money for themselves. :(
Monday, April 2, 2012
Yay Yay Yay ~ Discussion Group Questions One
1. Look closely at the opening paragraphs. Steinbeck notes details as well as the wide angle shot. He was influenced by film - Pare Lorentz's documentaries The Plow that Broke the Plains and The River - and his description of place is cinematic here. The structure of these paragraphs mirrors the structure of the book, as it moves back and forth form the detailed Joad chapters of the inter chapters that cover a wider perspective.
2. The end of this opening chapter focuses on the people on the land, men vs. women. Note the ways that the book contrasts men's "figuring" to women's methods of coping.
The men appear strong, but don't know what to do once all their crops are gone. The women know that things will be alright as long as something remains. They only wait to see the actions of the men to see if they are ready to give up. Women know that in the end, everything will be alright.
3. Why does Steinbeck first introduce Tom Joad leaving jail? What thematic concerns are thus introduced?
It leaves people with questions but tells what he's been through. Insight is given into his background, meaning he has obviously done something bad, or perhaps he was framed.
4. In Chapter 2 there is a mention of flies and bugs. (Page 5, Chapter 2) Why do you think this will be important?
Because the flies are desperate to get inside. Inside the diner is what they want, but they have an obstacle in the way (screen door) which correlates to the humans around those parts since there is little that can be done to grow crops.
5. What's the description of Tom Joad in chapter 2? What does this description tell us about him? Where did he come from and why was he there?
He has just come from jail and he has a bunch of new clothes on which it is assumed the prison gave him. The clothes are just the standard that are given to everybody that gets out of jail, and it is apparent that he might have a troubled past. He is fresh out of jail and is returning home or going somewhere familiar.
6. What impression do you get of the Truck Driver in chapter 2? Why does he want to be a "Good Guy"? What theme does this reinforce?
Personally, I find him very annoying, especially because he was easily manipulated by Tom Joad and he repeated "Now don't get sore too many times". He wants to be a good guy because of what Tom said since he used his emotions against him. He wants to be a good guy and wants to do the right thing because the rich bastard boss isn't liked by the working class people. We vs. I, People vs. Molloch.
7. What's significant about the following quote: "Sure they stop, but it ain't to eat. They ain't hardly ever hungry. They're just goddamn sick of goin' --get sick of it. Joints is the only place you can pull up, an' you stop you got to buy somepin so you can sling the bull with the broad behind the counter. So you get a cup of coffee and a piece of pie. Kind of gives a guy a little rest."
The truck drivers are desperate for attention or other interaction. This is why he picks up Tom.
8. The turtle chapter is justly famous. Early reviewers often focused only on the historical accuracy of the novel, whereas Steinbeck insisted that he was not writing merely social history. His vision was also highly suggestive, symbolic, mythic. The book, he said, had four layers - readers could take out of the novel what they could, based on their sensitivity and sophistication as readers. The turtle symbolizes the migrants in several ways. Discuss.
The turtle symbolizes the migrant workers because the turtle works hard even through the tough times. The farmers in the first chapter are going to have to work through the drought and rough events even though things seem dire, things will work out in the end, just like the women know.
9. What opinion does Casy, the former preacher, have about sin and using "bad words"?
He says, that there is no sin and there is no virtue. There's just stuff people do. Bad words, he says 'scuse me' after he says hell so he must be a little tense about them, however, given his attitude on religion and how things have turned out in his life, he shouldn't give that much thought to them.
10. Why is it important that Casy was a "Burning Busher"?
Because the Burning Bush alludes to the Bible. The Burning Bush is where Moses was told to lead the Israelites. Suppose it symbolizes dedication to God, as Moses did what God told him by leading them there, given Casy's past experiences as a preacher, he must have obeyed God similarly until he couldn't make sense of it anymore..
11. What's significant about the Jesus Quote? What themes does it reinforce?
The preacher doesn't seem to understand why people have to rely on God and Jesus so much. He says perhaps that maybe the strength of people and the Holy Sperit is within everyone. This correlates to the corporations and all the businesses buying up all the farmland leaving the people out. You can't have one person in power, rather have respect for everyone around. Themes: People vs. Molloch & Importance of Family
2. The end of this opening chapter focuses on the people on the land, men vs. women. Note the ways that the book contrasts men's "figuring" to women's methods of coping.
The men appear strong, but don't know what to do once all their crops are gone. The women know that things will be alright as long as something remains. They only wait to see the actions of the men to see if they are ready to give up. Women know that in the end, everything will be alright.
3. Why does Steinbeck first introduce Tom Joad leaving jail? What thematic concerns are thus introduced?
It leaves people with questions but tells what he's been through. Insight is given into his background, meaning he has obviously done something bad, or perhaps he was framed.
4. In Chapter 2 there is a mention of flies and bugs. (Page 5, Chapter 2) Why do you think this will be important?
Because the flies are desperate to get inside. Inside the diner is what they want, but they have an obstacle in the way (screen door) which correlates to the humans around those parts since there is little that can be done to grow crops.
5. What's the description of Tom Joad in chapter 2? What does this description tell us about him? Where did he come from and why was he there?
He has just come from jail and he has a bunch of new clothes on which it is assumed the prison gave him. The clothes are just the standard that are given to everybody that gets out of jail, and it is apparent that he might have a troubled past. He is fresh out of jail and is returning home or going somewhere familiar.
6. What impression do you get of the Truck Driver in chapter 2? Why does he want to be a "Good Guy"? What theme does this reinforce?
Personally, I find him very annoying, especially because he was easily manipulated by Tom Joad and he repeated "Now don't get sore too many times". He wants to be a good guy because of what Tom said since he used his emotions against him. He wants to be a good guy and wants to do the right thing because the rich bastard boss isn't liked by the working class people. We vs. I, People vs. Molloch.
7. What's significant about the following quote: "Sure they stop, but it ain't to eat. They ain't hardly ever hungry. They're just goddamn sick of goin' --get sick of it. Joints is the only place you can pull up, an' you stop you got to buy somepin so you can sling the bull with the broad behind the counter. So you get a cup of coffee and a piece of pie. Kind of gives a guy a little rest."
The truck drivers are desperate for attention or other interaction. This is why he picks up Tom.
8. The turtle chapter is justly famous. Early reviewers often focused only on the historical accuracy of the novel, whereas Steinbeck insisted that he was not writing merely social history. His vision was also highly suggestive, symbolic, mythic. The book, he said, had four layers - readers could take out of the novel what they could, based on their sensitivity and sophistication as readers. The turtle symbolizes the migrants in several ways. Discuss.
The turtle symbolizes the migrant workers because the turtle works hard even through the tough times. The farmers in the first chapter are going to have to work through the drought and rough events even though things seem dire, things will work out in the end, just like the women know.
9. What opinion does Casy, the former preacher, have about sin and using "bad words"?
He says, that there is no sin and there is no virtue. There's just stuff people do. Bad words, he says 'scuse me' after he says hell so he must be a little tense about them, however, given his attitude on religion and how things have turned out in his life, he shouldn't give that much thought to them.
10. Why is it important that Casy was a "Burning Busher"?
Because the Burning Bush alludes to the Bible. The Burning Bush is where Moses was told to lead the Israelites. Suppose it symbolizes dedication to God, as Moses did what God told him by leading them there, given Casy's past experiences as a preacher, he must have obeyed God similarly until he couldn't make sense of it anymore..
11. What's significant about the Jesus Quote? What themes does it reinforce?
The preacher doesn't seem to understand why people have to rely on God and Jesus so much. He says perhaps that maybe the strength of people and the Holy Sperit is within everyone. This correlates to the corporations and all the businesses buying up all the farmland leaving the people out. You can't have one person in power, rather have respect for everyone around. Themes: People vs. Molloch & Importance of Family
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Movements
Hannibal
St. Petersburg
Movement 1:
Being in and around Petersburg.
(Civilization)
[[[Chapters 1-12]]]
Movement 2:
On the River
River adventures/Jim + Huck Outside of society
[[[Chapters 13-30]]]
Movement 3:
Return to Society
Phelp's Farm
Captives in Society
[[[Chapters 31-43 === Chapter the last]]]
St. Petersburg
Movement 1:
Being in and around Petersburg.
(Civilization)
[[[Chapters 1-12]]]
Movement 2:
On the River
River adventures/Jim + Huck Outside of society
[[[Chapters 13-30]]]
Movement 3:
Return to Society
Phelp's Farm
Captives in Society
[[[Chapters 31-43 === Chapter the last]]]
Episode 1: Chapters 1-4
Episode 2: Chapters 5-8
Episode 3: Chapters 9-11
Episode 4: Chapters 12-16
Episode 5: Chapters 17-18
Episode 6: Chapters 19-20
Episode 7: Chapters 21-23
Episode 8: Chapters 24-30
Episode 9: Chapters 31-43
Episode 1: (Getting Sivilized) Tom's gang, living with Widow Douglas and Ms. Watson, and stealing diamonds from Arabs with elephants! Discovers that Pap is around, but hasn't shown his face, so he goes to the Judge and hides his money so his father can't steal it.
~CHARACTERS~
- Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, Jim, Ms. Watson, Widow Douglas, Judge Thatcher, Tommy Barnes, Ben Rogers, Joe Harper, Aunt Polly,
MAJOR THEME: Superstition vs. Religion, Gullibilty, Death vs. Rebirth, Romanticism vs. Realism.
~CHARACTERS~
- Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, Jim, Ms. Watson, Widow Douglas, Judge Thatcher, Tommy Barnes, Ben Rogers, Joe Harper, Aunt Polly,
MAJOR THEME: Superstition vs. Religion, Gullibilty, Death vs. Rebirth, Romanticism vs. Realism.
Episode 2: (Pap Returns From The Dead!) Pap comes back upon hearing about his son's wealth and attempts to steal Huck away. He yells at Huck for being better than him and scolds him for having an education. He tries to gain custody, which is successful and he puts on a whole act on how he has done some thinking and has become a changed man. Pap quickly proceeds to get drunk and break his arm falling off the roof of the Judge's house. Soon after, he steals Huck away and ventures off deep into nowhere + drunken tirades in the cabin.
~CHARACTERS~
- Pap, New Judge, New Judge's Wife, Townspeople eager to see Pap was a changed man.
MAJOR THEME: Meaning of family, Death vs. Rebirth
~CHARACTERS~
- Pap, New Judge, New Judge's Wife, Townspeople eager to see Pap was a changed man.
MAJOR THEME: Meaning of family, Death vs. Rebirth
Episode 3: (Escape From Father) Essentially starts when Huck lands on Jackson Island the first time. Huck fakes his death with the slaughter of a pig and some other various details. With this, he escapes his father's captivity and flees to Jackson Island where he meets Ms. Watson's runaway slave, Jim! Jim and Huck discuss with each other how they each ended up on the island. Meeting with Judith Loftus and Huck attempting to be a little girl. Judith Loftus gives Huck a lot of information about what had recently happened in town with the runaway slave and the dead boy.
~CHARACTERS~
- Slaughtered Pig, Judith Loftus, Mr. Loftus, Sarah Mary Williams (Huck's Persona), George Peters (another Huck Persona),
MAJOR THEME: Death vs. Rebirth
~CHARACTERS~
- Slaughtered Pig, Judith Loftus, Mr. Loftus, Sarah Mary Williams (Huck's Persona), George Peters (another Huck Persona),
MAJOR THEME: Death vs. Rebirth
Episode 4: (Floatin' Down The River) Jim + Huck survive the storm and start to go down the river on a raft they found. They happen to run into a ship with murderers inside, escape evil slave-traders, get separated by a dense fog, and get ran over by a steamboat!
~CHARACTERS~
- Dead Pap in a House, Slave Hunters, Walter Scott (As a boat), Bill Whipple, Jake Packard, Jim Turner
MAJOR THEME: Meaning of Freedom, Tolerance vs. Prejudice, Romanticism vs. Reality,
~CHARACTERS~
- Dead Pap in a House, Slave Hunters, Walter Scott (As a boat), Bill Whipple, Jake Packard, Jim Turner
MAJOR THEME: Meaning of Freedom, Tolerance vs. Prejudice, Romanticism vs. Reality,
Episode 5: (The Feud) Huck and Jim are separated and Huck finds refuge with a rich Grangerford family. The family is in a bitter feud with the rival Shepardsons and Huck attempts to stay in the background and not get involved with any of the violence and hatred. After some people die from both sides of the family in a few battles, Huck and Jim become reunited and set out to continue their journey on the raft.
~CHARACTERS~
- George Jackson (Huck's Persona), Bob Grangerford, Tom Grangerford, Betsy Grangerford (Slave), Buck Grangerford, Saul Grangerford, Rachel Grangerford, Mary Ann Jackson (fake sister), Emmeline Grangerford (The Dead One), Colonel Grangerford, Miss Charlotte, Miss Sophia, Harney Shepardson, Bud Grangerford, Baldy Shepardson, Joe Grangerford.
MAJOR THEME: Romanticism vs. Reality. Death vs. Rebirth, Meaning of Family.
~CHARACTERS~
- George Jackson (Huck's Persona), Bob Grangerford, Tom Grangerford, Betsy Grangerford (Slave), Buck Grangerford, Saul Grangerford, Rachel Grangerford, Mary Ann Jackson (fake sister), Emmeline Grangerford (The Dead One), Colonel Grangerford, Miss Charlotte, Miss Sophia, Harney Shepardson, Bud Grangerford, Baldy Shepardson, Joe Grangerford.
MAJOR THEME: Romanticism vs. Reality. Death vs. Rebirth, Meaning of Family.
Episode 6: (Naked On A Raft) Jim and Huck realize how free they are, out of the society where no one has the power to tell them what to do or where to go or how to live. They don't wear clothes because no one is around to judge them or say otherwise. They are at peace, yet they still use caution when they roam around closeby a town, since Jim is a runaway, he doesn't want him to get caught so they make their way by slowly until nightfall hides them. Soon after docking at one point, they run into two men who claim they are long-lost descendants of European royalty.
~CHARACTERS~
- King and Duke.
MAJOR THEME: Meaning of Freedom, Gullibility, Romanticism vs. Reality!
~CHARACTERS~
- King and Duke.
MAJOR THEME: Meaning of Freedom, Gullibility, Romanticism vs. Reality!
Episode 7: (A Bunch Of Scams) The two men, the King and the Duke, are obviously scammers/con-artists and Huck knows it, but doesn't state it out loud to Jim. He avoids any trouble and keeps to himself while him and Jim follow the two men around as they try to fool people out of their money. They start by playing a show at a circus that flops. Then they make a silly show that does amazingly well, but angers the townsfolk at the same time. Angry people start telling other angry people to go, just so the whole town can be fooled and share the rage everyone else has. The four guys get away before any real harm is done to them. They continue to float down the river, trying different schemes on each new town to see which one is the most successful.
~CHARACTERS~
- Old Boggs, Ringmaster, Colonel Sherburn, Buck Harkness, David Garrick, Edward Kean (both personas of the king and duke.),
MAJOR THEME: Gullibility, Human Cruelty, Appearance vs. Reality, Dehumanization.
~CHARACTERS~
- Old Boggs, Ringmaster, Colonel Sherburn, Buck Harkness, David Garrick, Edward Kean (both personas of the king and duke.),
MAJOR THEME: Gullibility, Human Cruelty, Appearance vs. Reality, Dehumanization.
Episode 8: (The Dead Peter Wilks) The two men catch a rumour on a steamboat about a wealthy man named Peter Wilks who has recently died and his brothers were supposed to come from England to see him before he passed. IDEA! The King and the Duke pose as the two brothers and try to trick the Wilks' family out of their money. This means leaving three poor, innocent young girls orphaned and without any possessions. This is when Huck starts to get defensive because he doesn't feel that the King and the Duke are really doing a good thing. They've taken it too far, so Huck tells the truth to Mary Jane Wilks, the oldest of the three girls as well as the one Huck develops feelings for, and has her run away while he tries to sort things out for the benefit of the family. Sadly, he cannot help that much and ends up almost getting killed when another pair of people claiming they are the Wilks brothers come into town. The whole town gets curious and Huck just barely escapes right before the dead brother is dug up. Huck runs to get away because he has finally gotten away from the King and the Duke, but they are close behind as they too got away from the townspeople because they told a really lucky lie. They proceed along the way until they reach another town where they wish to attempt their "Royal Nonesuch" play once again. However, this time, Jim is missing, and instead of helping the King and the Duke, he decides to run away and go save Jim because he has been his best friend all this time
~CHARACTERS~
- Men on Steamboat, Mary Jane Wilks, Susan Wilks, Joanna 'Hare-Lip' Wilks, Undertaker, King pretending to be Harvey Wilks, Duke pretending to be William Wilks, Lawyer Bill, Dr. Robinson, Abner Shackleford, Dog, Ab Turner.
MAJOR THEME: Meaning of Family, Role of the Outsider, Death vs. Rebirth, Appearance vs. Reality, Dehumanization.
~CHARACTERS~
- Men on Steamboat, Mary Jane Wilks, Susan Wilks, Joanna 'Hare-Lip' Wilks, Undertaker, King pretending to be Harvey Wilks, Duke pretending to be William Wilks, Lawyer Bill, Dr. Robinson, Abner Shackleford, Dog, Ab Turner.
MAJOR THEME: Meaning of Family, Role of the Outsider, Death vs. Rebirth, Appearance vs. Reality, Dehumanization.
Episode 9: (The Phelps Farm) Adamant on his decision of freeing Jim, Huck arrives at the farm where Jim is being held captive, but surprisingly he is happily greeted by the Phelps family who mistake him for Tom Sawyer. When the actual Tom Sawyer arrives in town, Huck and him meet so Tom can pretend to be Sid Sawyer, a long lost cousin. The two live in the house for a while, but Tom comes up with the plans to help Jim escape. Sadly, they are elaborate and certainly unnecessary, only giving him rat bites and nearly taking out all his teeth. (Don't ask!)
~CHARACTERS~
- Silas Phelps, Mrs. Phelps, Tom Sawyer (actually Huck.), Sid Sawyer (actually Tom Sawyer.), Jim, Other slaves, Townsfolk.
MAJOR THEME: Meaning of Family, Romanticism vs. Realism, Appearance vs. Reality
3 Scenarios about Death & Rebirth
-Huck faking his own death to escape Pap to become reborn on Jackson Island. Huck is essentially a slave in his confines in the cabin.
-Pap actually dying, meaning that Huck is actually free from the custody of his father and is able to freely explore the world on the raft with his new friend, Jim.
-Jim's owner, Ms. Watson, has died meaning that Jim isn't owned by anyone. Plus, he is given $40 because he has a hairy chest (superstition!?#?!@#)
4 People Huck pretends to be:
George Jaxon
George Peters
Sarah Mary Williams
Tom Sawyer
Adolphus (Servant to Duke and King)
Climax to the novel: When Huck says aloud, "Fine, I'll go to Hell." Stating his decision to go against society and everything that he has been taught as 'right' to go to hell for a friend and save him from slavery, which was technically his mission from the start.
Inciting Event: Discovering that Pap is back from the dead according to the notion that everyone thinks he died in a river a while back. When Pap is found in Huck's room, berating him for his education and his money, the conflict starts as Huck is soon kidnapped and has his money taken away. (But not really, Huck gets it all at the end.)
Duke and King: These two characters are important because they satirize the simple nature of human qualities. They take advantage of emotions, gullibility, and the fact that
Jim Turner: The man tied up in the Walter Scott. Reinforces Romanticism vs. Reality because he is part of a real-life cutthroat gang who go against him and are in the midst of leaving him for dead in a sinking boat, which contrasts the happy gang of boys in Hookersville looting Arabs and fighting elephants.
Judith Loftus: New girl in town that Huck gathers information from when he disguises himself as a girl in the town. Huck finds out that she has spotted smoke coming from Jackson Island which triggers Huck to tell Jim that they both need to run away in order to stay free. Hypocrisy reinforced in this woman.
Doctor Robinson: The only person that outwardly speaks against the Duke and the King in the Peter Wilks scam. No one believes him because he is a symbol of realism and the romantic experience that the King and the Duke have created for this whole town is just too good for it NOT to be true. Twain satirizes the stupidity of the townspeople and how they believe such a man who banters about orgies and latin/hebrew etymology.
William Wilks: Deaf brother of the Wilks that the Duke impersonates throughout their stay at the Wilks' town. The two conmen are so greedy that they have stooped to a whole new low, while still employing an elaborate plan to take advantage of poor little orphan girls.
Allusions:
Bible - Don Quixote - 1001 Arabian Nights - Shakespeare - Last of the Mohicans - Walter Scott - George Washington - Aladin - Alexander the Great coming over to America
A cow is not a cat, and a Frenchman is not a man because he doesn't talk like a man.
Who is Miss Hooker?: She is somebody that Huck makes up in order to have the steamboat captain to help the murderers on the Walter Scott.
~CHARACTERS~
- Silas Phelps, Mrs. Phelps, Tom Sawyer (actually Huck.), Sid Sawyer (actually Tom Sawyer.), Jim, Other slaves, Townsfolk.
MAJOR THEME: Meaning of Family, Romanticism vs. Realism, Appearance vs. Reality
3 Scenarios about Death & Rebirth
-Huck faking his own death to escape Pap to become reborn on Jackson Island. Huck is essentially a slave in his confines in the cabin.
-Pap actually dying, meaning that Huck is actually free from the custody of his father and is able to freely explore the world on the raft with his new friend, Jim.
-Jim's owner, Ms. Watson, has died meaning that Jim isn't owned by anyone. Plus, he is given $40 because he has a hairy chest (superstition!?#?!@#)
4 People Huck pretends to be:
George Jaxon
George Peters
Sarah Mary Williams
Tom Sawyer
Adolphus (Servant to Duke and King)
Climax to the novel: When Huck says aloud, "Fine, I'll go to Hell." Stating his decision to go against society and everything that he has been taught as 'right' to go to hell for a friend and save him from slavery, which was technically his mission from the start.
Inciting Event: Discovering that Pap is back from the dead according to the notion that everyone thinks he died in a river a while back. When Pap is found in Huck's room, berating him for his education and his money, the conflict starts as Huck is soon kidnapped and has his money taken away. (But not really, Huck gets it all at the end.)
Duke and King: These two characters are important because they satirize the simple nature of human qualities. They take advantage of emotions, gullibility, and the fact that
Jim Turner: The man tied up in the Walter Scott. Reinforces Romanticism vs. Reality because he is part of a real-life cutthroat gang who go against him and are in the midst of leaving him for dead in a sinking boat, which contrasts the happy gang of boys in Hookersville looting Arabs and fighting elephants.
Judith Loftus: New girl in town that Huck gathers information from when he disguises himself as a girl in the town. Huck finds out that she has spotted smoke coming from Jackson Island which triggers Huck to tell Jim that they both need to run away in order to stay free. Hypocrisy reinforced in this woman.
Doctor Robinson: The only person that outwardly speaks against the Duke and the King in the Peter Wilks scam. No one believes him because he is a symbol of realism and the romantic experience that the King and the Duke have created for this whole town is just too good for it NOT to be true. Twain satirizes the stupidity of the townspeople and how they believe such a man who banters about orgies and latin/hebrew etymology.
William Wilks: Deaf brother of the Wilks that the Duke impersonates throughout their stay at the Wilks' town. The two conmen are so greedy that they have stooped to a whole new low, while still employing an elaborate plan to take advantage of poor little orphan girls.
Allusions:
Bible - Don Quixote - 1001 Arabian Nights - Shakespeare - Last of the Mohicans - Walter Scott - George Washington - Aladin - Alexander the Great coming over to America
A cow is not a cat, and a Frenchman is not a man because he doesn't talk like a man.
Who is Miss Hooker?: She is somebody that Huck makes up in order to have the steamboat captain to help the murderers on the Walter Scott.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Vocabulary Words (:
Captivate - (v.) To attract and hold the interest of.
"Marlee said that the book didn't captivate her, so she set fire to her brother, who had recommended it to her."
Rummage - (v.) To search, look through intensely.
"I was mad when I found Linda rummaging through my closet for my hidden stash of money."
Warble - (v.) To sing softly, normally associated with a bird.
"Cassandra tended to warble as she walked through the school, and everybody listened intently because they thought birds were invading the hallways."
Fluster - (v.) To confuse, overwhelm, or agitated.
"K.C. thought it would be funny to fluster Jake by holding his memory card hostage at gunpoint while demanding a $25,000,000,000 ransom.
Sluice - (n.) A device used in shifting the path of flowing water.
"The sluice was positioned in the water in the worst possible place, and I ended up crashing my canoe because of it."
Waylay - (v.) Stop and interrupt, deter attention in the midst of conversation.
"Adrian was walking down the stairs when Bailey waylaid him by talking about a lost labrador."
Azure - (adj.) Very bright and blue.
"In class, I asked Penelope if she knew a cool word for blue, and she responded with azure, and with that word, I got an A+ on my math test."
Plumb - (v.) To explore or fully experience
"The Matthews brothers were in town to plumb the caves in the nearby mountainside where treasure was rumoured to be held."
Contrive - (v.) Create, or bring about using skill or talent.
"Nick contrived a golden necklace that he had been working on for seven years."
Affront - (n.) An action or words that offends someone or causes disruption.
"Such an affront spoken by the Vice President caused a controversey leading to his assassination as well as his chain of fast food restaurants getting shut down."
Taper - (n.) A slender candle, or a narrowing of an object.
"Tony carried a taper along with him at night because he was too poor to afford electricity."
Notion - (n.) An idea or understanding of a certain situation.
"When I suggested naptime for high schoolers to the school board, the principal retorted, 'I second that notion!'"
"Marlee said that the book didn't captivate her, so she set fire to her brother, who had recommended it to her."
Rummage - (v.) To search, look through intensely.
"I was mad when I found Linda rummaging through my closet for my hidden stash of money."
Warble - (v.) To sing softly, normally associated with a bird.
"Cassandra tended to warble as she walked through the school, and everybody listened intently because they thought birds were invading the hallways."
Fluster - (v.) To confuse, overwhelm, or agitated.
"K.C. thought it would be funny to fluster Jake by holding his memory card hostage at gunpoint while demanding a $25,000,000,000 ransom.
Sluice - (n.) A device used in shifting the path of flowing water.
"The sluice was positioned in the water in the worst possible place, and I ended up crashing my canoe because of it."
Waylay - (v.) Stop and interrupt, deter attention in the midst of conversation.
"Adrian was walking down the stairs when Bailey waylaid him by talking about a lost labrador."
Azure - (adj.) Very bright and blue.
"In class, I asked Penelope if she knew a cool word for blue, and she responded with azure, and with that word, I got an A+ on my math test."
"The Matthews brothers were in town to plumb the caves in the nearby mountainside where treasure was rumoured to be held."
Contrive - (v.) Create, or bring about using skill or talent.
"Nick contrived a golden necklace that he had been working on for seven years."
Affront - (n.) An action or words that offends someone or causes disruption.
"Such an affront spoken by the Vice President caused a controversey leading to his assassination as well as his chain of fast food restaurants getting shut down."
Taper - (n.) A slender candle, or a narrowing of an object.
"Tony carried a taper along with him at night because he was too poor to afford electricity."
Notion - (n.) An idea or understanding of a certain situation.
"When I suggested naptime for high schoolers to the school board, the principal retorted, 'I second that notion!'"
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Huck Finn Essay about Romanticism and Why it Sucks.
Directions: Please write a minimum of three paragraphs on the following topic. Supply evidence from Chapters 35 - 39 to support your answer. It is due next class period. Think carefully about your answer.
Twain criticizes the Romantics. The Romantics based their literature on the conviction that imagination and emotion were superior to reason. You will recall that in Chapters 12 & 13, Twain names the wrecked steamboat The Walter Scott after a Romantic author, metaphorically relating it to the demise of Romanticism. Obviously, Twain was not a fan of Romantic fiction.
Twain criticizes the Romantics. The Romantics based their literature on the conviction that imagination and emotion were superior to reason. You will recall that in Chapters 12 & 13, Twain names the wrecked steamboat The Walter Scott after a Romantic author, metaphorically relating it to the demise of Romanticism. Obviously, Twain was not a fan of Romantic fiction.
Mark Twain is obviously not too thrilled with the way some authors write their books about adventure stories and unrealistic, fantastic occurrences. The literary movement of romanticism has been a big target of disdain for Mr. Twain, most notably through chapters 35-39 in his book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
Earlier in the book, Twain named a sinking boat "The Walter Scott" after a writer of very romantic literature. He used this event as a device to show the reader that realism is obviously superior and the old ways of romantic writing and storytelling were becoming obsolete. Further evidence found further along, starting around Chapter 18, puts the main character, Huck, in the middle of a feud between two southern families. Another jab at this form of writing, this time mocking the Romeo & Juliet-type feud and the notion of family honour. These are Twain's little bits of fun he throws into the story to give the reader a sense of what is a much better style of writing. However, in chapters 35-39, Twain truly develops the idea with the character of Tom Sawyer and the plan he formulates to break Jim out of his family's house! Tom comes up with a unnecessarily elaborate plan to steal Jim, which at one point he admits might take 37 to 38 years of digging with knives! His plans become more and more strange, more twisted, with almost no thought of how Jim feels about the whole situation. Tom wants to have fun at the expense of Jim, and not accomplish a goal or do anything worthwhile. It's apparent that if he contributes to making a name of a soon-to-be famous prisoner that escaped while battling snakes and spiders for years and years and recorded every single event that happened on a t-shirt written in his own blood, he'll feel much better than having done the right thing by helping an innocent man gain his freedom.
A typical response to this type of behaviour might be that Tom is acting pretty childish. Gaining amusement out of someone else's struggles and prolonging an unpleasant thing to satisfy himself is pretty foolish and wrong, which is what Twain's big picture is all about. Overall, romanticism is childish. It achieves nothing, doesn't present realistic events, and doesn't capture a true life; expressing foolish escapades of fun that really don't amount to anything. Huck feels he needs to do whatever it takes to get his friend to a better place, which is the right thing to do, yet Tom encapsulates the model of a corrupt society. A person fitting into this society is someone who will attempt to please his or her self by attempting to quench an insatiable greed for adventure and adrenaline. Nothing ever gets accomplished, shown by how long Huck and Tom have been staying at the house with no legitimate progress shown. And that's the way it is, and that's the way Twain sees it, horrified at the lack of realism in literature.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Episode 8 Summary
Summary:
The band of characters find a town and ask around on a steamboat about what is going on there. News is that a man has just died there recently and his brothers were supposed to come down from far away in Europe. It would be awful nice if the brothers could come and see him before he died, but it was too late, yet they could still make it to the funeral. The duke and the King prod people for as much information as they can regarding this situation, and they decide to pose as Peter Wilks' brothers. They do this, and are greeted with welcome arms in the household and make a big scene that everybody believes to be true about their coming from England to make peace with their brother. Huck begins to realize how cruel this scheme is and develops some moral evaluations about the duke and the king now. The girls are robbed blind of their money without even knowing it and Huck feels that that is very wrong so he comes up with some plans. He confesses the truth to Mary Jane Wilks, the oldest of the three daughters, and tells her to run away until he can figure out how to handle what's going on. Another pair of men come in claiming they are the brothers as well and a big controversey ensues. People try to put the two pairs through tests in order to see who is truly related to the Wilks. It's soon decided that they need to dig up Peter Wilks and settle it once and for all. Once the body is dug up, Huck makes a run for the raft, thinking he can escape the duke and the king for good and live as he used to with Jim. He finds Jim on the raft and they untie and set off, but much to their dismay, the duke and king are following close behind, able to get away from the townspeople.
List of New Characters:
Personas:
Harvey Wilks
Deaf-Dumb brother Wilks
Huck = Harvey Wilks' servant
Major Themes:
Meaning of Family
Gullibility
Realism vs. Romanticism
Coming of Age
Appearance vs. Reality
Hypocrisy
Allusions, Symbols, Ironies:
King Lear's outfit being put on Jim.
The family as a symbol of gullibility and hypocrisy. Also romanticizing about their uncles traveling the world to meet them.
The Undertaker ironically being a prominent, influential figure in the community.
Discuss Huck's change in this episode:
Huck has stepped out from the shadows and stopped watching the action unfold before him. He is taking initiative and stepping into a more assertive, controlling state. His morals have become to influence his actions and he is seeing that he change things for the better and help people that are in need.
The band of characters find a town and ask around on a steamboat about what is going on there. News is that a man has just died there recently and his brothers were supposed to come down from far away in Europe. It would be awful nice if the brothers could come and see him before he died, but it was too late, yet they could still make it to the funeral. The duke and the King prod people for as much information as they can regarding this situation, and they decide to pose as Peter Wilks' brothers. They do this, and are greeted with welcome arms in the household and make a big scene that everybody believes to be true about their coming from England to make peace with their brother. Huck begins to realize how cruel this scheme is and develops some moral evaluations about the duke and the king now. The girls are robbed blind of their money without even knowing it and Huck feels that that is very wrong so he comes up with some plans. He confesses the truth to Mary Jane Wilks, the oldest of the three daughters, and tells her to run away until he can figure out how to handle what's going on. Another pair of men come in claiming they are the brothers as well and a big controversey ensues. People try to put the two pairs through tests in order to see who is truly related to the Wilks. It's soon decided that they need to dig up Peter Wilks and settle it once and for all. Once the body is dug up, Huck makes a run for the raft, thinking he can escape the duke and the king for good and live as he used to with Jim. He finds Jim on the raft and they untie and set off, but much to their dismay, the duke and king are following close behind, able to get away from the townspeople.
List of New Characters:
-Lawyer
-Doctor Robinson
-Mary Jane Wilks
-'Hare-lip' Joanna Wilks
-Sarah Wilks
-Townspeople
-UndertakerPersonas:
Harvey Wilks
Deaf-Dumb brother Wilks
Huck = Harvey Wilks' servant
Major Themes:
Meaning of Family
Gullibility
Realism vs. Romanticism
Coming of Age
Appearance vs. Reality
Hypocrisy
Allusions, Symbols, Ironies:
King Lear's outfit being put on Jim.
The family as a symbol of gullibility and hypocrisy. Also romanticizing about their uncles traveling the world to meet them.
The Undertaker ironically being a prominent, influential figure in the community.
Discuss Huck's change in this episode:
Huck has stepped out from the shadows and stopped watching the action unfold before him. He is taking initiative and stepping into a more assertive, controlling state. His morals have become to influence his actions and he is seeing that he change things for the better and help people that are in need.
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