Monthly Archives: February 2015

Glossary

Floundering

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Floundering (verb): to move in an awkward way with a lot of difficulty and effort: to be unsure about what to do or say: to have a lot of problems and difficulties (Merriam-Webster)

Found on Page I, paragraph 3 of The Metamorphosis–> “However hard he threw himself onto his right, he always rolled back to where he was. He must have tried it a hundred times, shut his eyes so that he wouldn’t have to look at the floundering legs, and only stopped when he began to feel a mild, dull pain there that he had never felt before.”

I believe this word in the quote means that after Gregor Samsa realize he has been transformed into an insect, he moves in a difficult way in order to get himself out of bed. Since his arms was nonfunctional anymore, he had to figure out how to use his new body, which consisted of many legs, antennas and an exceptional board body.

Here is my visual interpretation of Gregor trying to roll off his back when he was in his bed.

Dead bug
Used from MentalFloss

 

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Discussion

Discussion: “The Metamorphosis”

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My apologies for any confusion, and for my delay in posting. Since our schedule is a bit off, with Wednesday following a Monday schedule, you don’t have a homework post until after this online discussion.

For our discussion this week, let’s think about our experience reading Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” by each focusing our comment through a particular passage. Some possible topics to address here:

How do you deal with the outrageous situation presented in “The Metamorphosis”? Does it help to read “The Metamorphosis” metaphorically? What does metaphorically mean? If “Young Goodman Brown” can be read as an allegory (refer “Elements of Fiction” for a description of allegory and allegorical fiction), can “The Metamorphosis” as well?

When you think of “The Metamorphosis,” can you picture it? Do you have a visual sense of the story? What provides that sense, or what would you need to have that sense if you don’t? After you consider that, you might compare the sense of the visual to other stories we’ve read so far. Or you might compare what you’ve envisioned with this short video featuring images from a graphic-novel adaptation of “The Metamorphosis.”

“The Metamorphosis” is translated from Kafka’s German “Die Verwandlung.” As you read, especially as you pay particular attention to the ways the story is crafted using particular words, consider that the words are the choice of a translator. If you are comfortable writing in another language, try translating your favorite passage from “The Metamorphosis” into that language to share with the class. Or, if you can read German, look online for a copy in German and try to translate a passage into English. What kinds of choices did you need to make to translate that passage? Is there anything that isn’t exactly the same as the version you read? Commenters who can read that language, what do you think about the translation, and would you have made the same choices?

There is a word, kafkaesque, based on Kafka’s writing. What do you guess it would mean, and why, based on reading “The Metamorphosis”? After you guess, look for the definition. Explain using details from “The Metamorphosis” why that’s the definition of the word. (Kafka’s is not the only author to have his name turned into an adjective, but it’s one more widely used outside of an English class. Faulknerian  is also a word, but with a narrower usage).

I look forward to this discussion with you!

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Uncategorized

Young Goodman Brown

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I believe the story is written in third person due to the word usage “he” “she” and  what were the thoughts of Mr. Goodman Brown. In the story he states “poor little Faith! Thought he for his heart smite him (Goodman Brown) (p.7). Then “there may be a devilish Indian behind every tree, said Goodman Brown to himself”. This leads to a slight confusion weather. One is Goodman Brown speaking out loud? Two are these Goodman Brown’s thoughts?

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Glossary

Murmur

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Murmur
noun mur•mur \ˈmər-mər\
: a low sound made when many people are speaking
: a quiet expression of an opinion or feeling
: speech or a way of speaking that is quiet and soft
The word is located in paragraph [47] “he doubted whether he had heard aught but the murmur of the old forest,” meaning here, the old forest generated a low sound.

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Week 3

Young Goodman Brown Discussion

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In “Young Goodman Brown,” the narration by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is told in third person omniscient where an all-knowing narrator not only reports the facts but may also interpret events and relate the thoughts and feelings of any character.
For example, in [paragraph 21] “As he spoke, he pointed his staff at a female figure on the path, in whom Goodman Brown recognized a very pious and exemplary dame,” it is obvious that the narration is in third person, and what makes it omniscient is the details known by the narrator such as the inside feeling of Goodman Brown which is the recognition ” Brown recognized a very pious.”
Many other similar passages with omniscient point of view can be found in the story.

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Week 3
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The narration in “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne was written partially in third-person limited view and in third-person omniscient view which means that the narrator stands outside the story and can see into the thoughts and feelings of only one or two characters in the story. In this case, the narrator can look into Young Goodman Brown and tell us what Brown is thinking and felling at any given moment, but the narrator’s power to observe the inner person is limited. The narrator is limited, meaning that the narrator reports Young Goodman Brown’s inner thoughts and feelings but leaves the reader to draw his or her own conclusions about those thoughts and feelings. In other words, the narrator does not judge the character in a moral sense. When Brown leaves his wife, Faith, to begin his dark journey into the forest, the narrator observes his inner feelings of guilt. “What a wretch his I am I to leave her on such an errand! . . . Well, she’s a blessed angel on earth; and after this one night I’ll cling to her skirts and follow her to heaven.” Hawthorne wants is to understand that Young Goodman Brown fully appreciates the danger this journey poses to his soul but, more important, the temptation to walk on the Puritan wild side is too great to be overcome. The narrator’s limited omniscience is obvious when Young Goodman Brown’s traveling companion appears. “As nearly as could discerned, the second traveler was about fifty years old, apparently in the same rank of life as Goodman Brown, and bearing a considerable resemblance to him.” The narrators use of the duel point-of-view allows him to leave the reader guessing about everything that happens to Young Goodman Brown.

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Glossary, Week 3

Proselytes

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Proselyte is noun.

According to Merriam Webster dictionary the word proselyte means:  A new convert (as to a faith or cause).

The word proselyte was used by Nathaniel Hawthorne on page 9 of the class handout entitled, “Young Goodman Brown.”

Hawthorne wrote, “And there stood the proselytes, beneath the canopy of fire.”

Goodman Brown and a young woman whose face was covered, but whom he later realized was his beloved Faith were the proselytes.  They were the ones who were newly converted to  join the fiend, (devil) worshippers.

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Glossary, Week 3

Exhorted

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Exhorted is a transitive verb.

According to Merriam Webster dictionary exhorted means:  To try to influence (someone) by words or advice.   To strongly urge (someone) to do something.

Nathaniel Hawthorne used the word exhorted on page 5 of the class handout entitled, “Young Goodman Brown.”

Hawthorne wrote, “They continued to walk onward, while the elder traveler exhorted his companion to make good speed ….”

My understanding is that the elderly gentleman travelling with Goodman Brown was urging him to hurry so that they could get to where they were going quickly.

 

 

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Glossary, Week 3

DURST

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Durst is a verb.

According to Merriam Webster dictionary durst means:  Archaic and dialect past of dare.

In other words, durst is an old fashion way of saying dare.  It is also a way certain groups of people spoke depending on the social group they belonged to.

The word durst is used by Nathaniel Hawthorne on page six of the class handout entitled, “Young Goodman Brown.”

Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote, “Goodman Brown alternately crouched and stood on tip-toe, pulling aside the branches, and thrusting forth his head as far as he durst, without discerning a shadow.”

Goodman Brown was making his best effort to avoid being detected in the bushes by anyone passing.  At the same time he wanted to see who was passing.  He extended his head from the bushes as far as he thought would be appropriate for him to identify who is passing without them in turn seeing him.

 

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Glossary, Week 3

PIOUS

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Pious is an adjective.

According to Merriam Webster pious means:  Marked by conspicuous religiosity, a hypocrite.   Falsely appearing to be of good moral.

The word pious is used repeatedly by Nathaniel Hawthorne in the class handout of “Young Goodman Brown.”  On page six,  Hawthorne wrote, “Once, the listener fancied that he could distinguish the accents of town’s-people of his own, men and women, born pious and ungodly….”   Also, on page eight, Hawthorne wrote about Deakon Gookin waiting  for his reverend pastor and stated, “But, irreverently consorting with these grave, reputable, and pious people.”

Goodman Brown could not at first believe he correctly recognized the voices he overheard.   These were people from his church, people whom he did holy communion with.  He could not understand why they professed to be godly but still gathered with people of bad character, some of whom were even criminals to be a part of this demonic event.    The presence of the pastor and his deacon  indicated to Goodman Brown the level of hypocrisy he was witnessing.  He did not understand why the reverend pastor, a member of the clergy and his deacon did not see how ungodly this event was and rebuke those assembled.

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