Silence is Golden: The Artist and American literary tradition

http://youtu.be/ixqr8D7J_Kc

A significant part of contemporary American culture is film. Over time, American film has evolved from silent, black and white pictures to high action, CGI animation. The 2011 Academy Award winning film “The Artist” celebrates the history of American film by telling the story of a silent film era actor, George Valentin, and the struggle he faces as talking pictures become popularized. What makes this film so unique is that the movie itself is a silent, black and white film. This film illustrates how American literature is constantly changing, yet it withholds traditions and often commemorates the past. By using a silent film to tell the story of the silent film era, “The Artist” explores what it means to honor the past while still looking forward. It is a love story to the growth of the American film industry and it reveals the American notion of recognizing one’s roots in the face of progress.

A dictionary of the English Language

In Samuel Johnson’s preface to A Dictionary of the English Language, he makes many strong points about how powerful words are. How powerful are words and language? Why do you think the Johnson begins the preface by commenting on the “fate of the lower employment”? What relation does this have to the dictionary of the English language? Why do you think Johnson includes this sort of preface at all?

Gulliver’s Travels

A lot of insight is brought about in book four by Swift. Why do you think that the yahoos are portrayed the way that they are? What is the bigger message that Swift is delivering about the relationship that Gulliver forms with the animals? How are these relationships formed? What is the significance of when the horses agree to stop calling Gulliver a “Yahoo”? and what is the significance of Gulliver not wanting to be associated with this word?

Gulliver’s Travels Book 4 9:25 class

Is Swift’s description of the Yahoos, who are obviously human like Gulliver, a critique or criticism of the human race? What reason(s) does Swift have to switch the roles of animal and man? Is it for us to appreciate and be closer to nature or continue to focus on things like trade and urbanization?

Oroonoko 11/20

After having just read Milton’s Paradise Lost, I’m curious as to what everyone’s interpretations on both the lead ladies ultimate ends are. Compare Imoinda’s death to Eve’s ultimate sin and fall from grace. How are they held in their husbands eyes after each act? Include detail in the moral senses of each as well as in the way each is described by the authors. Do you think that the gender of the writers of both Oroonoko and Paradise Lost play a role in the interpretation and the depiction of these scenes? Do you think it a coincidence that Imoinda’s death is interpreted as honorable and Eve’s actions sinful based on who the author of each work is?

Oroonoko (11/20)

In class, we discussed the fact that Behn was a royalist and as such is making a comment on the nature of royal people as compared to everyone else.  What is that statement, and how does she make it? How do you think that the manner of Oroonoko’s death plays into that argument (in support or undermining it)?

Oroonoko

We are seeing an emerging Imperial Britian in the time era of Aphra Behn. What are the social commentaries at play in Behn’s Oroonoko? How does the narrator view British expansion, imperialism, and slavery? I.E We watch as Oroonoko is brutally dismembered and executed but remains calm and noble throughout the process. Who are the barbarians and who are the civilized here?

Oroonoko (11/20)

In Oroonoko, Behn portrays Oroonoko’s murder of his wife and unborn child as something of passion with his wife agreeing to her own death. Do you believe that this was Behn’s true intention, or do you believe the author was attempting to show the reader something else about Oroonoko and his culture? How does this affect your opinion of the African prince?

Oroonoko- 11/15

Coming out of reading Paradise Lost, I suppose my mind is stuck in thinking about classic gender roles. How are gender roles demonstrated in this reading? There’s mention of male attraction to the woman, however, he only acts on it with his eyes and “his hands stay folded,” how does this inform our view of men in this time period? Our view of women?

Oroonoko Question (9:25)

The narrator describes the native people as being “in the first state of innocence, before man knew how to sin”, seemingly comparing them to Adam and Eve. What is the significance of describing the natives like this? Are they meant to contrast with the British? If yes, how so?