Chapter 5
1. Describe Victor’s monster before he animates him.
2. What was Victor’s attitude toward the creature he had created?
3. What was Victor do when his monster came to his bedside?
4. What had become of Victor’s dream?
5. Why is it significant that the first thing Victor sees the next morning is the church and its high white steeple?
6. What does the arrival of Clerval cause for Victor? What might be the significance of this?
7. How does Victor behave when he and Clerval are in his room, and what does it tell us about Victor’s state of mind?
8. How does Clerval show his loyalty and friendship to Victor?
Chapter 6
1. What changes have occurred in Ernest during the duration of Victor’s absence?
2. How and why did Justine Moritz become part of the Frankenstein family?
3. Why does Justine leave Frankenstein’s family and why does she return again?
4. What is your impression of Victor’s little brother William?
5. How does Victor feel when he introduces Clerval to his professors and they show their instruments to him and talk about chemistry?
6. How did Victor pass the time during the winter he spent with Clerval?
7. What does Victor realize his pursuit of knowledge has been for him?
Chapter 7
1. What horrific news doesictor’s father give Victor in his letter?
2. Why is Elizabeth especially affected by William’s death?
3. What does Victor realize about William’s death and why does he come to this realization?
4. Why does Victor resolve to remain silent about the murderer?
5. Who is accused of the crime and why is it particularly difficult for Victor’s family?
Chapter 8
1. What incriminating evidence is there against Justine?
2. Why does Justine confess to having committed the crime?
3. What was the effect of Justine’s confession on Elizabeth?
4. Why does Justine admit to committing the crime?
5. Why does Victor feel “such deep and bitter agony”?
6. Why does Justine die in peace?
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
"A Modest Proposal"
Date: 1729
Author: Jonathan Swift
From: Critical Companion to Jonathan Swift: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work, Critical Companion.
What strikes readers from Swift's time to now is the shocking proposal of the nameless projector who unites, in one personality, a cold rationality and a systematically inhuman response to the crisis of poverty and famine in Ireland. His failure to grasp the horror of his solutions suggests the distortion of the culture and the success of prevailing political and economic logic taken to its extreme. By explaining his scheme using arithmetic formulas and an annoying scientific detachment, the projector adopts a tone of superiority and snobbery, which aids in convincing his readers of the wisdom of the argument. Swift crafts this character effectively so the projector seems to compete with all other schemers for the prize for reasonableness and the eternal gratitude of his fellow citizens.
To cannibalize the children of the poor as a commercial venture would obviously by impossible for any culture that considers itself civilized, yet this "modest proposal" does encourage the reader to at least admit the logical extreme leading from England's conduct toward Ireland. The Modest Proposer's outrageous plan unfolds without apology or regret, implying that the efficiency and feasibility of the ideas must surely outweigh other considerations. The difference between the proposer and Swift remains quite distinct, as Swift implicitly urges the reader toward a more compassionate answer to this problem.
The persona of the speaker will remind readers of those social engineers or actuaries who calculate risks, life expectancies, and premiums based on endless lists of statistics and computations. The projector's cool use of figures and bestial imagery (casually referring, for example, to a "child dropped from its dam" and proposing that wives become breeders in some national program, as if we were visiting a national collective farm) becomes an unforgettable emblem of English indifference to Irish humanity and suffering. However, this analysis does not precisely answer the situation as presented: The speaker, whom we have already come to distrust and regard as crazy, is an Irishman, not an Englishman. Swift has little toleration for those Irish who submit to this pattern of brutalization and blindly follow the mad projector's scheme.
This occasional essay, parodying the well-recognized "projects" of many contemporary writers, reveals a straightforward design with clear grouping of paragraphs offering the proposal in a reasonable voice, which heightens the effect of the absolutely mad plan. The first half of the essay (or paragraphs 1–16) presents the scheme as a way of alleviating famine, reducing or eliminating abortion, and putting good scientific methods into practice. Arguing that little money can be made from selling "a boy or girl, before twelve years old" into slavery, Swift shows the merchants willingly engaging in whatever commodity may turn a profit. A later example accuses Americans of using cannibalism as an acceptable food source, which certainly suggests the degree to which Swift blamed the Irish for emigrating to America and depopulating Ireland. The last half of the proposal (which has two sections, containing paragraphs 17–28 and 29–33) continues to puncture dishonesty and complacency by appealing to readers' patriotism and love of his fellow citizens.
The proposer's success in turning the most shameful plan into a reasonable defense has much to do with the success of the essay, as the proposer answers the major objection of cruelty to his fellow man. Professing a complete sense of humanity, he envisions a method for ridding the society of the aged and the sick. Returning to his calculations, he poses the distinct advantages of his scheme, enumerating each while adding a sentence or two of clarification: "Fourthly, the constant breeders, besides the gain of eight shillings sterling per annum, by the sale of their children, will be rid of the charge of maintaining them after the first year." Having studied numerous pamphlet proposals and parliamentary debates over the years for the improvement of the Irish, Swift finally grew tired of their impracticality and general self-destructiveness, and created his own hellish projection—one meant to shock the reader by the force of his rhetoric.
The final five paragraphs heighten his tone of despair as he discounts all objections to his proposal—"let no man talk to me of other expedients." The debater's technique of denouncing all other arguments that might refute his own has the effect of sweeping aside what are the implied humane and compassionate solutions while embracing the inhuman expedients. Rising to his final peroration, the proposer announces his qualifications for making such projections and reiterates his most convincing arguments, while suggesting his annoyance that any reader might accuse him of seeking personal financial gain in realizing this proposal. A final sentence undercutting his character delivers the last stroke of irony in this cannibalistic world: "I have no children by which I can propose to get a single penny."
Whether one decides Swift wrote the essay because he was angry or in a fit of despair over Ireland's economic condition, the fact remains he blames both the English and Irish for the people's misery. Critics suggest the tone and essential theme recall the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah, who rebuked a corrupt people, but Swift complicates this voice with impersonations of a projector, a scientist, and a moralist. As with all of his strongly ironic essays, there is a clear difference between the voices of the proposer and the author, so the projector's political and economic views secure the most commanding presence while nearly muting the author's call for moral understanding. In addition to the "Proposal," numerous other writings reflect Swift's concern with what he saw as England's oppression of the Irish. Some examples are "A Short View of the State of Ireland" (often read as a preface to "A Modest Proposal"), "The Story of an Injured Lady," The Drapier's Letters, and the episodes involving Laputa in Part 3 of Gulliver's Travels.
Date: 1729
Author: Jonathan Swift
From: Critical Companion to Jonathan Swift: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work, Critical Companion.
What strikes readers from Swift's time to now is the shocking proposal of the nameless projector who unites, in one personality, a cold rationality and a systematically inhuman response to the crisis of poverty and famine in Ireland. His failure to grasp the horror of his solutions suggests the distortion of the culture and the success of prevailing political and economic logic taken to its extreme. By explaining his scheme using arithmetic formulas and an annoying scientific detachment, the projector adopts a tone of superiority and snobbery, which aids in convincing his readers of the wisdom of the argument. Swift crafts this character effectively so the projector seems to compete with all other schemers for the prize for reasonableness and the eternal gratitude of his fellow citizens.
To cannibalize the children of the poor as a commercial venture would obviously by impossible for any culture that considers itself civilized, yet this "modest proposal" does encourage the reader to at least admit the logical extreme leading from England's conduct toward Ireland. The Modest Proposer's outrageous plan unfolds without apology or regret, implying that the efficiency and feasibility of the ideas must surely outweigh other considerations. The difference between the proposer and Swift remains quite distinct, as Swift implicitly urges the reader toward a more compassionate answer to this problem.
The persona of the speaker will remind readers of those social engineers or actuaries who calculate risks, life expectancies, and premiums based on endless lists of statistics and computations. The projector's cool use of figures and bestial imagery (casually referring, for example, to a "child dropped from its dam" and proposing that wives become breeders in some national program, as if we were visiting a national collective farm) becomes an unforgettable emblem of English indifference to Irish humanity and suffering. However, this analysis does not precisely answer the situation as presented: The speaker, whom we have already come to distrust and regard as crazy, is an Irishman, not an Englishman. Swift has little toleration for those Irish who submit to this pattern of brutalization and blindly follow the mad projector's scheme.
This occasional essay, parodying the well-recognized "projects" of many contemporary writers, reveals a straightforward design with clear grouping of paragraphs offering the proposal in a reasonable voice, which heightens the effect of the absolutely mad plan. The first half of the essay (or paragraphs 1–16) presents the scheme as a way of alleviating famine, reducing or eliminating abortion, and putting good scientific methods into practice. Arguing that little money can be made from selling "a boy or girl, before twelve years old" into slavery, Swift shows the merchants willingly engaging in whatever commodity may turn a profit. A later example accuses Americans of using cannibalism as an acceptable food source, which certainly suggests the degree to which Swift blamed the Irish for emigrating to America and depopulating Ireland. The last half of the proposal (which has two sections, containing paragraphs 17–28 and 29–33) continues to puncture dishonesty and complacency by appealing to readers' patriotism and love of his fellow citizens.
The proposer's success in turning the most shameful plan into a reasonable defense has much to do with the success of the essay, as the proposer answers the major objection of cruelty to his fellow man. Professing a complete sense of humanity, he envisions a method for ridding the society of the aged and the sick. Returning to his calculations, he poses the distinct advantages of his scheme, enumerating each while adding a sentence or two of clarification: "Fourthly, the constant breeders, besides the gain of eight shillings sterling per annum, by the sale of their children, will be rid of the charge of maintaining them after the first year." Having studied numerous pamphlet proposals and parliamentary debates over the years for the improvement of the Irish, Swift finally grew tired of their impracticality and general self-destructiveness, and created his own hellish projection—one meant to shock the reader by the force of his rhetoric.
The final five paragraphs heighten his tone of despair as he discounts all objections to his proposal—"let no man talk to me of other expedients." The debater's technique of denouncing all other arguments that might refute his own has the effect of sweeping aside what are the implied humane and compassionate solutions while embracing the inhuman expedients. Rising to his final peroration, the proposer announces his qualifications for making such projections and reiterates his most convincing arguments, while suggesting his annoyance that any reader might accuse him of seeking personal financial gain in realizing this proposal. A final sentence undercutting his character delivers the last stroke of irony in this cannibalistic world: "I have no children by which I can propose to get a single penny."
Whether one decides Swift wrote the essay because he was angry or in a fit of despair over Ireland's economic condition, the fact remains he blames both the English and Irish for the people's misery. Critics suggest the tone and essential theme recall the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah, who rebuked a corrupt people, but Swift complicates this voice with impersonations of a projector, a scientist, and a moralist. As with all of his strongly ironic essays, there is a clear difference between the voices of the proposer and the author, so the projector's political and economic views secure the most commanding presence while nearly muting the author's call for moral understanding. In addition to the "Proposal," numerous other writings reflect Swift's concern with what he saw as England's oppression of the Irish. Some examples are "A Short View of the State of Ireland" (often read as a preface to "A Modest Proposal"), "The Story of an Injured Lady," The Drapier's Letters, and the episodes involving Laputa in Part 3 of Gulliver's Travels.
Friday, February 19, 2010
test link
Read this and write your opinion about the critics viewpoint. Do you agree or disagree. This is to be no longer than one typed page. It is worth 20 points. due Tuesday/Wednesday.
Click here and read this.
Click here and read this.
Monday, February 8, 2010
"A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift
Read "A Modest Proposal." Answer the questions you received in class. Swift's essay is one of the most skilled pieces of persuasive writing used for satire. Satire is a type of writing in which the author uses humor to point out the flaws in society, government etc.Chaucer used this device when he wrote The Canterbury Tales. Then write your opinion about the article by posting a comment in the space below. This is not optional; all students are to give some reaction to the piece, or comment on something somebody else has said. I am looking forward to your opinions.
Close Reading Questions
“A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift
1. What format does Swift appear to be using for his satire on the treatment of the Irish by the British, who at this time ruled over them?
2. What causes distress for the people who walk the streets of Dublin?
3. Who does he feel should have a statue erected to his honor?
4. What is Swift insinuating is the cause of the “present deplorable state of the Kingdom?
5. How do we know that Swift has tried to find an answer to this problem before this?
6. How old are the children that Swift intends to provide for?
7. What does he achieve when he refers to the “horrid practice” of abortion and the “sacrificing of the poor innocent babes”?
8. What advantage does he say his proposal will have?
9. Why dos the narrator think the food he proposes is “very proper for the landlords”?
10. What is the connotation of referring to the wives as breeders?
11. Why does he say it would be impossible to provide for the number of children that are born? What do you think he achieves by saying this?
12. What methods of satire are used in the passage about the market value of children?
13. What is his “modest proposal”? What effect is achieved by calling the proposal modest? What is he doing here?
14. Why does he plan to allow one-fourth of the males top grow to adulthood?
15. To whom will the babies be sold?
16. How have the landlords “devoured” the present parents of children? Why do you think he uses the word devoured? What is the connotation of this word?
17. How is Swift satirizing Catholics in general?
18. In discussing the economics of his proposal, what kind of appeal is the writer making? How is he hoping to persuade his readers?
19. When the narrator suggests “dressing” children “hot from the knife” what does he mean? What effect does he expect his word choice to have?
20. Why does Swift disagree with the suggestion of his friend?
21. What effect does the narrator’s reference to his objection to cruelty have on you?
22. Why does the narrator reject the idea of selling and eating the twelve to fourteen year olds?
23. Why does the narrator say they do not have to worry about the sick and elderly?
24. What are the six advantages he says can be gained form his proposal?
25. In the paragraph beginning “Supposing that one thousand families. . .” what is he using in order to push his proposal?
26. What is the difference between the proposals in italics and Swift’s ‘modest proposal”?
27. What insight do we get into Swift’s real feelings about the situation in Ireland from the paragraph which begins “But as to myself,. . .”?
28. What are the problems that must be solved in Ireland at this time according to the narrator?
29. With what kind of appeals does Swift close his essay?
30. What is the true purpose of Swift’s essay?
Close Reading Questions
“A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift
1. What format does Swift appear to be using for his satire on the treatment of the Irish by the British, who at this time ruled over them?
2. What causes distress for the people who walk the streets of Dublin?
3. Who does he feel should have a statue erected to his honor?
4. What is Swift insinuating is the cause of the “present deplorable state of the Kingdom?
5. How do we know that Swift has tried to find an answer to this problem before this?
6. How old are the children that Swift intends to provide for?
7. What does he achieve when he refers to the “horrid practice” of abortion and the “sacrificing of the poor innocent babes”?
8. What advantage does he say his proposal will have?
9. Why dos the narrator think the food he proposes is “very proper for the landlords”?
10. What is the connotation of referring to the wives as breeders?
11. Why does he say it would be impossible to provide for the number of children that are born? What do you think he achieves by saying this?
12. What methods of satire are used in the passage about the market value of children?
13. What is his “modest proposal”? What effect is achieved by calling the proposal modest? What is he doing here?
14. Why does he plan to allow one-fourth of the males top grow to adulthood?
15. To whom will the babies be sold?
16. How have the landlords “devoured” the present parents of children? Why do you think he uses the word devoured? What is the connotation of this word?
17. How is Swift satirizing Catholics in general?
18. In discussing the economics of his proposal, what kind of appeal is the writer making? How is he hoping to persuade his readers?
19. When the narrator suggests “dressing” children “hot from the knife” what does he mean? What effect does he expect his word choice to have?
20. Why does Swift disagree with the suggestion of his friend?
21. What effect does the narrator’s reference to his objection to cruelty have on you?
22. Why does the narrator reject the idea of selling and eating the twelve to fourteen year olds?
23. Why does the narrator say they do not have to worry about the sick and elderly?
24. What are the six advantages he says can be gained form his proposal?
25. In the paragraph beginning “Supposing that one thousand families. . .” what is he using in order to push his proposal?
26. What is the difference between the proposals in italics and Swift’s ‘modest proposal”?
27. What insight do we get into Swift’s real feelings about the situation in Ireland from the paragraph which begins “But as to myself,. . .”?
28. What are the problems that must be solved in Ireland at this time according to the narrator?
29. With what kind of appeals does Swift close his essay?
30. What is the true purpose of Swift’s essay?
Welcome to my Blog!
We will use this blog to communicate assignments that I would like you to complete either on paper or online.
Students who were on the field trip or were absent last Thursday: you are to write a paragraph on Lady Macbeth using the quotes I have on the board. You may type or handwrite your paragraph. You are to time yourself and complete it in 15 minutes. Write your beginning time and your concluding time. This is on the honor system
Students who were on the field trip or were absent last Thursday: you are to write a paragraph on Lady Macbeth using the quotes I have on the board. You may type or handwrite your paragraph. You are to time yourself and complete it in 15 minutes. Write your beginning time and your concluding time. This is on the honor system
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