Welcome to our class blog. After each Tuesday's class, one or two intrepid volunteers will write a post sometime within 24 hours. Then, in the following few days, all other students will comment on the post. This way, we can make connections within the text and between each other outside of class. Here's the schedule for posting: Sep 22 Katharina Rollins, Ilona Zeltser Sep 29 Oct 6 Melissa Constant, Christian Brea Oct 13 Felipe Gonzalez, Judith Leconte Oct 20 David Rodriguez, Vonyke Akers Oct 27 Munasiba Rahman Nov 3 Irene Lee, Karla Cruz Nov 10 Sara Moharren, Carlos Garcia Nov 17 Sifat Azad Nov 24 Edward Cambro Dec 1 Masoud House
Paper # 1: Instructions and Topics
Your first paper should be three pages, typed, double-spaced with 1 inch margins. It should have a title that is not "Paper #1." Spell check, proofread and have a thesis. Otherwise, the East Wind will rise and I'll have to go to the Growlery. What I want you to do in this short assignment are two things central to strong literary analysis: close reading of the text and a connection of that reading to some larger meaning or purpose of the work as a whole. We will work on this in class. Choose one of the following topics. MUD: From the opening paragraph to the passage on p. 123 to the "context" articles from the back of the book, mud is both a reality of and metaphor for London life. Talk about what mud means in the first installments of Bleak House. HOUSES: From the description of Bleak House to the Ghost Walk at Chesney Wold to Nemo's opium-scented room at Krook's, physical spaces seem intricately intertwined with their human inhabitants. What is Dickens saying about the relationship between environment and people through his representation of these places? CHARITY: Do a close reading of the scene at the brickmaker's house. Who fails there and who succeeds? What does this scene reveal about Dickens's attitude toward the poor and his philosophy about charity? FEMALE POWER: This book's first four installments showcases a range of powerful women. What is Dickens's attitude toward them and why? How do these representations relate to Dickens's larger message about social reform in the novel?
EVERY LAST ONE OF 'EM
Here is a virtual version of our in-class post-it list of the characters of Bleak House. This is more or less in order of appearance.
Lord High Chancellor Tom Jarndyce Mr. Tangle Lady Dedlock Sir Leicester Dedlock the Mercury in powder Mr. Tulkinghorn Miss Barbary Mrs. Rachel Esther Summerson Conversation Kenge John Jarndyce Ada Clare Richard Carstone Miss Flite Mrs. Jellyby Peepy Jellyby Caddy Jellyby Mr. Jellyby Mr. Guppy Mr. Quale Priscilla Krook Lady Jane Harold Skimpole Coavinses Mrs. Rouncewell George Rouncewell Mr. Rouncewell, Captain of Industry Watt Rouncewell Rosa Mrs. Pardiggle Egbert Pardiggle Oswald Pardiggle Francis Pardiggle Felix Pardiggle Alfred Pardiggle Mr. Pardiggle Jenny The Brickmaker Jenny's friend Mr. Snagsby Mrs. Snagsby Guster Nemo Little Swills, the Comic Vocalist Jo Hortense Lord Coodle, et al Boythorn Mr. Bayham Badger Mrs. Bayham Badger Allan Woodcourt Mr. Turveydrop Prince Turveydrop Charley Neckett Tom Neckett Emma Neckett Mr. Gridley, the man from Shropshire Mrs. Blinder Mrs. Woodcourt Mr. Chadband Mrs. Rachel Chadband Tony Jobling (a.k.a. Mr. Weevle) Mr. Bucket Phil Squod Grandfather Smallweed Grandmother Smallweed Judith Smallweed Bartholomew Smallweed Mr. Bagnet Mrs. Bagnet Quebec, Malta and Woolwich Bagnet Volumnia Dedlock Bob Stables
While ethereal entities do have a place in some of Dickens' work, do you mean Nemo is the biblical devil or do you mean to say that he's more of an analogy?
This has me a little lost. All the supporting characters in Bleak House have somewhat of an equal importance to one another. Nemo didn't seem to be an exception other than to be a representative of the viral effect of drug abuse in the city of London; what else exactly are you getting at here?
Ok Christian, but what importance exactly do you think he has to the book???
ReplyDeleteWhile ethereal entities do have a place in some of Dickens' work, do you mean Nemo is the biblical devil or do you mean to say that he's more of an analogy?
ReplyDeleteThis has me a little lost. All the supporting characters in Bleak House have somewhat of an equal importance to one another. Nemo didn't seem to be an exception other than to be a representative of the viral effect of drug abuse in the city of London; what else exactly are you getting at here?
ReplyDeleteI DO Not Know Who He Is YET Darn IT WE HAVEN'T EVEN SCRATCHED THE Surface OF THIS BOOK!! :( i will tell you all in a week
ReplyDelete