* Post responses in the comment box. (Remember to compose in a word processing file. Then copy and paste your work into the comment box.)
* Use your first name and last initial (for example James C.)
* Write the title and author of your book (for example Frankenstein by Mary Shelley).
* Write your response.
Respond to the author's portrayal of monsters (and/or monstrousness) in the novel you are reading. Your response should be 300+ words and must be received before pumpkin time (midnight) Monday. The questions below may help you generate a thoughtful response.
Who is the monster or who are the monsters in the book? How do you know? What makes the character a monster? Physical deformity or difference? Inhuman or inhumane behavior? Both? Something else? What is the relationship between physical monstrousness and moral monstrousness in your book? (Some possibilities: Does physical monstrosity mask moral beauty? Does physical monstrosity lead to alienation which leads to monstrous moral choices? Etc.)
What seems to be the cause of the monstrous behavior in your book? (Is it in the monster’s nature as with the Grendel of Beowulf? Is it chosen by the monster as a response to radical alienation and rejection as with the Grendel of Grendel? Is it learned by the monster? Is it taught to the monster?
What seems to be the author’s purpose in presenting a monster (and/or monstrous behavior) in the novel? What is the author trying to show about human beings and the human condition?
Grading: Your responses should show that you have read the first 50 to 100 pages of your book and that you understand how the book relates to monsters and monstrousness.
An advanced response, which shows a command of "monster" concepts and appropriate, precise, thorough supporting evidence, will receive an A.
A proficient responses, which offers plausible interpretations of monstrousness with specific support and no major omissions or errors, will receive a B.
A limited response, which offers partial interpretations of monstrousness with some specific, accurate, appropriate support, will receive a C.
A response, which address the prompt but which offer little to no support and which demonstrate little to no understanding of how the author uses monsters in significant ways, will receive a D or F.
In Cold Blood
ReplyDeleteHolcomb is a small town in western Kansas on high plains. Herbert Clutter owns River Valley Farm which is one of the main farms in the town. On November 14, 1959, he wakes up and eats breakfast and gets ready to start his day which will be his last one. Perry Smith gets ready for the day also who lives on the other side of the state; he eats a breakfast of aspirin and cigarettes. Dick Hickock, who is Perry’s friend, comes to pick him up. A phone call wakes Nancy Clutter. A girl in the area wants to know how to make apple pie. Her friend Susan also calls and they talk about Nancy's date with Bobby the other night and how Nancy’s friend wants to slow down their relationship. Nancy also mentions that she has been smelling cigarette smoke.
Dick drives a black Cadillac and they bring it to the shop where Dick works, where they prepare for a long drive. Nancy finished teaching the girl how to bake apple pies. Nancy leaves and Bonnie Clutter talks to her. After Jolene leaves she goes to bed, and she is a very depressed lady so she goes to bed while being depressed. Perry and Dick are getting ready for their drive. Dick is very small but athletic. Perry is very muscular but his legs were hurt in a motorcycle wreck. Dick has many tattoos and Perry has only a few tattoos but his tattoos are better looking than Dick’s.
Willy M.
ReplyDeleteFreddy’s Book by John Gardner
At first glance, Freddy’s Book to me is one of those reading’s that, even through attentiveness, has a constant feeling of misinterpretation, (In regards to myself of course, not the book). I find myself stopping sporadically, often constrained to a sentence alone, tinkering with the idea of finding it’s meaning based off of who its being spoken to. With that said, I’d like to try (or at least give my opinion) of what I’ve interpreted within the first 50 pages. The stories protagonist, or the conscious displayed on paper is a man by the name of Mr. Winesap. The first 10 or so pages take place at one of Winesap’s lectures. Nothing too significant happens except for the acknowledgement that he works well and precise in the art of understanding human nature. The real plot line kicks off when he first meets Professor Agaard. Agaard, who at the time being in my opinion is one of the many catalysts that our monster has succumbed to (which in turn would’ve made him a monster initially), is in distress because his son is apparently a monster, and he is right, (figuratively speaking of course). Freddy, who we come to realize is the “monster” and Agaard’s son, is the type of person who finds comfort and serenity in isolation. His father, a famous realist type author, taught him early about the brutal lies and realities of everyday life. This of course at a young age would spoil a child’s innocence. As predicted, Freddy started noticing. He started noticing the negative subtlety that human nature holds and will always hold, as realists often do. The only difference between him and let’s say the “norm”, is that he recognized those quips and took them into account in an extremely morose manner. So time took its toll, he grew more and more secluded from the majority, and the end result is what I’m reading right now. Would that make him a monster? It’d make him different, I can humbly say that, and not to sound like I’m over-simplifying, but most modern day monsters are categorized as monsters simply because they are different from the majority. And with that principle, whether it be right or wrong, majority labels what is and is not a “monster”.
Tyler A
ReplyDeleteIn Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Frankenstein is the main monster in the story. His apperance proves that he is a monster. He is freekishly tall and has many deformaties because Victor Frankenstein created this creature with many varios body parts. Frankenstien is also a monster becouse of what is shown in the Forth letter. In this letter Robert Walton says that him and his crew see a giant creature pushing a sled with dogs. The next morning they see the same sled but with a average sized man. They go over and see that all but one of the dogs have been killed and the man is barely hanging onThe man they rescue is found out to be Victor Frankenstein. So this proves that the creature is not only a monster in his apperance but also in his actions.
The author of the book Frankenstein Mary Shelley made the Frankenstein the main monster in the book makes the reader believe he looks like a monster by his appearance. He is made up of many different types of body parts that make him look deformed and he is extremely tall and his face is all disfigured by making him look the way he does in the book makes him seem like a monster but he also seems like a monster by his actions. For example in chapter 7 victor the creator of the monster is convinced that Frankenstein killed his younger brother when he seems him lurking around where the body was found. And even thought in chapter 8 Justine convinced to the crime victor still believes that it was the monster that killed his little brother. It’s kind of things that convince the reader that Frankenstein actually looks and acts like a monster
ReplyDeleteSam O.
ReplyDeleteIn Cold Blood
In cold blood is the story of a murder case. Which takes place in a town called Holcomb. In what I have read so far it seems to me that Perry and Dick are the monsters. They are not physically monsters but their actions are those of a monster. Dick is seems to be built like an athlete but a bit on the small side while Perry is big and muscular up top but legs small and wrecked from accident. Though I am not 100% clear I believe the reason for there monstrous is out of greed and or revenge. There outer appearance fairly normal. They are killers who are after the Clutter family. The Clutters consist of Herbert, Bonnie, Nancy, and Kenyon. In the morning Perry and Dick are going about their usual business getting ready for the day eating breakfast and such. While they are doing the activities so are the Clutters. Dick and Perry make there way across the state. Later on Dick and Perry pull up to the Clutter home.
Cold blood is a true story of a murder, the setting is a small town in Kansas named Holcomb. The monsters of the book are Dick and Perry. Dick and Perry are real people. Perry drinks root beer, smokes cigarettes and takes a lot of aspirin. Dick is divorced from the women he wants to be carol with because he has a baby with another women (page 30). Both Dick and Perry have tattoos. (On page 22) We figure out that Dick and Perry have a gun, so there is some proof that they are monsters, or killers. In the Clutter family which are the monsters targets their is four of them Herb, Bonnie who is very depressed always cold sad about missing out on her children’s life’s because she is so depressed and she is depressed because she is married with three kids and did not get her degree, and their children are Nancy and Kenyon. Nancy is their daughter and she is dating a boy names bobby. Mr. Clutter does not approve of Nancy dating bobby. Nancy is very talented she bakes good buys, plays instruments, tutors, and does plays. Nancy mentions to her friend Susan that she smells smoke a lot like cigarettes and Perry smokes cigarettes so I’m guessing that Mr. Clutter may have been the employer of Dick and Perry and something must have gone wrong and they got fired and they went to the house because they are the monsters in the book they could be planning something, because we know that they have something against the Clutters. Dick and Perry could be sneaking around the house. Mr. Clutter and the rest of the Clutters also is involved in the 4-h club and Dick and Perry could not like them for that. towards the end of the first half or chapter 74 pages Dick and Perry make their way through the sate to the Clutter home. (322 words)
ReplyDeleteI’ve read chapters one through six which ends on page 53 of The Picture of Dorian Gray. The book starts off in London, England at the home of Basil Hallward, a well-known artist. He is talking to his friend Lord Henry Wotton about his latest work of art. Basil just finished a picture of a gorgeous, golden haired young man. Lord Henry it is his best work ever and thinks Basil should exhibit it but Basil refuses because he believes that he has put to much of his soul into it. Henry must know the name of the man Basil has painted and slightly remembers it from his Aunt Agatha, the name is Dorian Gray. In chapter 2 Lord Henry meets Dorian when Basil invites him over that day for another picture. When Basil is finishing the painting Lord Henry talks to Dorian alone urging him to live life to its fullest, to spend his time searching for new sensations rather than devoting himself to common pastimes. Once Basil is done with the painting he shows it to Dorian who only sees the painting as a reflection of his age because as he grows old the painting stays young and beautiful. He curses this fate and pledges his soul to have it the other way around. Then in chapter 3 we find out about Dorian’s past as his mother (a noble woman) sleeps with a poor soldier. Dorian’s mother’s father arranges to have her husband killed before Dorian is born. Soon after Dorian’s mother dies too and he is taken in by a loveless tyrant. After finding this out by Henry’s uncle lord Fermor, they go to Henry’s aunt’s house. In chapter 4 we find Dorian waiting for Henry at his house to tell him that he has fallen in love with Sibyl Vane, an actress in a cheap London theatre. He talks about how he has been there multiple times and the owner has requested Dorian talks with her. That night Basil sends Dorian his painting but leaves and when Henry returns to his house he finds a telegram that says he will marry Sibyl. Then in chapters 5 and 6 Dorian and Sibyl talk about their undying love for each other and how Dorian proves Lord Henry’s remarks false for that his love and desire is to live only for Sibyl have shown.
ReplyDeleteThe monster in this book as of now is Lord Henry because Dorian is so beautiful and innocent Lord Henry corrupts him even though Basil warns him. Plus telling him that beauty and elegant last so long so enjoy it while you can. Then at times Dorian his a monster because he falls under the spell of his own beauty and does listen to what Lord Henry has to saw. However, once in Chapter 6 Dorian sees right pass all of that when he admits his will to spend the rest of his life with Sibyl and he doesn’t care about his looks as long as he is with her.