Welcome Back!
I am very excited to be working with a new group of talented young scholars. I look forward to seeing their growth through the written work that they create. As students, I hope that they find this to be both a useful resource for exam review, and a celebration of their successes. This should be a great year!
Highlights from the Victorian Essay
It seems that the love that accompanies the feeling of appreciation tends to frighten Jane. --Dave Oreste
While Jane often attempts to instill an importance of morality within Rochester, she finds the same morality in St. John stifling. --Macda Gerard
Jane's place in society is continually challenged as the novel progresses. --Andy Medina
After insulting John Reed with a parallel that she made from the History of Rome, John Reed was in shock. He was astonished because she displayed a greater knowledge than she should have.-- Dora Ocampo
Bertha's mental sickness represents the consequences of following such social standards, for Bertha lived a life similar to that of Blanche Ingram. --Daryl Thomas
Jane refused the things that Mr. Rochester gave to her because she wanted her self respect as a woman and did not need a man to lavish her. Jane defies the social constructs of a woman by ensuring that she and Mr. Rochester will be married as equals. --Tabisha Fleurinord
By comparing characters with major personality and physical deviations, Bronte highlights the significance of true love and emotion through Rochester and St. John, the importance of hard work and perserverance through Jane and Blanche Ingram, and the necessity of maintaining an equal relationship through Jane and Bertha Mason. --Genevieve Noonan
The loss of authenticity, the panic of insecurity, and the stigma of being Rochester's mistress led to her escape of Thornfield. --Lu Li
While Jane often attempts to instill an importance of morality within Rochester, she finds the same morality in St. John stifling. --Macda Gerard
Jane's place in society is continually challenged as the novel progresses. --Andy Medina
After insulting John Reed with a parallel that she made from the History of Rome, John Reed was in shock. He was astonished because she displayed a greater knowledge than she should have.-- Dora Ocampo
Bertha's mental sickness represents the consequences of following such social standards, for Bertha lived a life similar to that of Blanche Ingram. --Daryl Thomas
Jane refused the things that Mr. Rochester gave to her because she wanted her self respect as a woman and did not need a man to lavish her. Jane defies the social constructs of a woman by ensuring that she and Mr. Rochester will be married as equals. --Tabisha Fleurinord
By comparing characters with major personality and physical deviations, Bronte highlights the significance of true love and emotion through Rochester and St. John, the importance of hard work and perserverance through Jane and Blanche Ingram, and the necessity of maintaining an equal relationship through Jane and Bertha Mason. --Genevieve Noonan
The loss of authenticity, the panic of insecurity, and the stigma of being Rochester's mistress led to her escape of Thornfield. --Lu Li
Lord of the Flies Jigsaw
Students: According to the number assigned to you in class, use the following prompts to facilitate a discussion within your groups. Please post your notes on your blogs.
1-Discuss the dependence of the "littleuns" on the bigger children. Also focus on further division in the group and the balance or imbalance of power.
2- What survival techniques or strategies are used by the boys? They do not have to be only physical.
3-Discuss the presence of evil on the island. Is evil inherent or is it created?
4-Discuss the evolutionary behaviors of the boys and how they progress and/or digress as a society. What factors cause them to evolve or change?
1-Discuss the dependence of the "littleuns" on the bigger children. Also focus on further division in the group and the balance or imbalance of power.
2- What survival techniques or strategies are used by the boys? They do not have to be only physical.
3-Discuss the presence of evil on the island. Is evil inherent or is it created?
4-Discuss the evolutionary behaviors of the boys and how they progress and/or digress as a society. What factors cause them to evolve or change?
According to the Experts...
1. Since Ms. Ingram possesses only beauty, Jane decides that she is not capable or worthy of experiencing true, passionate emotions.--Mike Fullerton
2. Jane is not jealous of Ms. Ingram because she knows that her own values are in moral alignment with many of Mr. Rochester's values.--Hannah McCaffrey
3. Ms. Ingram's poor action and attitude shed light on Jane's rich compassion and authenticity.--Macda Gerard
4. Jan would rather live alone with self-respect than to be dependent and let someone control her life.--Tabisha Fleurinord
5. According to Jane, all you need to be successful is self-respect and confidence. True happiness stems from within. Once we find joy within ourselves, we can find joy in outside sources. We should always be proud of who we are. --Genevieve Noonan
6. Bronte reminds the reader of the role of God that humans are not intended to play. Rochester does not have any sense of authority over Jane as God has over us. --Daryl Thomas
7. We can tell that Jane enjoys the company of others. It is ironic that she returns to Thornfield and finds that to be where she is most comfortable and loved.--Andrew Goncalves
8. Love is a powerful emotion that cannot be matched. Love from another is a wonderful feeling. Jane is beginning to understand this. --Andre Medina
9. Is Jane living for herself, or just trying to love for the comfort of others? Is Mr. Rochester her "master" or her future "husband"? --Lu Li
10. One should not think of others as a necessity in his/her life, but solely in addition-- free to stay and free to leave.--Macda Gerard
11. Jane knows who she is. Even though she has been put down in life, she knows she is powerful.--Olga Lithoxopolous
12. Jane feels nostalgic back at Gateshead. Now she believes in herself and in her abilities. She notices she has become stronger and has more confidence.--Dave Oreste
13. Bronte critiques high society for their arrogance and standard for men and women. Women are to be beautiful and men are to be strong, two elements we see strived for in society today. --Daryl Thomas
14. Everyone has a point where they believe they are right, but the fact of the matter is, no one can truly be certain because our relativity to this reality is limited to our perception.-- Billy Lai
15. All men are fallible, but seek perfection when perfection cannot be attained. --Andre Medina
16. They (Jane and Rochester) challenge each other intellectually and leave each other with a desire for more. --Genevieve Noonan
17. ...as a reference to the Book of Genesis which states that women and men are equal, and made in likeness to one another. --Michael Fullerton
18. Jane's trying to tell herself that she doesn't/can't love Rochester because she is afraid of the rejection and embarrassment that she thinks will definitely happen. --Ciara Lynch
19. Jane feels that she now has beauty because she finally found what her life was missing...love. --Tabisha Fleurinord
20. The influence of others on her life is obvious. She likes to feel wanted. This is her ultimate goal, to be wanted. --Dora Ocampo
Jane Eyre Chapters 22-25
1. More than anything, Jane needs validation. She fears Rochester's love and commitment because she has long been abused by a society that has desexualized her from childhood. She continues to struggle emotionally because she feels unworthy of Rochester's love, and when she seeks this validation, in return, she only becomes the victim of Edward's twisted games. The "Victorian Way" has made it clear that Edward should have this power, and Jane should simply submit.
2. Poor Jane is beginning to lose her way...for a guy. The once rebellious, progressive, and independent individual, has now become a rich man's project. He likes to dress her up (literally) and make her his emotional puppet, when she has never before been uncomfortable with who she is. Jane has accepted her plot in life as a poor servant, but is constantly reminded that it is not "enough" by Victorian standards. Does Rochester really love the real Jane, or does he love what he can mold her to become?
3. What is it that Jane so desperately loves about Rochester? In fact, what is it that any girl loves about the archetypal "bad boy"? Edward is very much the dark horse of Thornfield and sweeps into town as a mysterious, adventurous stranger. Everything about this stranger screams cliche: tall, dark, and handsome, rugged, and disinterested in his wealth. Maybe it is the cliche that brings comfort and stability to the audience, yet brings thrill, seduction, and the long-awaited fireworks to Jane's life. Can we empathize?
2. Poor Jane is beginning to lose her way...for a guy. The once rebellious, progressive, and independent individual, has now become a rich man's project. He likes to dress her up (literally) and make her his emotional puppet, when she has never before been uncomfortable with who she is. Jane has accepted her plot in life as a poor servant, but is constantly reminded that it is not "enough" by Victorian standards. Does Rochester really love the real Jane, or does he love what he can mold her to become?
3. What is it that Jane so desperately loves about Rochester? In fact, what is it that any girl loves about the archetypal "bad boy"? Edward is very much the dark horse of Thornfield and sweeps into town as a mysterious, adventurous stranger. Everything about this stranger screams cliche: tall, dark, and handsome, rugged, and disinterested in his wealth. Maybe it is the cliche that brings comfort and stability to the audience, yet brings thrill, seduction, and the long-awaited fireworks to Jane's life. Can we empathize?
Romantic Essay Highlights
She (Mary Shelley) attempted to quell the excitement surrounding the pursuit of knowledge and believed society should allow the course of life to go its own.--Daryl Thomas
This transcendence of man from the created to the creator results in the birth of a monster that will be a curse to Victor Frankenstein for the majority of the story.--Billy Lai
Frankenstein does not understand nature and its blemishes, and the reader does not understand his intentions given the actions that he took against his own creation.--Andrew Goncalves
The monster was not born evil, the evilness came from a society that shunned and loathed him.--Dave Oreste
Victor's selfish idea to create the "perfect" man led to his inconsistent feelings and mistreatment of the monster, leaving him unhappy and inadequate enough to play the role of God.--Dora Ocampo
Prometheus and Victor's destructions were caused solely by their own shortcomings. They could have been killed, but instead, they were kept alive, only to endure the painful and agonizing consequences of their actions.--Genevieve Noonan
Shelley also uses the motif of light and darkness, one that occurs in the natural world, to further her comparison. She associates darkness and evil with science and the monster. She associates the light with with the knowledge that science is not as powerful as nature, and the two cannot create harmony.--Michael Fullerton
Frankenstein and Prometheus are similar because they both used their knowledge as a passage way to create human life.--Tabisha Fleurinord
While technology has an isolating effect on those who relish in its advancements, a connection with nature can turn around the devastating consequences of technology. Nature is a giving and everlasting resource that can undo the tragic effects technology brings.--Hannah McCaffrey
The monster was born to be hideous and wretched-a seed that was first poisoned by the mania of science and then planted in to the deformed womb of society. This is but a mockery of modern science, which attempts to override the sublimity of nature and overcome the mortality of human life.--Lu Li
Mary Shelley illustrates this concept by providing several foils to help the reader understand and conceptualize Victor Frankenstein as an instrument to his own demise.--Macda Gerard
This transcendence of man from the created to the creator results in the birth of a monster that will be a curse to Victor Frankenstein for the majority of the story.--Billy Lai
Frankenstein does not understand nature and its blemishes, and the reader does not understand his intentions given the actions that he took against his own creation.--Andrew Goncalves
The monster was not born evil, the evilness came from a society that shunned and loathed him.--Dave Oreste
Victor's selfish idea to create the "perfect" man led to his inconsistent feelings and mistreatment of the monster, leaving him unhappy and inadequate enough to play the role of God.--Dora Ocampo
Prometheus and Victor's destructions were caused solely by their own shortcomings. They could have been killed, but instead, they were kept alive, only to endure the painful and agonizing consequences of their actions.--Genevieve Noonan
Shelley also uses the motif of light and darkness, one that occurs in the natural world, to further her comparison. She associates darkness and evil with science and the monster. She associates the light with with the knowledge that science is not as powerful as nature, and the two cannot create harmony.--Michael Fullerton
Frankenstein and Prometheus are similar because they both used their knowledge as a passage way to create human life.--Tabisha Fleurinord
While technology has an isolating effect on those who relish in its advancements, a connection with nature can turn around the devastating consequences of technology. Nature is a giving and everlasting resource that can undo the tragic effects technology brings.--Hannah McCaffrey
The monster was born to be hideous and wretched-a seed that was first poisoned by the mania of science and then planted in to the deformed womb of society. This is but a mockery of modern science, which attempts to override the sublimity of nature and overcome the mortality of human life.--Lu Li
Mary Shelley illustrates this concept by providing several foils to help the reader understand and conceptualize Victor Frankenstein as an instrument to his own demise.--Macda Gerard
Wrapping Up Frankenstein...
1. Mary Shelley's thought provoking criticism forces us to evaluate our own addictions to science and technology, and how these addictions draw us further and further away from the peaceful processes of nature. It is baffling to me that such a young woman (what?!?!?!) was able to make these connections in an era that otherwise stiffled the questioning of society. If we think of Victor as a metaphor for science, or the abuse of science by man, we see just how destructive overreaching can be. Through his own selfish attempts to "perfect" the human race, in essence, he began to destroy it.
2. Poor Stuie! All he wants is a little love and companionship. When he is continuously denied this basic necessity, he reacts as a monster would...out of anger. Through this portrayal, Shelley paints a very accurate picture of the human condition. When we are neglected, we begin to defend ourselves (emotionally) in any way that we can. What happens to a person when they are refused the basics of love, communication, and affection? We should never underestimate the power of our emotions. They can motivate us, bring happiness, and destroy us.
3. As a society, how do we adapt to our stereotypes? When others lower their standards, do we lose our motivation to achieve? Do we become who people want us to be? As an audience, we are left to question Stu's motives in the killing of Will, Henry, and Elizabeth. Is he simply becoming the monster that everyone sees him as?
4. Mary Shelley, frustratingly, leaves us with an age old question: Is evil innate or is it created? Take a second to think of Stu's situation. If you were abandoned by your family, would society step up to help you, or would they shun you? We often see Stu acting on the defense...trying to protect himself from the criticisms and hateful actions of others. He mirrors the violence of his creator (Victor) and, out ignorance, destroys everything that he ultimately wants out of life (companionship). This is exactly why we see him react the way he does over Victor's death. He has destroyed the only person that he truly loves.
5. How does Frankenstein reflect all of the elements of a Gothic novel? What can be said about our misunderstood hero? WHO EVEN IS OUR HERO???
2. Poor Stuie! All he wants is a little love and companionship. When he is continuously denied this basic necessity, he reacts as a monster would...out of anger. Through this portrayal, Shelley paints a very accurate picture of the human condition. When we are neglected, we begin to defend ourselves (emotionally) in any way that we can. What happens to a person when they are refused the basics of love, communication, and affection? We should never underestimate the power of our emotions. They can motivate us, bring happiness, and destroy us.
3. As a society, how do we adapt to our stereotypes? When others lower their standards, do we lose our motivation to achieve? Do we become who people want us to be? As an audience, we are left to question Stu's motives in the killing of Will, Henry, and Elizabeth. Is he simply becoming the monster that everyone sees him as?
4. Mary Shelley, frustratingly, leaves us with an age old question: Is evil innate or is it created? Take a second to think of Stu's situation. If you were abandoned by your family, would society step up to help you, or would they shun you? We often see Stu acting on the defense...trying to protect himself from the criticisms and hateful actions of others. He mirrors the violence of his creator (Victor) and, out ignorance, destroys everything that he ultimately wants out of life (companionship). This is exactly why we see him react the way he does over Victor's death. He has destroyed the only person that he truly loves.
5. How does Frankenstein reflect all of the elements of a Gothic novel? What can be said about our misunderstood hero? WHO EVEN IS OUR HERO???