Antigone Journal 4

Passage:

"He tried to raise Haemon to his feet. I could hear him begging Haemon to rise to his feet. Haemon was deaf to his father's voice, till suddenly he stood up of his own accord, his eyes dark and burning. Anguish was in his face, but in the face of a little boy. He stared at his father. Then suddenly he struck him -- hard; and he drew his sword. Creon leaped out of range. Haemon went on staring at him, his eyes full of contempt -- a glance that as like a knife, and that Creaon couldn't escape. The King stood trembling in the far corner of the tomb, and Haemon went on staring. Then, without a word, he stabbed himself and lay down beside Antione, embracing her in a great pool of blood" (51).

Commentary:
The passage immediately starts off with repetition amongst the first two sentences with "raising Haemon to his feet". The second sentence has a much more desperate tone with the word choice "begging". This change in tone makes the reader feel sympathetic for Creon who has just found his son hugging the legs of Antigone's dead body. In the following sentence, Heamon is described as being "deaf" to his father's voice, but he suddenly stands up on "his own accord". This ties in with the theme of individuality versus the government. Haemon does not stand up when his father asks him too. Haemon's father, Creon, symbolizes the government because he is the king. Instead, Haemon stands up on "his own accord" which shows he is following his own decisions and not what the government is asking him to do. Anouilh then uses "face of a little boy" to describe Haemon's pain. This word choice could imply that although Haemon is a grown and athletic man, he displays a look of innocence and loss on his face, like a little boy who just lost his favorite toy. This innocence characterizes Haemon as a soft man. In the next sentence, Haemon's actions are once again described as "sudden". This creates the idea that Haemon is an impulsive man who does not think. The word choice soon becomes much darker once Haemon draws the sword and starts to attack Creon. This is an interesting contrast to the previous sentence that compared Haemon to a little boy. Impulsive behavior can also be classified as a childish trait, although Haemon is longer soft. He has turned into a savage. I found the sentence "The King stood trembling in the far corner" to be ironic. A king, who is supposed to be brave and powerful, is trembling in a corner. In a sense, Creon is depicted as not being a real king because he is cowardly. This could be an allusion to the Vichy government in France. They too were not a real government and lived in fear of the Germans. The very last sentence in the passage creates incredible imagery with "great pool of blood". Having the word "great" is an odd contrast because death and blood is definitely not great. The word choice of "pool" also makes the scene very tragic because it exaggerates how much blood there actually was.  

Antigone Journal 3

Contrasting ideas-

Machine vs. Choice:
Anouilh uses the motif of machinery to contrast the idea of fate with choice. Like a machine, fate is predetermined and has a routine which it must follow. Machines do not have choices. In one of the scenes, the Chorus is explaining how the machine of life works. Essentially, Anouilh is saying that every individual is born with their life path already set out before them. It is "automatic" and cannot be changed (23). Anouilh then goes on to say "it has been oiled ever since time began, and it runs without friction" (23). By saying "it runs without friction" (23), Anouilh is implying that humans lack complete control of their lives. This contrast created between machines and choices provide the audience with an insight to Antigone's mind. Antigone is conflicted because she believes in fate, yet she is trying to control her future. Antigone knows she will die, but she still defends her right to live. Through Antigone's actions, Anouilh creates tension. It is impossible to have a predetermined fate and   make choices at the same time. This is proven through the quote "Antigone is going to be able to be herself now" (24). This illustrates that fate and choices cannot co-exist. It is not until Antigone fulfills her fate that she is able to make decisions and be herself.

Moral Law vs King's Law:
In Greek culture, which the play Antigone is based off of, we know that not burying someone is the most disrespectful act a person can commit. The Greeks believed that humans who went without a burial would "wander eternally and find no rest" (29).  Antigone feels morally obligated to bury her brother Polynices and because Antigone is a woman who believes in moral law, Antigone disobeys the King's law. Anouilh contrasts these two concepts in the scene where Antigone had just been brought to King Creon. Creon is accusing Antigone of being a "traitor" and says that because Antigone is "a daughter of the lawmakers", she must "observe the law" (29). Here Anouilh explores the idea that following moral law conflicts with following the King's law. Once again, the two cannot co-exist peacefully. Antigone must die because she followed moral law and Anouilh shows us that this is the outcome of not following the King's law, or political law.

Antigone Journal 2

Timeline:
1. Antigone speaks to her sister Ismene of burying their brother Polynices
2. Ismene wants to think about it before risking her life to bury him
3. Antigone does not listen to Ismene and steals her dress and lipstick. Antigone dresses up and goes to see Haemon.
4. Antigone goes to Haemon to see if he truly loves her or if it was a mistake. She also attempts to seduce in case she dies tomorrow.
5. Antigone and Haemon end up having a quarrel and Antigone runs away.
6. Antigone is hurt by what has happened and decides she has nothing to lose, so she buries Polynices by herself.
7. Antigone comes home very early in the morning and the nurse finds her.

Interesting stuff I found:
Antigone seems to have a problem with being straight forward. It seems as if she is constantly avoiding the truth. First we see this behavior repeatedly with the nurse, but then again when Antigone is speaking to Ismene on page ten. Ismene says to Antigone "Why do you insist upon talking about other things?" whenever she is asked a question. This type of dishonesty or deception could be a potential theme in the play.
I also began to tract the repetition I saw. We see the repetition with "waiting" first on page seven, then again with the word "ogle" on page eight. It seems as if Jean Anouilh uses a lot of repetition in his writing.
Lastly, I noticed a reference to an apple on page nine. In class we discussed how apples are a motif in the play and apples are used during live theater productions.

Antigone Journal 1

For the stage, I picture the characters sitting on elaborate and enormous steps, such as the steps leading up to the Trinita dei Monti Church in Rome. The steps must be large enough to fit eleven people, as well as 15 chorus members. I have chosen to go with the traditional route by selecting 15 chorus members.  I thought it would match the setting with the elaborate steps. The chorus members will take turns reading paragraphs in unison, with about 3 people per paragraph, and they will read almost as if they are singing, in a clear and dream like manner. This will create a sense that the chorus members are not actually there, but are simply guiding the audience through the story.
Next, I have selected actors whom I thought would do an excellent job of portraying the characters. For Antigone, I have selected Kaya Scodelario. Kaya Scodelario is a young actress, who usually portrays feral, but melodramatic characters in film and in television. From the passage describing Antigone, it seems as if she is melodramatic about her life and especially towards death.
For Haemon, I have selected the actor Aaron Johnson. Haemon is described as an athletic man who is a womanizer, but also an unpredictable man when it comes to marriage. Not only is Aaron Johnson very fit, but he has  also made strange marriage choices, which shocked everyone, just as Haemon did.
To play Creon, I have selected Daniel Day-Lewis. Creon is described as a cruel man after the death of Eteocles. Creon left the corpse's body out to rot in a heartless manner. Daniel Day-Lewis is an extraordinary talented actor and is good at taking on roles where his character possesses authority. Daniel Day-Lewis is also skilled at playing complex characters with two sides and from the descriptions of Creon, he is illustrated once as a man of indifference, but when he is talked about on the next page, Creon is illustrated as a callous man.
For Creon's wife Eurydice, I have chosen Judi Dench. Eurdydice is described as an old lady who just sits around and does nothing of importance. Judi Dench is an older actress who often plays characters in film who just sit back and accept whatever they are told. It seems as if Eurydice displays these obedient traits.
Lastly, to the play the Messenger, I have selected Tom Felton. Tom Felton is an actor who is excellent at bringing catastrophe to the lives of the protagonists. In Tom Felton's roles, he does not play the "bad guy", but because he is the one to deliver the pain to people's lives, he is viewed as the villain. It seems as if the Messanger is in the same position.

1984, Journal 3

Cultural connections.

The novel 1984, by author George Orwell, was heavily influenced by World War II. Written in the 1940s, Orwell incorporated allusions to historical World War II figures. The name of the protagonist, Winston Smith, is an allusion to former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill who was in office during World War II. Churchill was an motivational man who  fought for his beliefs. Churchill knew the consequences were high for Britain near the end of the war, but he stuck to what he believed was right. These traits can be seen in Winston Smith as well. Winston knows the consequences of not staying loyal to the Party are deadly, but he follows his heart nonetheless.

Orwell also alludes to Soviet Russian dictator Joseph Stalin. The description of Big Brother, "the face of a man if about forty-five, with a heavy black mustache and ruggedly handsome features" (1) resembles Stalin almost exactly. Big Brother's slogan "BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU" relates to Stalin as well. Stalin ruled a totalitarian government, which monitored the actions of its citizens closely. Lastly, Stalin's Great Purge is also illustrated through Big Brother. Hundreds of people were "vaporized" because the government deemed them as a threat, just as Stalin did in the Great Purge.

Another cultural connection I found was Big Brother's foil, Emmanuel Goldstein. Goldstein is an allusion to Leon Trotsky, Stalin's enemy. Trostsky strongly opposed Stalin and on numerous occasions, formed groups, or "brotherhoods" to take down Stalin. Goldstein strongly opposed Big Brother as well and formed the Brotherhood to take Big Brother out of power.

Lit Terms

Blogspot had an "error" and deleted my post, so I am doing them again.

Oxymoron -
Example from 1984:
"Freedom is slavery" (4).
This is an oxymoron because freedom and slavery are contradictory words that do not make sense together. It is impossible to be a slave and have freedom at the same time. The author George Orwell uses this technique to show the brainwashing tactics the government used on the citizens of Oceania.

Paradox -
Example from 1984:
"Ignorance is strength" (4).
This quote is a paradox because ignorance and strength contradict each other; all the while, they are possible. It is possible to be ignorant, but have strength. Strength can be physical too. Once again, Orwell uses this paradox to illustrate the brainwashing tactics used on the citizens of Oceania.


Repetition -
Example of repetition from Their Eyes Were Watching God:
"What killed this man?
The chorus answered, 'Bare, bare fat'
What killed this man?
'Bare, bare fat'
What killed this man?
'Bare, bare fat'"
Author Zora Neale Hurston uses repetition with the phrases "what killed this man" and "bare, bare fat" for emphasis. In the scene, buzzards are chanting over the body of a dead mule and the repetition creates a sense of anxiety. Chants are shouted during times of anticipation and through repetition, Hurston is creating this image right before the buzzards attack the mule's body.


Personification -
Example from Their Eyes Were Watching God:
"She was stretched on her back beneath the pear tree, soaking in the alto chant of the visiting bees, the gold of the sun and the panting breath of a breeze when the inaudible voice of it all came to her." (11)
Hurston uses lots of personification in her writing. In this quote, Hurston describes the breeze as "breath[ing]" (11). This personification creates the image that the breeze is alive and by having it "panting", it gives the reader an image of an old man out of breath.

Caricature -
Example from 1984:
"It depicted simply an enormous face, more than a meter wide: the face of an man of about forty-five, with a heavy black mustache and ruggedly handsome features" (1).
Orwell describes Big Brother's face as large, wide and thick with a mustache. These exaggerated facial features creates a comical image in the reader's mind of Big Brother looking like video game character, such as Super Mario.


Symbol -
Example from The Stranger:
"Suddenly he stood up, strode over to a far corner of his office, and pulled out a drawer on a file cabinet. He took out a silver crucifix which he brandished as he came toward me."
Camus uses the crucifix as a symbol of Christianity. In The Stranger, Camus has created an absurdist world, in which everything is purposeless and irrational. The crucifix symbolizes structural beliefs in general, including religion, which is considered purposeful.

Structure -
In the novel 1984, Orwell has divided the book into three separate parts. Each part of the book depicts a different stage in Winston's life. The first part is Winston learning about the truth behind the Party, the second part is Winston's understanding of the Party and the last section is Winston's acceptance of the Party. This structure helps divide the novel up and make it easier for the reader to take in all of the information.

Assonance -
Example from 1984:
"The house is surrounded" (222).
The sound "ou" is repeated twice in the same sentence, therefore making it an assonance. The repetition of sound places on emphasis on those certain words.

Juxtaposition -
Example from 1984:
"...instead of the eyes of the girl, the eyes of the aged prisoner gazed mournfully at Winston out of nests of hair" (117).
In this quote, the eyes of the girl are being compared to the eyes of the prisoner. They are placed side by side in the same sentence to show the contrast.

Ambiguity -
Example from 1984:
"By 1970 none of them was left, except Big Brother" (75).
In this example, "them" is ambiguous. It has more than one possible meaning in the context of the book. "Them" could be referring to the citizens of Oceania, the Brotherhood,  or past political leaders.

Euphemism -
Example from 1984:
"You were abolished, annihilated: vaporized was the usual word" (19).
Saying someone is "vaporized" is the politically correct way of saying that someone has been executed by their government in the novel. Saying "vaporized" also sounds less aggressive than saying killed or murdered.

Chronology -
Example from The Stranger:
"I went down, bought some bread and spaghetti, did my cooking, and ate my meal standing" (29).
Written from the perspective of Meursault, Camus uses the technique of chronology to show the sequential order Meursault does things. This technique helps characterize Meursault as a precise man.

1984 Journal 2

In this passage, Winston is sitting in Chestnut Tree Cafe drinking Victory Gin. A telescreen above him is blaring news of the war, claiming Oceania has just killed its war prisoners from enemy nations. Winston, sitting in a dreamy state, is reflecting back on his imprisonment in the Ministry of Love. He reminisces back to the white-walls of his cell and guards that surrounded him. For a split second, Winston dreams of death and begins to wish for it. Then suddenly, Winston looks up at Big Brother's face and sees a kind smile behind the black mustache. This is the first time Winston has ever seen Big Brother as a benevolent man and he begins to beg for forgiveness from Big Brother. The passage ends with Winston tearing up and finally admitting himself to Big Brother by declaring his love for him. This passage is located between the pages 297 to 298.

Significance: In this passage, we get an insight to the setting. Not only we see where Winston lives, but we also get a taste of the government that rules. By having the telescreens blaring, Big Brother's face watching and the reference Winston makes to his imprisonment in the Ministry of Love, we can tell Winston lives in a totalitarian state where his every move is watched.

Significance: Winston's action of giving up characterizes him as a man who succumbs to pressure. After years of being told that he is wrong, Winston gives in and accepts what the government says, instead of sticking his own beliefs, even though he knows he's right.

Significance: This passage ties in with the theme of the dangers of a totalitarian, or over controlling government in general. Winston has given up and lost his individuality for Big Brother. In a totalitarian state, citizens do not have the personal freedom to be individuals.

Significance: Orwell incorporates his unique writing style in this passage by using the technique of repetition. He begins each sentence by exclaiming "O" (297).  This repetition illustrates Winston's exasperation and him finally giving up to Big Brother.

Significance: Lastly, this passage shows how Big Brother will always win, just like O'Brien warned Winston.