Friday, September 26, 2014

A.P. Literature and Awesomeness: September 26, 2014

Focus: How do good and evil die and come back to life in East of Eden?

1. Warming up with the first pages of Part 4

Think of some of the characters who have passed away so far in the novel (Cyrus, Una, Samuel, Charles, Dessie, Tom?).

  • How does this chapter apply to their deaths and the way other characters responded to their deaths?  In other words, were their vices "attempted short cuts to love"?  Did they die unloved? Did they choose a course of thought or action? Did their deaths bring no pleasure to the world?  
  • Now think of some of the living characters in the novel.  How does this chapter apply to their lives? How are they caught in contest of good and evil? Is one side winning? If evil is respawning, what different faces is it assuming?  If virtue is immortal, how is it living on as it always has?


2. Enjoying a Socratic Seminar on Chapters 31-33

3. Wrapping up

HW:
1. Read chapters 34-40 in East of Eden; select any of the reading ticket possibilities from the Socratic Seminar page on my website.

2. Acquire your independent reading book.

1 comment:

  1. Chapter 31-33

    Why does steinbeck go so deeply into the lives of characters who arent seemingly important
    just as important, they help get message across
    ex tom like samuel represents struggle but concludes in different way
    all stories intertwined somehow “one story in the world”- genesis; bigger picture
    Steinbeck wants to represent all important people since like autobiography

    Why does steinbeck mention the parrot; the whole scene in general
    John doesn’t mention himself that much why?
    cathy and parrot paralleled?
    like with doxology we see animals of reflections of their owners; Liza not 100% good but has good opinion for every living thing; Liza could be unlikable but she just cares so much thats why she scolds; parrot is new child?

    purpose of call me joe chapter-chapter 29?
    delivery of ford to adam why focus on car?
    Car symbolizes break between 19th and 20th century; moing away from his dreams of ranch becoming more modern
    car is 20th century version of doxology

    Dessie’s intentions, symbolism of grand plans then death elaboration on tom and dessie in general?
    Dessie looking for something she had lost and maybe ranch could help her find it but when she couldn’t it played a hand in her death. lost joy For dessie why a stomach pain?
    stomach pain is aftermath of experience, her life experience “poisoned” her. Hidden pain as for all characters and not telling anyone or letting anyone in kills her.
    Each character has different ways of escape
    page 90 quote- tom loved samuel that death hurt him, whole family has a hard time facing adversity. Samuels death kind of made family fall apart.

    Similarities and differences between Tom and Will?
    each character hides feelings and toms and wills are sooo different. Materialism is tom’s way of hiding his sadness. Will is jealous of tom. 19th and 20th century juxtaposition salesperson vs farmer, Dessie dressmaking vs new dresses. Characters deaths because they can’t exist in 19th-20th transition

    Why suicide for Tom?
    guilt is overlying reason
    tom has such capacity to feel and he took on all the darkness, feelings take over and he needs an escape
    Steinbeck personified vices
    We see earlier in the book in similarities between sam and Tom that tom does have a great capacity for feeling and taking on the burdens of others

    Why did steinbeck have tom kill Dessie instead of her dying on her own?
    killing is common theme that goes back to the books biblical origins
    Steinbeck says everything is good vs evil, someone is cain and someone is evil. no shades of grey
    cain and abel changes with each generation and even though steinbeck writes in black and white each “cain” has a sliver of good. each generation gets greyer in the spectrum. Evil is getting less evil.
    Caleb is an example of darkness wanting to become lighter each generation.

    Steinbeck purpose in incorporating Abra and family?
    brought back Cathy-hands
    Cal and aron also could be Charles and Adam in this scene
    Is Abra a Cain or an Abel
    loving but likes to control
    A for abra instead of C
    Abra and Cal maybe together because of C vs A
    steinbeck wants to show descendants of both Cain and Abel exist
    More free will than fate
    cal asking god to be good
    attempt to have free will but knows ultimately there's a bigger reason
    steinbeck wants to interchange characters

    Why in East of Eden do children start out evil instead of vice-versa?
    at first its fate but then they learn the power to decide
    Cathy has trouble seeing good in the world
    every intention is evil in Cathy’s eyes

    Page 382 settle argument between Mrs Leclaire and Husband- are we supposed to feel sorry for Cathy at end of scene?
    satisfying- she gets a taste of her own medicine
    Cathy begins to lose power so influence of evil fading?
    harder to see because everything is so grey
    Felt kinda sorry, we saw Cathy’s innocence, she has no idea what good is so she doesn’t realize, she’s powerless
    pity not empathy- no forgiveness just sadness for her
    little bit of a change

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