The Sorrows of Young Werther has been written in 1774 by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. This epistolary novel is strongly inspired by the author’s life and even contains true facts. The story mostly takes the form of letters written by the protagonist, Werther, to his friend Wilhelm in which he depicts his life, his thinking and his feelings.
The story begins as Werther moves to Wahlheim to concentrate on his drawing and painting, but he rapidly falls in love with the easy lifestyle of the peasants and finally doesn’t accomplish much work. As fast as he fell in love with the village, he falls in love with Charlotte, the village bailiff’s daughter. He describes her as more than perfection for him or any other person, but he clearly knows they will never be together, because she already has a fiancé. Unfortunately, like any other lover, this won’t stop him, and as time goes by he gets more and more obsessed by this woman he will never have. Adding to his obsession, Albert, Charlotte’s fiancé, comes back in town and Werther and him turn out to be friends though Werther is persuaded that Charlotte would be happier with him.
This situation is slowly killing Werther who decides to leave Wahlheim without telling anyone to work in a far away town. This new adventure turns out to be less pain relieving than he thought and he has no other options than coming back to Charlotte. When he does, he finds out that his love for Charlotte has only gotten stronger during his absence. Werther feels incredibly hopeless and in a final attempt to get Charlotte, he tries to kiss her, but she refuses and orders him never to see her again. Werther then puts in place his final plan which he thought about since months. On Christmas night, at midnight, Werther shoots himself and dies the next morning.
“We took a few turns in the room to recover our breath. Charlotte sat down, and felt refreshed by partaking of some oranges which I had had secured,—the only ones that had been left; but at every slice which, from politeness, she offered to her neighbours, I felt as though a dagger went through my heart.”
“No, I am not deceived. In her dark eyes I read a genuine interest in me and in my fortunes. Yes, I feel it; and I may believe my own heart which tells me—dare I say it?—dare I pronounce the divine words?—that she loves me!
That she loves me! How the idea exalts me in my own eyes! And, as you can understand my feelings, I may say to you, how I honour myself since she loves me!”
These quotes are meaningful to me, because like for most of the story, I can identify myself to Werther. I never gave oranges to a woman during a date though once, a few weeks ago, I bought a drink to a girl I like and she gave about half of it to her friends and I can tell I felt the exact same as Werther. It’s hard to understand how something so natural can destroy the strongest man’s defences, leaving him vulnerable faced to the good willing of his love. It’s also impressing to see that even after 250 years, courtship didn’t change so much.
If I had to suggest a different ending for the story, I’d suggest the exact opposite: Charlotte would accept Werther in her life as her new fiancé and Albert, rejected, would have to face the same difficulties Werther did. It would be interesting, because Albert said many times that suicide was for weak persons and he would now have to accept it as a solution or not and live his life like a “strong man”, alone and desperate.
499 words (without the quotes)
Monday, April 6, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
MID-TERM EXAM
PART 1
- What is Louise Mallard’s opinion of marriage? Indicate the paragraph that suggests it?
Louise Mallard thinks marriage is a bad thing and indicates it when she says that now that her husband is dead, she would be free: “free, free, free!”. Paragraph 12 suggests it.
- Why does Louise Mallard suddenly stop crying? Indicate the place in the text?
She stops crying, because looking at the window, she understands that the death of her husband isn’t wrong. This death finally lets her be whatever she wants. (Paragraph 10)
- How does she feel about her future as a widow? Cite the line in the text, using just the first few words, then a series of dots …?
She feels free, she wonders about the numerous things she will do now that she is.
“Her fancy was…”
- Why is there so much description of what is outside the window when Louise is alone in her room?
The description of the outside is important, it reflects the main irony of the story: beautiful scenery versus death. Also, it’s important as this scenery makes Louise think of how it will be great to be free.
PART 2
- What is Louise Mallard’s opinion of marriage? Indicate the paragraph that suggests it?
Louise Mallard thinks marriage is a bad thing and indicates it when she says that now that her husband is dead, she would be free: “free, free, free!”. Paragraph 12 suggests it.
- Why does Louise Mallard suddenly stop crying? Indicate the place in the text?
She stops crying, because looking at the window, she understands that the death of her husband isn’t wrong. This death finally lets her be whatever she wants. (Paragraph 10)
- How does she feel about her future as a widow? Cite the line in the text, using just the first few words, then a series of dots …?
She feels free, she wonders about the numerous things she will do now that she is.
“Her fancy was…”
- Why is there so much description of what is outside the window when Louise is alone in her room?
The description of the outside is important, it reflects the main irony of the story: beautiful scenery versus death. Also, it’s important as this scenery makes Louise think of how it will be great to be free.
PART 2
The Story of an Hour, written by the American author Kate Chopin (1850-1904), is a short story about the loss of a woman’s husband and her reaction to it. The author mainly uses dramatic irony as a figure of speech in this text as Louise, the main character, is happy about the dead of her beloved husband.
At the very beginning of the third paragraph, the narrator admits that Louise didn’t react to the hearing of the death of her husband as any normal woman would have. Initially crying, she then went in her room and sat in her “comfortable” and “roomy” armchair. These two words begin the irony of the story as it is more important for the author to specify this than the feelings of the main character. Once she sits, Louise watches outside at the beautiful scenery well described: “the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air. In the street below a peddler was crying his ware”. All these positive adjectives mark a great difference between them and the death of the husband: it lets the audience the thought of it not being important for Louise. The paragraphs eight to ten counter this idea as the reader can clearly understand that she is affected by the loss of Brently (the husband): “now there was a dull stare in her eyes, whose gaze was fixed away off yonder on one of those patches of blue sky. It was not a glance of reflection, but rather indicated a suspension of intelligent thought”. Suddenly Louise is hit by an idea, saying “free, free, free!”, she now understands that as Brently is gone, she will be able to live her live freely as she wants to; however, she admits that she did love Brently. This foreshadowing by the author is followed by the surprising ending of the story: Brently is alive and Louise dies when she learns it. The doctor says she died of joy which is ironic, because she actually died learning that her joyful dream of being free wouldn’t happen.
This story is a great example of irony as from the beginning to the end of the story; it does not make any sense if the reader does not understand it. This short story also presents a special view of human relations: a widow is happy of the death of her husband even though she loves him, making the reader think about the importance of freedom opposed to love.
424 words
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Book report
(500 words)
1. Write the storyline.
2. Describe your favourite part.
3. Write a letter to the author.
4. Tell how you would react if you were a character.
5. Choose 2 or 3 ''quotes'' from characters and say why tey're meaningful.
6. What makes the book good or not.
7. Suggest a different ending or write a sequel.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Sentence patterns
Sentence patterns 2
Independent Clause + colon + Explanation (specific)
Ex: 1
Bernard Shan told a writer: “There are three things I disliked about your story: they are the beginning, the middle and the end.”
Ex: 2
There is one key rule in my life: always be well dressed at work.
Ex: 3
Charles Darwin’s The origin of the species stated a harsh truth: only the fittest survive.
__________________________________________
Using figurative language
Simile: direct comparaison between two unlike things using a word like "like" and "as"
Metaphor: comparaison between two unlike things not using a word like "like" and "as"
Type 1: A=B, "the sky is a blue tapestry"
Type 2: 1) Verbs: "The goalie was skyrocketed to fame and now he's crashed"
2) Nouns: "In playing the Bruins, the habs are hitting a stonewall"
3) Adjective: "Koivu used to have cat-like moves"
Analogy: Extended metaphor or simile
"The Grande Bibliothèque might hold the key to your future; it unlocks many doors to knowledge; it opens the way to numerous oportunities."
"The human brain resembles a computer; it has incredible memory, both short term and long term; it updates everything"
Allusion: Refers to a literary work, place, event, myth, film
"His Achile's heal was his lack of personality"
"Toto, I have a feeling we're not in kansas anymore"
"She played Barbie to his Ken"
Personification: Giving human qualities to something inanimate or animal
"Dogs say cats love too much"
"Sun flowers nodded yes in the aternoon sun"
"The Canadian Rockies caulted into the sky"
Hyperbole / Understatement (opposite): Huge exageration
"There were thousands of people at his party last week"
Independent Clause + colon + Explanation (specific)
Ex: 1
Bernard Shan told a writer: “There are three things I disliked about your story: they are the beginning, the middle and the end.”
Ex: 2
There is one key rule in my life: always be well dressed at work.
Ex: 3
Charles Darwin’s The origin of the species stated a harsh truth: only the fittest survive.
__________________________________________
Using figurative language
Simile: direct comparaison between two unlike things using a word like "like" and "as"
Metaphor: comparaison between two unlike things not using a word like "like" and "as"
Type 1: A=B, "the sky is a blue tapestry"
Type 2: 1) Verbs: "The goalie was skyrocketed to fame and now he's crashed"
2) Nouns: "In playing the Bruins, the habs are hitting a stonewall"
3) Adjective: "Koivu used to have cat-like moves"
Analogy: Extended metaphor or simile
"The Grande Bibliothèque might hold the key to your future; it unlocks many doors to knowledge; it opens the way to numerous oportunities."
"The human brain resembles a computer; it has incredible memory, both short term and long term; it updates everything"
Allusion: Refers to a literary work, place, event, myth, film
"His Achile's heal was his lack of personality"
"Toto, I have a feeling we're not in kansas anymore"
"She played Barbie to his Ken"
Personification: Giving human qualities to something inanimate or animal
"Dogs say cats love too much"
"Sun flowers nodded yes in the aternoon sun"
"The Canadian Rockies caulted into the sky"
Hyperbole / Understatement (opposite): Huge exageration
"There were thousands of people at his party last week"
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Analysis
1. Setting:
- The story happens in the old man's house
- It takes place on 8 days
2. Characters:
- The narrator (the man who kills the old man)
- The old man (who gets killed)
- The neighbor (who calls the police)
- The police (who comes to the house)
3. Themes
- A human being has a perverse wicked side (another side) that can make him do evil things
without normal MOTIVES
- FEAR of discovery can bring DISCOVERY
- The EVIL WITHIN is worse than the evil without
4. Point of view
First person narrative
5. Sentence style
"Object, there was none, Passion, there was none. I loved the man..."
6. Figures of speech
- Anaphora
"I heard things... in heaven, I heard things in hell"
- Personification
"Death" becomes a person
- Simile
"A single ray of light like the thread of a spider"
- Alliteration
"Hearren! Observation heartily how calmly"
- Irony
"I was never kinder to the old man during the week before i killed him"
- The story happens in the old man's house
- It takes place on 8 days
2. Characters:
- The narrator (the man who kills the old man)
- The old man (who gets killed)
- The neighbor (who calls the police)
- The police (who comes to the house)
3. Themes
- A human being has a perverse wicked side (another side) that can make him do evil things
without normal MOTIVES
- FEAR of discovery can bring DISCOVERY
- The EVIL WITHIN is worse than the evil without
4. Point of view
First person narrative
5. Sentence style
"Object, there was none, Passion, there was none. I loved the man..."
6. Figures of speech
- Anaphora
"I heard things... in heaven, I heard things in hell"
- Personification
"Death" becomes a person
- Simile
"A single ray of light like the thread of a spider"
- Alliteration
"Hearren! Observation heartily how calmly"
- Irony
"I was never kinder to the old man during the week before i killed him"
The Tell-Tale Heart
- Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19 of 1809
- Edgar Allan Poe died on October 7 of 1849
- Edgar Allan Poe maried his 13 years old cousin at the age of 27
Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most famous american author, our teacher Mr. B. presented one of his writings The Tell-Tale heart. This short story is about the confession of a man who killed an old man. At the very beggining, the man had no problem with him, he actually loved him, but somehow he had the idea of killing him, he was haunted by this idea. It was because of his eye, is evil eye. He was so obsessed that he would even watch him, every night at midnight, eight nights in a row, but on that very last night, the old man saw him. For one hour long, the man would not move at all, and so the old man would, sitting in his bed. Suddenly he heard a sound he new, the heartbeat of the old man, louder and louder, so loud that he had to kill him, there was no other choice
- Edgar Allan Poe died on October 7 of 1849
- Edgar Allan Poe maried his 13 years old cousin at the age of 27
Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most famous american author, our teacher Mr. B. presented one of his writings The Tell-Tale heart. This short story is about the confession of a man who killed an old man. At the very beggining, the man had no problem with him, he actually loved him, but somehow he had the idea of killing him, he was haunted by this idea. It was because of his eye, is evil eye. He was so obsessed that he would even watch him, every night at midnight, eight nights in a row, but on that very last night, the old man saw him. For one hour long, the man would not move at all, and so the old man would, sitting in his bed. Suddenly he heard a sound he new, the heartbeat of the old man, louder and louder, so loud that he had to kill him, there was no other choice
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