article summaries

The first article talks about the contrasts between Dorian and Lord Henry and his influences on Dorian. Dorian believes in a moral order while Lord Henry believes in self-pleasure. His desire for pleasure influences Dorian's view on life. The second article talks about the affects of the portrait towards Dorian and how it influences him to kill Basil. It also mentions Dorian's own death at the end of the book. The last article talks about a subject I didn't catch when first reading the book: Dorian's past. It talks about how his past was full of passion and violence. It also mentions that Dorian's grandfather had Dorian's father killed because he was a subaltern and that the room that Dorian hid the portrait in, was the same room Dorian was kept in to keep him out of the way when his mother had passed away.

VIII Feministic Criticism: Jane Eyre

The women portrayed in Jane Eyre, for the most part, have very plain lives. The majority of the women are either teachers or household maids, with the exception of the high-class ladies who visit. The main character, Jane, is a governess to Adele as well as a teacher to the poor village girls. An example of a household main in this book would be Grace. It's hard to figure out if the book was influenced by the writer's gender, but considering the fact that the writer is a women, that probably influenced the main character to also be a women. The way Jane and Mr.Rochester relate to each other changes throughout the book. At first, Mr. Rochester did not consider Jane his equal, but after Jane saves Mr.Rochester, his view of her changes. Jane Eyre challenged the traditional views of women by the way she didn't settle for being just an orphan, but worked to support herself with a career and wanted to be considered Mr.Rochester's equal. The images of women in this story, not including Jane, do reflect patriarchal social forces that have impeded women's efforts to achieve full equality with men because none of the other female characters really challenge the idea like Jane does. Two main marital expectations are imposed on Jane. One being St.John Rivers' proposal to Jane, in hopes she'll accompany him on his mission trip. This makes Jane realize she still has feelings for Mr.Rochester. Another marital expectation is Mr.Rochester's first attempt to marry Jane which is unsuccessful due to his former marriage. This causes Jane to lose her trust in him. If Jane were male, the story would be completely different in the way that she wouldn't have had such a hard time finding a job and she probably wouldn't have had as much heart ache. When Jane finally marries Mr.Rochester, her decisions are no longer her own and she is the happier than she had ever been before.

Possible thesis: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte shows, through Jane, that you don't need to be satisfied with the roles society has placed for you.

Basil Hallward

Basil Hallward is another very important character in The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. Basil is described as having a rugged, strong face and coal-black hair. (Wilde, page 5, paragraph 2). Basil is not a main character in the book but still plays an important role in the story. He is an artist whose inspiration comes from none other than Dorian Gray. He has a strange idolatry for Dorian and is very protective and defensive of him. He is also concerned for his soul and the people who influence him. Basil has painted Dorian many times such as: an ancient soldier and another times figures of mythology, but it is when he draws Dorian as himself that starts the commotion. It's Basil Hallward's painting that ignites the flame in Dorian leading him to unknowing trade his soul for eternal youth and beauty. This completely changes Dorian and turns him away from his friend Basil, yet Basil continues to stay committed to him. Basil's love for Dorian, however, turns fatal. When Basil was on his way to the train to leave for Paris, after searching for Dorian the entire night to confront him about the terrible charges he's heard, he runs into him. Dorian welcomes him into his home to explain himself. When Basil physically sees the truth of Dorian's soul, he is at first horrified, but then hopes to save his soul with a prayer. Dorian, in the heat of the moment, is filled with extreme hatred for Basil and without thinking, murders him.

Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray. New York: Barnes & Noble Classics, 2003. Print.

The Picture of Dorian Gray Question #8

I am not entirely sure how well the novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde reflects events in history during that time because I was not alive back then. However, considering the fact that this book is a classic, I strongly believe that the events are indeed reflected accurately. Another reason I believe that Wilde reflected them accurately is because the events that take place in the story seem very realistic for this time period. Some of these include the opera shows and plays that were attended, as well as, traveling from place to place by horse and carriage. Another thing I noticed about the book and its events is that the story takes place during the Aesthetic movement. "The Aesthetic Movement argued that art was not supposed to be utilitarian or useful in any practical sense. Instead, aesthetic experience is a fully autonomous and independent aspect of human life. Thus, art should exist soley for its own sake" (Buffalo Architecture and History, page 1, paragraph 2). The author Oscar Wilde, I have learned, was a great voice in this movement. This movement was probably what influenced him about the character of Basil Hallward and was also probably the reason why the portrait played such an important role in the book.

"Aesthetic Movement." Buffalo Architecture and History. Web. 10 Aug. 2011. .

The Picture of Dorian Gray Question #7

Oscar Wilde uses several techniques to engage the audience and make the story effective while writing The Picture of Dorian Gray. One of the techniques includes mystery. This is first used towards the beginning of the book after Dorian had prayed for the portrait to suffer for his sins and aging and after he was cruel to Sibyl Vane. I was already getting a weird vibe about the picture exactly after Dorian made his plea, but the mystery definitely is brought to attention when Dorian first notices the changes. "The expression looked different. One would have said that there was a touch of cruelty in the mouth. It was certainly strange" (Wilde, page 94, paragraph 1). Another technique used was suspense. One of the very suspenseful parts of the story was after the murder of Basil Hallward. I had no idea how Dorian planned to cover this up, if Alan could be trusted, and if anyone would ever put the dots together about Basil's disappearance. One last technique used in this book is tragedy. So many tragic situations and out comes occurred in this story. One of the first tragedies is Sibyl Vane's suicide caused by Dorian. Some of the other tragedies included the whole deal with James Vane, the murder of Basil Hallward, and eventually the terrible death of Dorian Gray. All of these techniques used really keep the reader wanting more.

Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray. New York: Barnes & Noble Classics, 2003. Print.

The Picture of Dorian Gray Question #6

The first reason I think the book The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde is still read today is because it is such an interesting story. I really enjoyed the book and think that people from any decade would enjoy it also. Another reason this classic is so timeless is because of the message. The message being that beauty comes from within. The Picture of Dorian Gray displays this through Dorian's self portrait and the changes his soul and appearance go through. "He would examine with minute care, and sometimes with a monstrous and terrible delight, the hideous lines that seared the wrinkling forehead or crawled around the heavy, sensual mouth, wondering sometimes which were the more horrible, the signs of sin or the signs of age" (Wilde, page 131, paragraph 2). From reading this book, one can learn the affects of vanity and that you will always be held responsible for your actions and have to suffer the consequences. In this particular piece of writing, Dorian is affected by vanity in the most extreme case scenario possible; he trades his own soul for eternal youth and beauty. Like I said, he also suffered the consequences for his actions. These included losing his friend Basil, his love Sibyl, and eventually his own life. The Picture of Dorian Gray is definitely a book worth keeping around.

Wilde,Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray. New York: Barnes & Noble Classics, 2003. Print.

The Picture of Dorian Gray Question #5

Considering the fact that The Picture of Dorian Gray is a classic, I strongly believe the history, behavior, and social issues are reflected very accurately. The story takes place in London, England during the 1890s. I did not find much reference to the history of that time, but behavior was something obviously exposed in this book. Because the main character of the book, Dorian, is very wealthy, we get a glimpse at the behavior of the wealthy class during this time. I have found that the wealthy really enjoy going out. Dorian and Lord Henry went to many operas, plays, and attended many parties through out the entire book. Dorian, though spent a great deal of time watching Sibyl Vane in her many plays and because of Dorian's wealth, he was able to afford to go to her performances every night. Another thing that I noticed was all of the extravagant objects Dorian bought during a period of time. These included perfumes, rare musical instruments, and even jewels. "For these treasures, and everything that he collected in his lovely house, were to be to him means of forgetfulness, modes by which he could escape, for a season, from the fear that seemed to him at times to be almost too great to be borne" (Wilde, page 143, paragraph 2). The only social issues really dealt with in this book is the differences between classes; Dorian wanting to marry Sibyl Vane.

Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray. New York: Barnes & Noble Classics, 2003. Print.

The Picture of Dorian Gray Question #4

The "hero" in the book, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, is Dorian Gray. Dorian Gray is described as being the pure image of male beauty and youth. "Yes, he was certainly wonderfully handsome, with his curved scarlet lips, his frank blue eyes, his crisp gold hair"(Wilde, page 18, paragraph 4). Dorian is also known for being vain and extremely self-centered. Dorian accomplishes few things in this book. The first thing he wants to accomplish is eternal youth and beauty which he achieves through his pathetic plea at the beginning of the book. Later, towards the end of the book Dorian's new goal is to start new by becoming "good". "A new life! That was what he wanted. That was what he was waiting for" (Wilde, page 227. paragraph 2). His weak and rather clueless act of kindness consists of breaking up with Hetty Merton, a girl who had fallen for him and believed the lie that he was poor. After his attempt at being "good", Dorian is curious and hopeful that maybe the self-portrait of himself has become less ugly. When he discovers that is worse than he could ever imagine, he forms a new goal: to destroy it. Dorian accomplishes this goal by stabbing the picture with the knife he murdered Basil with, but in return, his life, along with his beauty and youth, is lost. Dorian Gray represents an abstract idea of evil and vanity.

Wilde,Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray. New York: Barnes & Noble Classics, 2003. Print.

The Picture of Dorian Gray Question #3

After reading the book, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, I find that the major universal theme addressed is vanity. Vanity is the factor that created the conflict of the story with Dorian Gray being the victim. Dorian is so obsessed with vanity and values his physical appearance so much that it causes him to make the biggest mistake of his life. This mistake being, trading his soul for eternal youth and beauty. Without considering the consequences of his thinking, Dorian wishes this and his dream immediately becomes a reality. Dorian isn't alone on his morals though. Lord Henry also is obsessed with vanity. He continuously tells Dorian his theories of beauty and youth. Some of his theories include: "Beauty is a form of Genius-is higher, indeed, than Genius, as it needs no explanation"(Wilde, page 24, paragraph 4). He also adds, "To me, Beauty is the wonder of wonders. It is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances" (Wilde, page 24, paragraph 4). Oscar Wilde understands the way people admire beauty and praise pretty people. This idea relates to the audience Wilde addressed back when he wrote the book as well as today. Our society today is very focused on the way we look whether its in magazines or on television. This is an unfortunate truth that many, including myself, struggle with.

Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray. New York: Barnes & Nobles Classics, 2003. Print.

The Picture of Dorian Gray Question #2

The conflict of the book, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, is Dorian trading his soul for eternal youth and beauty. The act of this is caused by Basil's confession about his idolatry towards Dorian and his obsessive compliments. It is also caused by Lord Henry's input about how his good looks will not last forever and Dorian's own vanity. All of these factors lead Dorian to say the following: "If it were only the other way! If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old! For that- for that- I would give everything! Yes, there is nothing in the whole world I would not give! I would give my soul for that!" (Wilde, page 28, paragraph 5). There are not as many gains to this act as there are losses. Some of the few gains include: admiration for his incredible looks at first, the love of Sibyl Vane, and also the consciousness of the affects his actions have on his soul by referring to the portrait. The losses of Dorian's actions are much more numerous however. Dorian loses his first love, Sibyl Vane, his friend Basil, and ultimately his sanity. Dorian Gray is also burdened with extreme guilt, fear of the discovery of the picture, and the simply the horror of the changed self-portrait.

Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray. New York: Barnes & Noble Classics, 2003. Print.

The Picture of Dorian Gray Question #1

The writing of the book, The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde reveals a lot about what Wilde values and his attitudes. One of the things I got from reading The Picture of Dorian Gray, is that Oscar Wilde really values opinionated people and those who stick to what they believe. This is shown through the characters in the book. Basil Howard is opinionated about Dorian. He believes Dorian is in modern day terms: a perfect "hottie" and simply just awesome. Basil is defensive of Dorian when others question him and throughout the entire book supports and respects him. Basil is also very opinionated about his art and repeatedly uses Dorian as his inspiration. Dorian Gray is opinionated as well. Dorian believes that beauty and youth is the most important thing in life. This led him to the prayer of keeping his youth and beauty for eternity while the portrait of himself suffers the changes of aging and sin. " his frank, debonair manner, his charming, boyish smile, and the infinite grace of that wonderful youth that seemed never to leave him, "(Wilde, page 145, paragraph 3). Lord Henry is by far the most opinionated though. Lord Henry is a witty talker and never seizes to mention his theories. Oscar Wilde wrote this book from a third person perspective.

Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray. New York: Barnes & Noble Classics, 2003. Print.

St. John Rivers

Another main character in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte besides Mr.Rochester or Jane Eyre is St.John Rivers. St. John Rivers is Jane's relative who is not introduced to the story until the last section of the book. While Jane is homeless and near death she stumbles upon a small home in the woods and is desperate for hope that it will save her. After being rudely denied the help from the maid, Hannah, Jane is discovered on the porch by St.John Rivers and immediately welcomed inside. St.John Rivers showed compassion to her and allowed her to stay until she regained her strength. His sisters, however, fall in love with Jane and insist that she stays." 'My sisters, you see, have a pleasure in keeping you,' "(Bronte, page 423, paragraph 10). St.John also assists Jane with finding employment. Later in the book, Jane finds out they are all actually in blood relation to each other. St.John also asks Jane for her hand in marriage in order for her to accompany him on his mission trip to India. This act completely shocked me and I was so relieved when Jane refused his offer. St.John Rivers is described as being strict, ambitious, very religious, and cold. He is quite the foil to Edward Rochester.

Bronte, Charlotte. The Illustrated Jane Eyre. New York: Viking Studio, 2006. Print.

Edward Rochester

Edward Rochester was an extremely important character in Jane Eyre. Mr.Rochester first met Jane when he badly injured himself when his horse slipped on the ice. At first, Jane had no idea who he was other than a stranger, but quite shortly after she learned that he is Mr.Rochester, the owner of Thornfield Hall. Edward Rochester is described as not being particularly handsome. "I recognized his decisive nose, more remarkable for character than beauty; his full nostrils, denoting, I thought, choler; his grim mouth, chin, and jaw-yes, all three were very grim, and no mistake" (Bronte, page 148, paragraph 3). Although, not beautiful, Jane loved him and he unmistakeably loved her. Mr.Rochester wished to marry Jane, but of course on their wedding day the truth is revealed. Mr.Rochester was exposed of his marriage to Bertha Mason, a mad woman who has caused problems in Thornfield Hall quite craftily. This causes Jane to deny his hand in marriage until he is legally able to marry her. Mr.Rochester goes into a deep depression when Jane leaves him with out a trace and he was unable to get over the loss of his love. To make matters worse, one night he wakes up to Thornfield Hall being consumed by a fire started by Bertha. He manages to get everyone out of the house safely, but he loses his eye sight and his hand to the flames and smoke. Bertha Mason died that night leaving Mr.Rochester free at last. He later is reunited by his true love Jane, and finally gets to marry her.

Bronte, Charlotte. The Illustrated Jane Eyre. New York: Viking Studio, 2006. Print.

Jane Eyre Question #8

I have no idea how well the novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte reflects events in history because I did not live back in the 1800s. However, since Jane Eyre is a classic, I assume that the events written in it must accurately reflect history in that time. Responsibilities Charlotte Bronte believes in that were portrayed in her book first off include the rich and poor. I think the poor were treated with little respect and were not well liked at all by the upper class. One example of this was the way Mr.Rivers talked about the teaching job he was offering to Jane. " ' It is a village-school: your scholars will be only poor girls-cottagers' children-at the best, farmers' daughters' "(Bronte, page 432 paragraph 4). Another example was the way Jane was treated when she was homeless. When Jane was begging for food and employment, the townspeople shut the door in her face and wanted nothing to do with her. She only survived by the kindness of a few persons willing to give her the pigs' slob and to share part of his dinner of bread. I think Charlotte Bronte was probably influenced by the upper and lower classes in England during this time period and the way people treated the different ranks. She might also have been influenced by the ideas that the amount of wealth you had, determined the amount of respect you deserve.

Bronte, Charlotte. The Illustrated Jane Eyre. New York: Viking Studio. 2006. Print.

Jane Eyre Question #7

Charlotte Bronte uses several techniques to engage the audience and make the story of Jane Eyre effective. One of the techniques includes tragedy. Tragedy was consistently used throughout the book. Some of the tragedies included: the disease spread at Lowood, killing her only friend, Helen, the fire in Mr.Rochester's bedroom that almost killed him, the terrible few days Jane spent starving on her own, and lastly, the fire that completely destroyed Thornfield Hall and injured Mr.Rochester. "'He is stone-blind,' he said at last. 'Yes-he is stone-blind-is Mr.Edward' "(Bronte, page 521, paragraph 2). Another technique used was mystery. The entire ordeal about Mr.Rochester's mad wife is a complete mystery until the very end. The strange laughs of Grace Poole, the fire in Mr.Rochester's bedroom, Mr.Mason's stabbing, the torn veil, and eventually the burning of the entire Thornfield Hall all revolved around the mystery of Bertha Mason. One last technique used in Jane Eyre would be romance. The romance between Jane and Edward Rochester definitely kept me interested and wondering what was going to happen to their relationship next. A totally bizarre part of the story was the weird "romance" between Jane and St John. I thought St John's wanting of Jane to be his wife was really strange and honestly gross. I did not understand their weird relationship and was so relieved when Jane decided to leave and not go to India with him.

Bronte, Charlotte. The Illustrated Jane Eyre. New York: Viking Studio, 2006. Print.

Jane Eyre Question #6

I think one of the main reasons we still read Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte is because the message is so timeless. I personally think it is also still around because it is such a good book and definitely an awesome story. Some of the things I think are so timeless about Jane Eyre is the memorable characters. Charlotte Bronte does a really good job describing and making the characters really come to life. The timeless thing about the characters is they are easy to relate to no matter what time period you are from. One of the things Jane struggles with is love. "Gentlemen in his station are not accustomed to marry their governesses" (Bronte, page 322, paragraph 5). This is something that people before her time, during her time, and forever after her time will most likely face. Another situation this book deals with that a person can relate to is simply working hard and fighting for what you want. Jane shows this by wanting a better life and not settling for less when it comes to life changing commitments. These are elements that one can learn from reading Jane Eyre. Another thing one can learn by reading this book is what real strength is. Jane's character to me, is an image of strength. She took so much garbage from the people around her yet did not let that hold her back from moving forward. This is a lesson that will forever be taught.

Bronte, Charlotte. The Illustrated Jane Eyre. New York: Viking Studio, 2006. Print.

Jane Eyre Question #5

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte reflects the history of the 1800s. In this time period in England, the society was very male dominated. This is very different from today's society. In the period of which this book was written, women were considered more of second class citizens and were probably not given as many working opportunities as the men. Jane was happy to get any employment available, and was not picky even when she is asked to teach poor village girls. "I thank you for the proposal, Mr.Rivers; and I accept it with all my heart" (Bronte, page 432, paragraph 3). Some of the behavior and social issues dealt with this time was the way orphans were treated, and in this case Jane. From what I have read, it seems to me that orphans were looked at differently back then and were not as respected or cared for as they are now. It sounds like Jane was kind of discriminated at the Reed's house for simply being an orphan. I think another issue reflected in this book was traveling. Some of the journeys took days to complete when they were not even separated by an extreme amount of miles. We have no problem with traveling great distances today and the timing is very convenient. A symbolic significance in this book was definitely the red-room. This represented what Jane must overcome to gain freedom and she refers back to it on the night she leaves Thornfield Hall. A thematic significance in Jane Eyre has to be love. Jane's love for Mr.Rochester and her longing to be loved by others is really the main focal point of this story.

Bronte, Charlotte. The Illustrated Jane Eyre. New York: Viking Studio. 2006. Print.

Jane Eyre Question #4

The hero of the book, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte is Jane Eyre. Jane's physical appearance is mostly described as being plain. She is not considered a beauty and seems to be less valued because of this. "if she were a nice, pretty child, one might compassionate her forlornness; but one really cannot care for such a little toad as that" (Bronte, page 35, paragraph 3). Even when giving the option to wear elaborate expensive clothes and jewelry from Mr.Rochester, Jane feels out of place accepting them. Jane is also bright, full of integrity, a hard worker, independent, talented and very strong. Jane shows her intelligence through teaching Adele and also the poor children. Jane's accomplishments in this book are endless. She accomplishes school, getting employment, true love, and a family. I think Jane's entire life was an accomplishment. I mean she started as an orphan with no expectations at all and strives to become a rich married woman with the support of a real family. Jane Eyre's character in this book is portrayed as an orphan girl who gets less credit than she deserves. I think Jane definitely represents diligence. Jane proves to the readers that no matter what your history or back ground is, with hard work and integrity you can make it through the toughest situations.

Bronte, Charlotte. The Illustrated Jane Eyre. New York: Viking Studio, 2006. Print.

Jane Eyre Question #3

Some of the universal themes in, Jane Eyre , by Charlotte Bronte consist of social class, independence, and love. Jane Eyre's social status changes throughout the book and she is put in situations where she both experiences as well as sees the many levels of social class. Some of these include: living with her aunt, getting education at such a poor school in Lowood, being a governess in the wealthy, elaborate Thornfield Hall, being homeless and struggling to simply survive the night, teaching the poor children, and eventually inheriting a huge fortune of 20,000 pounds. She's really seen it all. Independence is another universal theme used. From her harsh and bitter childhood, to her physical act of freedom of running away from Thornfield, Jane gains both independence and strength. "Through that I departed: it, too, I shut; and now I was out of Thornfield" (Bronte, page 390, paragraph 2). The major universal theme used in this book is love. This is also the most powerful theme, I believe. Jane not only longs for romantic love throughout the book, but simply to be loved in general. She really rarely felt loved and valued during her entire childhood until her late teens. This is something she struggles with through most of the book. In the end though, she reunites with her true love, Mr.Rochester, and also finally experiences the love of a family.

Bronte, Charlotte. The Illustrated Jane Eyre. New York: Viking Studio, 2006. Print.

Jane Eyre Question #2

The strongest conflict dealt in the book, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, is Jane's undeniable love for her master Edward Rochester. The cause of this is kind of hard to describe. I mean, how can you describe such an uncontrollable and indescribable emotion such as love? I think one of the main reasons that caused Jane's love for him was when Mr.Rochester was almost killed in the bedroom fire. After she saves him, she feels more of his equal and realizes her true feelings for him. The gaining dealt in this conflict seems fewer to me, than the losses. The gains really do not appear until the end of the book when Jane and Mr.Rochester reunite and Jane gains a lifelong husband and true love. Some of the other things Jane gains towards this part of the book are the inheritance of 20,000 pounds and a family of legit blood relations. "Now the wealth did not weigh on me: no it was not a mere bequest of coin,-it was a legacy of life, hope, enjoyment" (Bronte, page 469, paragraph 4). The losses in this conflict were plentiful. The first loss was the trust between Jane and Mr.Rochester when she found out the truth. The loss immediately following was of a husband. (For the time being anyways.) Jane also dealt with the loss of a home and of employment.

Bronte, Charlotte. The Illustrated Jane Eyre. New York: Viking Studio, 2006. Print.

Jane Eyre Question #1

The writings of the book, Jane Eyre , reveal many characteristics of Charlotte Bronte, as an author, which includes her values and attitudes. One of the major values that really stuck out to me was determination. This was seen repeatably throughout the entire book. Jane was determined to be loved, work hard, and in some cases simply survive in the many struggles faced in this novel. Some of these situations include: being "raised" by a heartless aunt surrounded by a merciless family and household, trying her best to get an education at a school with the worst conditions possible, having a heart breaking realization about a man she knew she loves, and struggling to survive without having anyone to turn to. The situation where I think Jane showed the most determination was when she had just ran away from Thornfield Hall and was seriously dying when she saw a light in the distance and pushed herself forward to this slim image of hope. "The light was yet there; shining dim, but constant, through the rain" (Bronte, page 402, paragraph 2). Charlotte Bronte's attitude towards the story consisted of grace and compassion, for because of Jane Eyre's determination, she was able to overcome every hardship thrown at her. Bronte writes the novel from the perspective of an innocent, intelligent, plain, young girl.

Bronte, Charlotte. The Illustrated Jane Eyre. New York: Viking Studio, 2006. Print.

Nabokov Essay Question #8

My reaction varies to reading Nabokov's essay, "Good Readers and Good Writers". My first immediate reaction to reading this essay was excitement that the essay is relatively short. After reading the first sentence of the first paragraph however, my excitement withered to a sort of dread when I read that Nabokov was going to go into "lingering detail" (Nabokov, page 1, paragraph 3). To me, these words meant I was about to read a boring and wordy essay. After reading the entire essay though, I find my initial reaction lacked followed through. I found the essay to be very informative and full of examples one can relate to to help a willing reader and a potentially good writer, such as me, better their understanding of literature. One of my favorite examples Nabokov used was where he took the story of "the boy who cried wolf" and used it to show how the "the wolf in the tall grass and the wolf in the tall story there is a shimmering go-between". He then explains that the go-between or prism is an art of literature (Nabokov, page 3, paragraph 5). My overall reaction to the essay "Good Readers and Good Writers" is a logical one. It is a logical reaction because the information I received from it is logical and educating rather than a personal or emotional.

Nabokov, Vladimir Vladimirovich, and Fredson Bowers. Lectures on Literature. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1980. Print.

Nabokov Essay Question #7

From my personal understandings of reading "Good Readers and Good Writers" , I think Vladimir Nabokov has a strong authority as a writer. One of the first clues that drew me to this conclusion was where it states that the essay is an excerpt from Lectures on Literature. This means that Nabokov is most likely a teacher or instructor of some type so he has the authority to educate others. Another detail that proves his authority as a writer is the fact that his essay was originally delivered 1948 (Nabokov, page 1, paragraph 1), which is over sixty years ago. His works and teachings, or at least this particular one, are helpful and useful enough to continue to be taught up to this present day. Reading farther into this essay, I also found more proof of his teaching experience to support his authority as a writer. He talks about how how he was a part of a lecture tour and taught at a small local college. He also talked about his students when he mentions his "little quiz- ten definitions of a reader and from these ten the students had to choose four definitions that would combine to make a good reader" (Nabokov, page 2, paragraph 2). All of these examples prove he has the authority to teach and educate others, as well as travel because of his lectures thus giving Nabokov high authority as a writer.

Nabokov, Vladimir Vladimirovich, and Fredson Bowers. Lectures on Literature. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1980. Print.

Nabokov Essay Question #6

The introduction of "Good Readers and Good Writers" by Vladimir Nabokov is first identified with a statement of where it comes from and when. This essay is an excerpt from Lectures on Literature and was first introduced in 1948. Nabokov begins to write his essay then by stating his thesis statement, "My course, among other things, is a kind of detective investigation of the mystery of literary structures" (Nabokov, page 1, paragraph 2). After this he talks about how he plans to approach his topics, which is very detailed and specific. He also used a letter from Flaubert to support his reasoning for this. Nabokov continues to explain why being so precise in studying so closely is important and eventually gets to the 'beef' of the essay. Vladimir uses very straight forwardness as a method in his introduction to get his point across and get on with the essay. The conclusion of his essay is characterized by the highlights of his points and what he wants the reader to learn from his writings. In this conclusion he writes the three main features of a great writer being "magic, story, lesson" (Nabokov, page 4, paragraph 3) and also the methods of a great reader, which he describes as one who "reads the book of genius not with his heart, not so much with his brain, but with his spine" (Nabokov, page 4, paragraph 3). All of these pieces of the puzzle will then in the end form a perfect picture of a great writer and a great reader.

Nabokov, Vladimirovich, and Fredson Bowers. Lectures on Literature. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1980. Print.

Nabokov Essay Question #5

The essay, "Good Readers and Good Writers" by Vladimir Nabokov, is organized quite simply in format. The essay is basically laid out with a question being asked, the question being answered and then following with examples to support the answer. The essay also has some little extra thing at the beginning. By this I am referring to the beginning of the essay when it talks about the importance of reading carefully and specifically and in great detail before it starts with the first question. One of the first examples of this was when Nabokov asks, "Can we expect to glean information about places and times from a novel?" (Nabokov, page 1, paragraph 5). He then used rhetorical devices to answer the question and listed examples to support it such as Jane Austen's picture of landowning England and the romance Bleak House . I enjoyed the way the essay was organized. Asking a question, answering a question, then giving examples for it, made it easier and simpler to understand and follow. The one thing I did not like about how it was organized is it was almost dry because the layout was so repetitive. I think Nabokov could have improved how it was organized by starting with his weakness and least interesting point and building to his strongest.

Nabokov, Vladimir Vladimirovcih, and Fredson Bowers. Lectures on Literature. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1980. Print.

Nabokov Essay Question #4

After completing reading the essay, "Good Readers and Good Writers" by Vladimir Nabokov, a few things caught my attention. The number one thing that captured my interest was towards the ending when Nabokov mentioned "the boy who cried wolf" story to prove his point about the art of literature. That was one thing I didn't expect to be in this type of essay. Up until this part of the essay I was unable to relate to some of the earlier examples Nabokov used. These included: Madam Bovary, the romance Bleak House, and Fanny Price in Mansfield Park (Nabokov, page 1, paragraph 5) all of which I have never read or heard of leaving me unable to identify myself with them. When I had lost all hope in using examples from the essay to relate to in my blogs, out of nowhere came a familiar story about a boy whose bad reputation ends up causing his death. Another part of the essay that aroused a reaction from me was where Nabokov explains that "every great writer is a great deceiver, but so is that arch-cheat Nature" (Nabokov, page 3, paragraph 6). I enjoyed the comparison of the way a butterfly's coloring deceives its predator, the way a great writer deceives its reader. These enjoyable parts of the essay made it more bearable to read.

Nabokov, Vladimir Vladimirovich, and Fredson Bowers. Lectures on Literature. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1980. Print.

Nabokov Essay Question #3

In the essay, "Good Readers and Good Writers" by Vladimir Nabokov, there are several examples of rhetorical devices used. When I first read this question, I was not quite sure what rhetorical devices were, but after reading about them I learned that they are questions or statements that the author suggests where the answer is completely obvious. One of the first examples of where a rhetorical device is used is at the bottom of the first page when Nabokov talks about how "Can we expect to glean information about places and times from a novel?" (Nabokov, page 1, paragraph 5) and how someone who thinks that you can learn history from a novel is naive. This part is rhetorical because his tone shows that he obviously thinks it is impossible to for Nabokov names examples to prove it cannot be so and thinks anyone who believes it to be so is naive. Another rhetorical device used is when he says that "the good reader is one who has imagination, memory, a dictionary, and some artistic sense" (Nabokov, page 2, paragraph 4). This is rhetorical because these are obvious qualities to a good reader. Another part of the essay was when he explains every detail to reading a page of a book, which is rhetorical because we all know that you read left to right, line after line, and page after page. One last rhetorical device used was where he says, 'The effort to begin a book, especially if it is praised by people whom the young reader secretly deems to be too old-fashioned or too serious, this effort is often difficult to make;" (Nabokov, page 2, paragraph 6). This is rhetorical because usually when someone in authority tells you to read a certain book your immediate thought is that it is going to be boring and you do not want to. These rhetorical devices are some of many used in the essay, "Good Readers and Good Writers".

Nabokov, Vladimir Vladimirovich, and Fredson Bowers. Lectures on Literature. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1980. Print.

Nabokov Essay Question #2

In the essay, "Good Readers and Good Writers", the author's tone or Vladimir Nabokov's tone towards the subject is very informative. Vladimir Nabokov uses numerous examples, personal opinions, and also educating facts to help his readers see and understand his teachings. For instance, to inform his readers of the importance of "seeing the world as the potentiality of fiction" (Nabokov, page 1, paragraph 6) and "to form the natural objects it contains" (Nabokov, page 1, paragraph 6), he lists a large range of examples to show what he means. Some of these examples include: "Those berries are edible", "That mist is a mountain and that mountain must be conquered", "Up a trackless slope climbs the master artist , and at the top on a windy ridge, whom do you think he meets?" (Nabokov, page 2, paragraph 1). He then continues to inform you of what he personally defines a good reader. Some things Nabokov says a reader should have include: imagination, a dictionary, and some artistic sense. Throughout the entire essay, Nabokov continues to inform the reader of helpful information. Although I think it is important for this kind of essay to be informative, I think he could have improved his tone by adding some humor into the essay. Sometimes reading an essay with a lot of information and educating facts can be dry. Humor was unfortunately not part of Nabokov's tone; the essay was simply informative.

Nabokov, Vladimir Vladimirovich, and Fredson Bowers. Lectures on Literature. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1980. Print.

Nabokov Essay Question #1

The thesis statement for the essay, "Good Readers and Good Writers" by Vladimir Nabokov, is "My course, among other things, is a kind of detective investigation of the mystery of literary structures" (Nabokov, page 1, paragraph 2). This thesis statement is found at the very beginning of the essay after where it states what the essay is and when it was originally delivered. The thesis is exactly the first real sentence on the page leading to the first paragraph of the essay. The thesis statement for this particular essay, "Good Readers and Good Writers", is explicit. I think it is explicit because it is stated at the beginning of the essay plainly. If it was implicit it would not have been as obvious; it would have been more hidden and the author would have expected you to to conclude the thesis yourself from reading the entire essay. I concluded this to be the thesis statement because the entire essay revolves around this sentence and Nabokov talks about the many literary structures throughout the essay. Some of these mysteries Nabokov addresses includes: "Can we expect to glean information about places and times from a novel?", "So what is the authentic instrument to be used by the reader?", and the "three points of view from which a writer can be considered" (Nabokov, page 4, paragraph 1). These examples of the revealed mysteries mentioned in this essay, as well as the others, can all be traced back to the first sentence, thus making it the thesis.

Nabokov, Vladimir Bladimirovich, and Fredson Bowers. Lectures on Literature. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1980. Print.

Calvino Essay Question #8

My first reaction to reading this essay was less stressful and full of confidence. It was at first less stressful because I kind of knew what I was doing now. I was also less stressed because the essay was very easy to understand because of the nifty numbers that identified each point I was reading about. They helped me out quite a bit. Another reaction to reading this was confidence. I was more confident reading this essay because I had already completed the other one and I knew I was capable of doing it. As I got farther into the essay, my initial reaction and feelings stayed the same. My reaction to reading Why Read the Classics? was definitely a logical one for I learned more rather than reacted emotionally more. Some of the things I learned that I did not know before included the way people react to classics in other countries as well as ours. I was really impressed that people in France would continue to read a classic they started in school, after they had finished school (Calvino, page 3, paragraph 5). I also did not know that people in Italy related so well to Dickens. Another thing I learned was that even a teacher in the United States' first impression on the classics was proved wrong and found them fabulous. My overall reaction to this essay was, therefore, logical.

Calvino, Italo. Why Read the Classics? London: Vintage, 2000. Print.

Calvino Essay Question #7

After reading the essay, Why Read the Classics? , I can conclude that the author, Calvino, has a strong authority as a writer. One of the first points that drew me to this conclusion was the amount of knowledge and examples of literature he knows. Calvino was not only aware of examples to refer to in the United States, but also in other countries as well including France and Italy. Another example that supports his authority as a writer is the fact that he seems to understand the relationship between the classics and youth as well as the classics paired with adults. "Youth endows every reading, as it does every experience, with a unique flavor and significance, whereas at a mature age one appreciates (or should appreciate) many more details, levels and meanings" (Calvino, page 4, paragraph 2). Another element that proves his strong authority as a writer is the fact that he can name, explain, and support so many definitions of the classics such as: Saint-Simon, Cardinal Retz, Dickens' works, Classico, and many others also support Calvino's authority as a writer. From what I have perceived by reading this essay, I can therefore conclude Calvino has a high authority as a writer.

Calvino, Italo. Why Read the Classics? London: Vintage, 2000. Print.

Calvino Essay Question #6

The introduction to the essay, Why read the Classics? by Calvino, is first identified by simply writing one sentence stating what was first to be said in this essay. This sentence was ,"Let us begin by putting forward some definitions" (Calvino, page 3, paragraph 1). This single sentence was really all that the introduction consisted of. After this was said it goes on to its first definition without any other signs of extending off this. I found this introduction to be unusual for it is barely an introduction at all. It is much different from the other essay, Good Readers and Good Writers, where the introduction was much more exaggerated. The conclusion however, was approached more elaborately. I preferred the way he wrote his conclusion over the way he wrote his introduction. The conclusion consists of what Calvino thinks is best for you to do to "invent your own ideal library of classics" (Calvino, page 9, paragraph 20). This involves half of the books being ones we have read, half of the books ones we intend to read, and a small space for surprise books that we might run into along the way. Calvino then concludes with a quote explaining how you can never learn too much before you die.

Calvino, Italo. Why Read the Classics? London: Vintage, 2000. Print.

Calvino Essay Question #5

The essay, Why Read the Classics? by Calvino, is organized very simply and conveniently. The method Calvino used to organize each of his points throughout the entire essay consists of stating his point using one sentence, and then explaining it and extending his thoughts on it while using examples. The essay's points are also easy to follow because Calvino identifies each point by numbering them. By reading the essay and taking notice of the numbers along the way you can easily identify Calvino's fourteen points. In this essay, Calvino's points are definitions of the classics. His first definition of the classics is "1. The classics are books about which you usually hear people saying: 'I'm rereading...' never 'I'm reading...' " (Calvino, page 3, paragraph 2). Calvino then goes on to explains and extends on this. He talks about how you may have read many books and have a wide range of reading experience, but there will always be even more fundamental works you have yet to read. To support this statement he uses many examples including: Herodotus and Thucydides, Saint-Simon, and Cardinal Retz. He even goes into detail about other countries adding that in France they continued to read what they started in school long after they completed school. Calvino uses this method of organization throughout the entire essay.

Calvino, Italo. Why Read the Classics? London: Vintage, 2000. Print.

Calvino Essay Question #4

A few things aroused a reaction from me after reading Why Read the Classics? by Calvino. One of the first things that grabbed my attention or what did not grab my attention was how rather boring the essay was. I did not find the essay to be very interesting or exciting at all. I preferred the other essay compared to this one because it was not as dry and had examples I could relate to while this one did not. Another thing that captured my attention was the thesis. I found the thesis to be that a well-rounded person of knowledge will read classics throughout his or her entire life. This is where I disagree. Every definition of the classics went back to this, and I do not find this to be true. I think a well-rounded person of knowledge can be just as successful as one who does not read the classics throughout their life. I do agree that they can help you, but I do no believe they are as important as this essay hypes them up to be. This is my personal opinion of the classics, but who knows. Maybe by the end of the year, my outlook on the classics paired with life could be changed.

Calvino Essay Question #3

Rhetorical devices used in the essay, Why Read the Classics? are pretty scarce. I find that they are less numerable and more difficult to find than the rhetorical devices used in the essay, Good Readers and Good Writers by Vladimir Nabokov. With that being said, the examples I did find are not going to be as many as I found in the other essay. The first rhetorical device I found is half way through the essay on page six. On page six under definition nine it talks about how, "school has to teach you to know, whether you like it or not, a certain number of classics amongst which (or by using them as a benchmark) you will later recognize 'your' own classics. School is obliged to provide you with the tools to enable you to make your own choice; but the only choices which count are those which you take after or outside any schooling" (Calvino, page 6, paragraph 4). This is rhetorical because the responsibility of the school and the reason we read the classics in school are kind of obvious that they will help us later in life. Another rhetorical device is on page eight when he talks about how classics are not fit to our present time. This is rhetorical because it is obvious that most classics were written a long time ago. One last rhetorical device is on the last page where it says "The only reason that can be adduced in their favour is that reading the classics always better than not reading them" (Calvino, page 9, paragraph 4). This is rhetorical because we know learning something new never hurts.


Calvino, Italo. Why Read the Classics? London; Vintage, 2000. Print.

Calvino Essay Question #2

The author's tone in the essay, Why Read the Classics? by Calvino is very methodical. The essay is methodical because the way he writes is so precise and point by point throughtout the entire writing. One of the ways it is also methodical is the fact that it is numbered. This keeps each of his points separated and easy to understand. Another way Calvino's tone towards the essay is methodical, is the way each point leads to the next. Some of the ways he transitions each point includes: "The defintion which we can now give is this:" (Calvino, page 4, paragraph 4), "We could in fact say:" (Calvino, page 5, paragraph 2), "We can conclude, therefore, that:" (Calvino, page 6, paragraph 1), or "From all this we could derive a definition like this:" (Calvino, page 6, paragraph 3). These are just a few of the many wordings he uses to get from one defintion to the next. Each transition is very smooth and flows together perfectly. He continues to use this methodic tone throught the rest of the essay. A way this tone can be unpleasing to the reader is that it is so point by point and precise that it can start to get a bit dry. This is how I personally portray Calvino's tone but others may think differently. Nevertheless, Calvino's tone towards the essay is, for the most part, fitting for the topics he is talking about.


Calvino, Italo. Why Read the Classics? London: Vintage, 2000. Print.

Calvino Essay Question #1

The thesis in the essay, Why Read the Classics? by Calvino varies according to its reader. In this essay, there is no real introduction, so there is no direct thesis therefore leaving the thesis to be determined by the reader. This type of thesis is implicit and not straight up written in the essay. After reading the entire essay, I as the reader, have interpreted the thesis to be that a well-rounded person of knowledge will read classics throughout his or her entire life. I have gathered this idea from what I have read in each of the definitions of the classics. One example of why I think this is found under definition one. Here it says, "What this shows is that reading a great work for the first time when one is fully adult is an extraordinary pleasure, one which is very different (though it is impossible to say whether more or less pleasurable) from reading it in one's youth" (Calvino, page 4, paragraph 2). This topic is brought up again in definition three, which talks about "rediscovering the most important readings of our youth" (Calvino, page 4, paragraph 6). One of the strongest examples of why I believe this to be the thesis is definition eleven where it talks about 'your' classic and later towards the end of the essay where it talks about creating a library for your 'own' classics. Each definition goes back to the idea of how classics are important and should be read throughout ones entire life.


Calvino, Italo. Why Read the Classics? London: Vintage, 2000. Print.