Fahrenheit 451​ ~ the Foil January 27

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Fahrenheit 451​ ~ the Foil January 27 Fahrenheit 451​ ~ The Foil January 27 The central character in a work of literature is called the ​protagonist​. The protagonist usually initiates the main action of the story and often overcomes a flaw, such as weakness or ignorance, to achieve a new understanding by the work’s end. A protagonist who acts with great honor or courage may be called a ​hero​. An ​antihero​ is a protagonist lacking these qualities. Instead of being dignified, brave, idealistic, or purposeful, the antihero may be cowardly, self­interested, or weak. The protagonist’s journey is enriched by encounters with characters who hold differing beliefs. Is Montag a simple protagonist or does he qualify as a hero or antihero? What supports your opinion in the story? Discuss briefly with your natural partner and be prepared to share with the class. One such character type, a ​foil​, has traits that contrast with the protagonist’s and highlight important features of the main character’s personality. The most important foil, the ​antagonist​, opposes the protagonist, barring or complicating his or her success. ● Captain Beatty​, the fire chief, is a key foil and a historian of sorts. While Montag once followed Beatty’s values, he now resists Beatty’s commitment to burning books. ● Meanwhile, ​Faber​ represents a musty, academic link to the past. ● Clarisse McClellan​, a teenager, longs for the romantic days of front porches and rocking chairs, complaining, “we never ask questions.” ● Mildred​, the model citizen, attempts suicide while living in a world enchanted by television. With your assigned group, examine the role of​ foils​ in the ​Fahrenheit 451​. Review the novel and look for occasions when your character (Mildred, Clarisse, Faber, or Beatty) brings out dramatic responses from Montag. One group member is the recorder. Each other member must provide at least one example from the text. How does the character lead Montag toward self­realization? How does Montag’s relationship to the character change? Be prepared to present your conclusions to the class, ​using specific textual support. .
Recommended publications
  • On Morals, Fictions, and Genres
    On Morals, Fictions, and Genres by Shen-yi Liao A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Philosophy) in The University of Michigan 2011 Doctoral Committee: Professor Kendall L. Walton, Chair Professor Daniel Jacobson Associate Professor Sarah Buss Assistant Professor Sekhar Chandra Sripada c Shen-yi Liao 2011 All Rights Reserved ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS To start, I would like to thank the members of my committee, whose incisive feedback and patient guidance made this dissertation possible. Ken Walton sparked my interest in aesthetics and guided this project from the very beginning. The influence of his thoughtful criticisms can be seen on nearly every page. Sarah Buss has been a source of constant encouragement and her attention to detail greatly improved this work. Dan Jacobson consistently provided invaluable comments on this work and equally invaluable advice on navigating academia. Chandra Sripada served as an exemplary model for integrating empirical methods into philosophical inquiry. I also owe much gratitude to all others who have contributed to the finished dissertation and my growth as a philosopher. In particular, although their names do not appear on the cover page, Tamar Gendler, Shaun Nichols, and Andy Egan more than deserve the title of unofficial committee members. Each of them had a tremendous impact on the way I think about the topics covered in this dissertation, and more importantly, the way I think as a philosopher. In addition, Lina Jansson taught me much about scientific explanation and Nina Strohminger taught me much about experimental design and statistical analysis. Other members of the Michigan philosophical community deserve thanks.
    [Show full text]
  • The Low-Status Character in Shakespeare's Comedies Linda St
    Western Kentucky University TopSCHOLAR® Masters Theses & Specialist Projects Graduate School 5-1-1973 The Low-Status Character in Shakespeare's Comedies Linda St. Clair Western Kentucky University Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses Part of the English Language and Literature Commons Recommended Citation St. Clair, Linda, "The Low-Status Character in Shakespeare's Comedies" (1973). Masters Theses & Specialist Projects. Paper 1028. http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/1028 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by TopSCHOLAR®. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses & Specialist Projects by an authorized administrator of TopSCHOLAR®. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ARCHIVES THE LOW-STATUS CHARACTER IN SHAKESPEAREf S CCiiEDIES A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Department of English Western Kentucky University Bov/ling Green, Kentucky In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts Linda Abbott St. Clair May, 1973 THE LOW-STATUS CHARACTER IN SHAKESPEARE'S COMEDIES APPROVED >///!}<•/ -J?/ /f?3\ (Date) a D TfV OfThesis / A, ^ of the Grafduate School ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS With gratitude I express my appreciation to Dr. Addie Milliard who gave so generously of her time and knowledge to aid me in this study. My thanks also go to Dr. Nancy Davis and Dr. v.'ill Fridy, both of whom painstakingly read my first draft, offering invaluable suggestions for improvement. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii INTRODUCTION 1 THE EARLY COMEDIES 8 THE MIDDLE COMEDIES 35 THE LATER COMEDIES 8? CONCLUSION 106 BIBLIOGRAPHY Ill iv INTRODUCTION Just as the audience which viewed Shakespeare's plays was a diverse group made of all social classes, so are the characters which Shakespeare created.
    [Show full text]
  • The Importance of Being Earnest Noah | Meliha Grbic’ | Mia Klopfenstein | Geneve Lau the Meeting of Cecily & Gwendolen
    The Importance of Being Earnest Noah | Meliha Grbic’ | Mia Klopfenstein | Geneve Lau The Meeting of Cecily & Gwendolen Click ↯ https://www.youtube.com/wat ch?v=1Yvb25Ypvhw&t=137s Let’s Talk! stock conflict? satire? characters? dramatic irony? foreshadowing? Convention 1 : Foil Algernon and Jack ★ Older/younger sibling ★ Jack: more responsible, compassionate ○ “For Heaven’s sake, don’t try to be cynical. It’s perfectly easy to be cynical.” ○ “My dear Algy, I don’t know whether you will be able to understand my real motives. You are hardly serious enough.” ★ Algernon: frivolous, less responsible, aesthetically concerned ○ “If I am occasionally over-dressed, I make up for it by being immensely over-educated” (1292-1293) ○ Cucumber sandwich situation Convention 1 : Foil Gwendolen and Cecily ★ Urban/Country life ★ Similarities: both love Ernest, diary, ★ Gwendolen: sophisticated, polished ○ “Gwendolen: [Satirically.] I am glad to say that I have never seen a spade. It is obvious that our social spheres have been widely different.” (II. 297-229) ★ Cecily: simple, witty and charming ○ “Gwendolen: Five counties! I don’t think I should like that; I hate crowds. ○ Cecily: [Sweetly] I suppose that is why you live in town? [Gwendolen bites her lip, and beats her foot nervously with her parasol.] Convention 2 : Denouement ★ Bunburying conflict climaxes in the garden, Resolution occurs in the house ★ Cecily and Gwendolen swear to remain distant to Jack and Algernon ○ However, Gwendolen makes the first move: “Mr. Worthing, I have something very particular to ask you” (1891-1892). ○ Characterization of Gwendolen and Cecily lends itself to a fast resolution ★ Gwendolen and Cecily are immediately content with the bunburying explanations ○ “Gwendolen: ...Their explanations appear to be quite satisfactory.../ Cecily: I am more than content…” (1913-1915) ★ Jack reveals Algernon’s deception to Lady Bracknell → She doesn’t care ○ Condones the marriage of Algernon and Cecily.
    [Show full text]
  • Green Acres School Reading Suggestions for 5Th Or 6Th Graders Updated June 2019
    Green Acres School Reading Suggestions for 5th or 6th Graders Updated June 2019 (The books recommended below are part of the Green Acres Library collection. Reading levels and interests vary greatly, so you may want to look also at Reading Suggestions for 4th Graders and Reading Suggestions for 7th/8th Graders.) This list includes: • Fiction • Poetry and Short Stories • Biography and Memoir • Other Nonfiction Graphic books are denoted with the symbol. Fiction Alice, Alex; transl. by Castle In the Stars: The Space Race of 1869 Anne Smith and Owen Smith. "In … this lavishly illustrated graphic novel, Alex Alice delivers a historical fantasy adventure set in a world where man journeyed into space in 1869, not 1969.” Graphic steampunk/Historical fantasy. (Publisher) Appelt, Kathi and Alison McGhee. Maybe a Fox “A fox kit born with a deep spiritual connection to a rural Vermont legend has a special bond with 11-year-old Jules.” Fantasy. (Kirkus Reviews) Avi. The Unexpected Life of Oliver Cromwell Pitts “A 12-year-old boy is left to fend for himself in 18th-century England following a terrible storm and the disappearance of his father… Impossible to put down.” Historical fiction. (Kirkus Reviews) Bauer, Joan. Soar "Sports, friendship, tragedy, and a love connection are all wrapped up in one heartwarming, page-turning story. …This coming-of-age tale features a boy who is courageous and witty; readers—baseball fans or otherwise—will cheer on Jeremiah and this team. The latest middle grade novel from this award-winning author is triumphant and moving." Fiction. (School Library Journal) Beckhorn, Susan.
    [Show full text]
  • Glossary of Literary Terms
    Glossary of Critical Terms for Prose Adapted from “LitWeb,” The Norton Introduction to Literature Study Space http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/litweb10/glossary/C.aspx Action Any event or series of events depicted in a literary work; an event may be verbal as well as physical, so that speaking or telling a story within the story may be an event. Allusion A brief, often implicit and indirect reference within a literary text to something outside the text, whether another text (e.g. the Bible, a myth, another literary work, a painting, or a piece of music) or any imaginary or historical person, place, or thing. Ambiguity When we are involved in interpretation—figuring out what different elements in a story “mean”—we are responding to a work’s ambiguity. This means that the work is open to several simultaneous interpretations. Language, especially when manipulated artistically, can communicate more than one meaning, encouraging our interpretations. Antagonist A character or a nonhuman force that opposes, or is in conflict with, the protagonist. Anticlimax An event or series of events usually at the end of a narrative that contrast with the tension building up before. Antihero A protagonist who is in one way or another the very opposite of a traditional hero. Instead of being courageous and determined, for instance, an antihero might be timid, hypersensitive, and indecisive to the point of paralysis. Antiheroes are especially common in modern literary works. Archetype A character, ritual, symbol, or plot pattern that recurs in the myth and literature of many cultures; examples include the scapegoat or trickster (character type), the rite of passage (ritual), and the quest or descent into the underworld (plot pattern).
    [Show full text]
  • Romeo and Juliet Tragedy and Tragic Heroes
    ROMEO AND JULIET TRAGEDY AND TRAGIC HEROES Tragedy (as a type of drama) is not concerned with the act of violence in the play but with what the act of violence says about life. Tragedy deals with profound and universal problems: a person’s destiny, the nature of good and evil, a person’s relations with forces greater than him/herself, consequences of individual actions. The tragic hero is an admirable character but s/he has a flaw (known as a tragic flaw), an imperfection that links him/her to us (makes them seem like normal humans rather than heroic). THE TRAGIC HERO ❑ Usually is a positive and active protagonist (the good character (pro=good/for) as opposed to the antagonist (anti=against/bad) who is the bad character, who usually causes the problems for the protagonist) caught up in a sharp conflict with opposing forces. ❑ In the main conflict or struggle for the tragic hero, s/he suffers greatly, moving from good fortune to misfortune. ❑ The struggle is usually spiritual or ethical. ❑ Tragic actions arise from inner conflicts that test the hero’s integrity. ❑ Death may overtake the protagonist, but usually s/he is spiritually triumphant. DIFFERENT VIEWS OF LOVE EXIST IN THE PLAY Juliet: Prior to meeting Romeo, Juliet’s attitude toward love is one of modesty and lack of comprehension. After she meets Romeo, she allows the passion of love to consume her, but she remains practical and strong. Romeo: His love for Rosaline consists of his melancholy at being rejected by one who refuses to love at all; his passion for Juliet is fully developed when he is able share his love and passion with one who is willing to accept love.
    [Show full text]
  • ELEMENTS of FICTION – NARRATOR / NARRATIVE VOICE Fundamental Literary Terms That Indentify Components of Narratives “Fiction
    Dr. Hallett ELEMENTS OF FICTION – NARRATOR / NARRATIVE VOICE Fundamental Literary Terms that Indentify Components of Narratives “Fiction” is defined as any imaginative re-creation of life in prose narrative form. All fiction is a falsehood of sorts because it relates events that never actually happened to people (characters) who never existed, at least not in the manner portrayed in the stories. However, fiction writers aim at creating “legitimate untruths,” since they seek to demonstrate meaningful insights into the human condition. Therefore, fiction is “untrue” in the absolute sense, but true in the universal sense. Critical Thinking – analysis of any work of literature – requires a thorough investigation of the “who, where, when, what, why, etc.” of the work. Narrator / Narrative Voice Guiding Question: Who is telling the story? …What is the … Narrative Point of View is the perspective from which the events in the story are observed and recounted. To determine the point of view, identify who is telling the story, that is, the viewer through whose eyes the readers see the action (the narrator). Consider these aspects: A. Pronoun p-o-v: First (I, We)/Second (You)/Third Person narrator (He, She, It, They] B. Narrator’s degree of Omniscience [Full, Limited, Partial, None]* C. Narrator’s degree of Objectivity [Complete, None, Some (Editorial?), Ironic]* D. Narrator’s “Un/Reliability” * The Third Person (therefore, apparently Objective) Totally Omniscient (fly-on-the-wall) Narrator is the classic narrative point of view through which a disembodied narrative voice (not that of a participant in the events) knows everything (omniscient) recounts the events, introduces the characters, reports dialogue and thoughts, and all details.
    [Show full text]
  • The Amazon Rainforest of Pre-Modern Literature: Ethics, Values, and Ideals from the Past for Our Future
    humanities Editorial The Amazon Rainforest of Pre-Modern Literature: Ethics, Values, and Ideals from the Past for Our Future. With a Focus on Aristotle and Heinrich Kaufringer Albrecht Classen Department of German Studies, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; [email protected] Received: 3 December 2019; Accepted: 18 December 2019; Published: 24 December 2019 Abstract: The tensions between the STEM fields and the Humanities are artificial and might be the result of nothing but political and financial competition. In essence, all scholars explore their topics in a critical fashion, relying on the principles of verification and falsification. Most important proves to be the notion of the laboratory, the storehouse of experiences, ideas, imagination, experiments. For that reason, here the metaphor of the Amazon rainforest is used to illustrate where the common denominators for scientists and scholars rest. Without that vast field of experiences from the past the future cannot be built. The focus here is based on the human condition and its reliance on ethical ideals as already developed by Aristotle. In fact, neither science nor humanities-based research are possible without ethics. Moreover, as illustrated by the case of one of the stories by Heinrich Kaufringer (ca. 1400), human conditions have always been precarious, contingent, puzzling, and fragile, especially if ethics do not inform the individual’s actions. Pre-modern literature is here identified as an ‘Amazon rainforest’ that only waits to be explored for future needs. Keywords: Amazon rainforest as laboratory; pre-modern literature; Aristotle; Heinrich Kaufringer; ethics; STEM; Humanities; STEAM; STEAHM Even though research on the pre-modern world has been well established for a very long time, globally speaking there is a steady decline in interest especially in history (Brookins 2016).
    [Show full text]
  • Unit #2: “Ambitious Love”
    Unit EQ How can the reading of and response to literature help us find a connection between a culture and its individuals? Unit Title: Unit #2: “Ambitious Love” Grade: British Literature – 12th grade Unit Overview Time Frame: 4 - 5 weeks Emphasis: The Renaissance As they read and study various selections of British literature, students will discuss and write about Big Ideas: cultural influences and characterization, analysis of text, universal themes that reflect cultures and various composition, discourse other influences on characters. CONTENT MAP Themes: Standard • Ambition Level of Learning • Struggle with psychological and Genres: Addressed supernatural forces. Drama LSV 2:II Generating. • Courtly Love Poetry (sonnets) Integrating, • Metaphysical Essays Evaluation • Spiritual RL1:I d-f Analysis, • Physical Generating, • Passage of time and death Integrating, • Love Evaluation RL1:III Analysis, Generating, Integrating, AMBITION Evaluation & RL1:IV Analysis, Generating, LOVE Integrating, Elements of Writing: Evaluation Classical Literary Rhetorical question RL2 Analysis, Elements Syllogism Generating • Tragic hero Aesthetic effect Integrating, • Catharsis Parallel structure Evaluation • Empathy Analogies RL4:b-g • Climax Evaluation • Conflict Enduring Understandings (Concepts/Big Ideas) Essential Questions Students will understand that… 1.classical tragedy is based on Aristotle’s “Poetics.” 1. How is the culture of a time period reflected in literature? 2.accomplished writers use a variety of tools to convey 2. How can I share my understanding of poetry and drama? meaning. 3. How do these literary periods differ from the Anglo- 3.literature is influenced by the cultures and society of the Saxon and Middle Ages? time period in which they are written. 4. How can a writer used literary devices for effectiveness? 4.through open dialogue, readers discover any given piece of literature can be interpreted in numerous ways.
    [Show full text]
  • The Forms of Historical Fiction
    The Forms of Historical Fiction The Forms of Historical Fiction Sir Walter Scott and His Successors By Harry E. Shaw CiD Cornell University Press · Ithaca and London Open access edition funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities/ Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Humanities Open Book Program. This book has been published with the aid of a grant from the Hull Memorial Publication Fund of Cornell University. Copyright © 1983 by Cornell University All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book, or parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher. For information, address Cornell University Press, Sage House, 512 East State Street, Ithaca, New York 14850, or visit our website at cornellpress.cornell.edu. First published 1983 by Cornell University Press Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Shaw, Harry E., 1946– The forms of historical fi ction : Sir Walter Scott and his successors. Includes index. 1. Scott, Walter, Sir, 1771–1832—Criticism and interpretation. 2. Scott, Walter, Sir, 1771–1832—Infl uence. 3. Historical fi ction. I. Title. PR5343.H5S5 1983 823'.17 83-5354 ISBN-13: 978-0-8014-1592-0 (cloth) — ISBN-13: 978-1-5017-2326-1 (pbk.) The text of this book is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ Cover illustration: Portrait of Sir Walter Scott by Sir Henry Raeburn, reproduced by permission of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh. FOR }UDY JENSVOLD Contents PREFACE 9 A NOTE ON CITATIONS OF SCOTT'S WORKS 15 I.
    [Show full text]
  • Hybrid Genre and Character Representation: Noir, Fantasy, and Fantasy Noir In
    Hybrid Genre and Character Representation: Noir, Fantasy, and Fantasy Noir in Constantine, Pushing Daisies, and The Dresden Files by Brielle Campos Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in the English Program YOUNGSTOWN STATE UNIVERSITY May 2016 Hybrid Genre and Character Representation: Noir, Fantasy, and Fantasy Noir in Constantine, Pushing Daisies, and The Dresden Files Brielle Campos I hereby release this thesis to the public. I understand that this thesis will be made available from the OhioLINK ETD Center and the Maag Library Circulation Desk for public access. I also authorize the University or other individuals to make copies of this thesis as needed for scholarly research. Signature: Brielle Campos, Student Date Approvals: Dr. Laura Beadling, Thesis Advisor Date Dr. Dolores Sisco, Committee Member Date Dr. Linda Strom, Committee Member Date Dr. Salvatore A. Sanders, Dean of Graduate Studies Date ABSTRACT Genre is an important part of the television industry, as it helps both producers market their texts and consumers better interpret the television they consume. By combining genres, producers can create new stories and more dynamic characters to please audiences. A recent combination that has come into being is fantasy noir. Such examples of this genre are Pushing Daisies, Constantine, and The Dresden Files. These shows take recognizable elements from both genres and meld them together to create a stronger story. While the general population does not support texts such as Pushing Daisies, Constantine, or The Dresden Files, the fans who do have found something that they can be highly dedicated to.
    [Show full text]
  • BARD BASICS an OVERVIEW of SHAKESPEARE and HIS WORLD Bard Basics & Background Findley
    BARD BASICS AN OVERVIEW OF SHAKESPEARE AND HIS WORLD Bard Basics & Background Findley A LOOK AT THE ELIZABETHAN STAGE IN 1576, A CARPENTER NAMED JAMES BURBAGE BUILT THE FIRST THEATRE IN ENGLAND, WHICH HE CALLED, SIMPLY, THE THEATRE, THE FIRST TIME THE WORD WAS USED TO A BUILDING SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR THE STAGING OF PLAYS. UP TO THIS TIME, PLAYS HAD BEEN PERFORMED IN INN YARDS AND BEARBAITING ARENAS. FOLLOWING SEVERAL YEARS OF COM- PLAINTS AND PROBLEMS WITH LANDLORDS AND OBJECTIONS TO THE RAU- COUS CROWDS, THE THEATRE WAS DISMANTLED AND ITS TIMBER FERRIED ACROSS THE THAMES TO BE USED TO BUILD A THEATRE THAT WOULD COME TO BE KNOWN AS THE GLOBE. IT IS HERE THAT SHAKESPEARE MADE HIS HOME, HIS FORTUNE, AND HIS NAME AS A GREAT PLAYWRIGHT. GLOBE FACTS: • The playhouse may have had as many as twenty sides, giving it a circular appearance • It was an open-air theatre that held about three thousand spectators • Performances were given every day but Sunday, and plays ran from two to five in the afternoon, so that sunlight wouldnʼt bother the audience and the players. • Since the London council considered play-going immoral, they prohibited city managers from advertising. Managers triumphed over this by raising a flag before the performance: black signified tragedy; white, comedy; and red, history. • As people entered the theatre they would drop their admission into a box (hence box office). Ticket prices depended on the location of the seat, or lack of one. Spectators could sit on cushions with the gentry in the cockpit or stand elbow-to-elbow with the mob in the back.
    [Show full text]