Hi folks,
Hope you're feeling good about today's test. I look forward to reading your work.
This is just a small reminder that as we did not get to Octavia Butler last week we will be discussing her writing, in Norton, on Wednesday. Our last two classes will focus on Jeanette Winterson's novel, Written on the Body. Have a good day.
Best,
Trish
Monday, March 30, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Study words?
Hello all,
I missed last monday's class (due to a job interview out of town), which was when the study words for the in-class exam were given out. I have not been able to acquire the list of words to study --could someone help me out by posting them here?
Thank you so much...!!!!
Hazel
I missed last monday's class (due to a job interview out of town), which was when the study words for the in-class exam were given out. I have not been able to acquire the list of words to study --could someone help me out by posting them here?
Thank you so much...!!!!
Hazel
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Thoughts on Wide Sargasso Sea
I had not blogged in quite a while, and there were several interesting discussion topics that came up in Wednesday’s class that I wanted to address with some of my own interpretations.
Among the topics discussed, I thought that the question of names was an intriguing one. I liked how Mr. Rochester is not given a name in Rhys’ novel, for two reasons. One reason is that, by being nameless, Rochester becomes a completely different character from the one portrayed in Jane Eyre. Essentially, he is not Rochester at all, but a confused man in a foreign land who is both completely entranced yet oddly repulsed by Antoinette, the woman he will marry. His descriptions of what he sees and how he feels towards Antoinette is that of an outsider trying to make himself comfortable with the unknown, all the while knowing that this will probably be impossible.
The other reason it was a nice touch to take out “Mr. Rochester” was because, in doing so, the novel no longer needs to be compared to Jane Eyre. It is its own entity, and critics have even mentioned that a reader does not need to have read Jane Eyre in order to appreciate Wide Sargasso Sea. It is not a prequel; it is a different angle. With Rochester left nameless, the story of Antoinette can be told, as though she always had a story and was not a nameless character herself to begin with.
Still on the subject of names (the last comment, I promise), the fact that Antoinette and her mother Annette have such similar names goes back to what was mentioned in class, how Antoinette seems to be haunted by her mother’s destiny. As much as Antoinette wants to escape the talk and the slander that has been said about her mother, she cannot hide from it once it becomes the main problem within her marriage. If I remember correctly, it is after Rochester receives Daniel Cosway’s letter about Antoinette and her mother that he begins calling her Bertha, a name he enjoys and prefers. I read this as Antoinette’s ties to her mother being cut purposely by Rochester himself, as a way to be rid of the madness once and for all. By changing his wife’s name completely, Rochester might believe that Annette’s supposed curse could not touch them. This might be a very far-fetched interpretation, but it was something that came to my mind when I looked it over after class.
I would comment more on other elements mentioned, but I’m afraid I have already written too much for this one blog. I may return and comment again next week on the notion of the land in gothic novels as its own character, for it is another subject that greatly interested me.
- Stephanie
Among the topics discussed, I thought that the question of names was an intriguing one. I liked how Mr. Rochester is not given a name in Rhys’ novel, for two reasons. One reason is that, by being nameless, Rochester becomes a completely different character from the one portrayed in Jane Eyre. Essentially, he is not Rochester at all, but a confused man in a foreign land who is both completely entranced yet oddly repulsed by Antoinette, the woman he will marry. His descriptions of what he sees and how he feels towards Antoinette is that of an outsider trying to make himself comfortable with the unknown, all the while knowing that this will probably be impossible.
The other reason it was a nice touch to take out “Mr. Rochester” was because, in doing so, the novel no longer needs to be compared to Jane Eyre. It is its own entity, and critics have even mentioned that a reader does not need to have read Jane Eyre in order to appreciate Wide Sargasso Sea. It is not a prequel; it is a different angle. With Rochester left nameless, the story of Antoinette can be told, as though she always had a story and was not a nameless character herself to begin with.
Still on the subject of names (the last comment, I promise), the fact that Antoinette and her mother Annette have such similar names goes back to what was mentioned in class, how Antoinette seems to be haunted by her mother’s destiny. As much as Antoinette wants to escape the talk and the slander that has been said about her mother, she cannot hide from it once it becomes the main problem within her marriage. If I remember correctly, it is after Rochester receives Daniel Cosway’s letter about Antoinette and her mother that he begins calling her Bertha, a name he enjoys and prefers. I read this as Antoinette’s ties to her mother being cut purposely by Rochester himself, as a way to be rid of the madness once and for all. By changing his wife’s name completely, Rochester might believe that Annette’s supposed curse could not touch them. This might be a very far-fetched interpretation, but it was something that came to my mind when I looked it over after class.
I would comment more on other elements mentioned, but I’m afraid I have already written too much for this one blog. I may return and comment again next week on the notion of the land in gothic novels as its own character, for it is another subject that greatly interested me.
- Stephanie
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Re: Term Paper
*** Sorry for any confusion, I contact Prof. Salah, and I had just not heard that the term paper was pushed back. ***
I am just checking for general consensus....
The online blog says that the term paper isn't due until the 8th of April and is expected to be twelve pages long, but the hard copy of the syllabus, handed out in the first week, states that the paper is due Monday, and is expected to be 15 pages.
To the class/prof - Which of these is being upheld as the due date? Are those of you who read this already done your paper and ready to hand it in on Monday??
Hope to hear from someone!
Cassandra
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Study Buddies?
EXAM - 12 days and counting!
With the in-class final looming, I want to see if anyone/everyone would be interested in getting together to review some of the material. With critical definitions & identification questions I find the more heads, the better; a study group may also be a great way to fill in the gaps from any classes you may have missed.
If you are keen on the idea, just email me at jessica.r.young@gmail.com and we can organize a couple of times to get together. With the right number of people we can even get a study room at the library - PERKS!
Have a good weekend All,
Jess
Monday, March 16, 2009
Illicit Verb, this Wednesday Night.
Hi folks,
I want to invite you all to come out to the Green Room this Wednesday, March 18th, for ILLICIT VERB.
Poets Sina Queyras (Expressway, Lemon Hound), Lisa Robertson (Lisa Robertson's Magenta Soul Whip, Occasional Work and Seven Walks from the Office for Soft Architecture) and Matthew Tierney (The Hayflick Limit, Full Speed through the Morning Dark) will launch their brand-new books with short readings, and host Erín Moure will lead a short, interactive Q&A with the audience.
Sina Queyras -- the Concordia professor, Lambda Literary Award winner and noted literary blogger (lemonhound.blogspot.com), will launch Expressway, a new collection that uses the modes of the Romantic poets to explore the world of modern transportation and mobility. Check out the trailer for Expressway at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui9Qw_RtWRk
Lisa Robertson -- the Governor General's Award nominee and frequent cross-genre collaborator visits from San Francisco to launch Lisa Robertson's Magenta Soul Whip, a new book of previously uncollected poems, essays, drafts, reports, treatises and laments. Toronto's Eye Weekly calls it an 'exuberant, saucy approach to the materiality of language and vice versa.'
Matthew Tierney -- Toronto poet and This Magazine Great Canadian Literary Hunt winner will launch The Hayflick Limit, a new collection that concerns itself with the boundaries of the cosmic and subatomic, and covers subjects as varied as black holes and Warner Bros. cartoons, murky market economies, murkier quantum laws, Vincent Price, Molotov cocktails, seedless grapes, Area 51 and competing Theories of Everything.
Illicit Verb
launching books by Sina Queyras, Lisa Robertson and Matthew Tierney
hosted by Erín Moure
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
The Green Room, 5386 St. Laurent
8:00 p.m.
Free
Books will be on sale from Concordia Community Solidarity Co-op Bookstore.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
The Link's Annual Women's Issue on stands now!
Hi everyone.
The Link's 30th annual Women's special issue is currently on stands on both campuses. Here's a look at some of the top stories:
Introduction:
http://thelinknewspaper.com/articles/1053
Dr. Roberta Bondar speaks with The Link about being Canada's first woman astronaut.
http://thelinknewspaper.com/articles/1057
Going deep with The Vagina Monologues at Concordia:
http://thelinknewspaper.com/articles/1059
What wave are we, anyway? An analysis of Fourth Wave Feminism:
http://thelinknewspaper.com/articles/1050
Concordia students make ends meet making money as chat hostesses:
http://thelinknewspaper.com/articles/1046
Women's empowerment is the key to ending poverty in Africa, claims the Campaign for Female Education:
http://thelinknewspaper.com/articles/1045
Edgy Women performance festival:
http://thelinknewspaper.com/articles/1049
Women and Islam, and why TV gets it all wrong:
http://thelinknewspaper.com/articles/1060
Thanks to everyone who submitted!
Christopher Olson
Women's Issue Coordinator
The Link's 30th annual Women's special issue is currently on stands on both campuses. Here's a look at some of the top stories:
Introduction:
http://thelinknewspaper.com/articles/1053
Dr. Roberta Bondar speaks with The Link about being Canada's first woman astronaut.
http://thelinknewspaper.com/articles/1057
Going deep with The Vagina Monologues at Concordia:
http://thelinknewspaper.com/articles/1059
What wave are we, anyway? An analysis of Fourth Wave Feminism:
http://thelinknewspaper.com/articles/1050
Concordia students make ends meet making money as chat hostesses:
http://thelinknewspaper.com/articles/1046
Women's empowerment is the key to ending poverty in Africa, claims the Campaign for Female Education:
http://thelinknewspaper.com/articles/1045
Edgy Women performance festival:
http://thelinknewspaper.com/articles/1049
Women and Islam, and why TV gets it all wrong:
http://thelinknewspaper.com/articles/1060
Thanks to everyone who submitted!
Christopher Olson
Women's Issue Coordinator
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