American Literature Week Fifteen－Wrap-up (1820-1865) & Overview (1865-1914)

A. Wrap-Up Package Including Whitman, Allan Poe, and Dickinson (from 1820-1865)
a. Walt Whitman
(a) His Leaves of Grass was regarded as pornography when it was published initially.
(b) In his works, he always used alliteration in "O" and "A" as the expression of his emotions.
b. Edgar Allan Poe
(a) Introduction of The Masque of Red Death (text)-- The story follows Prince Prospero's attempts to avoid a dangerous plague known as the Red Death by hiding in his abbey. In the midst of their revelry, a mysterious figure disguised as a Red Death victim enters and makes his way through each of the rooms. Prospero dies after confronting this stranger, whose "costume" proves to have nothing tangible inside it; the guests also die in turn.
* "Plague" is a popular theme in many literary works. It is the best motivation for people to do something due to their fear. e.g. The Decameron
** Carnival of Venice (Mask Festival) is originated from the period of Black Death. The plague would make people's face distorted so they have to wear masks for covering their faces up. 

 Carnival of Venice

c. Emily Dickinson (and Book Discussion)
(a) 479 [712] "Because I could not stop for Death" (poem) --on P.1207

"We passed the School, where Children strove

At Recess – in the Ring –

We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –

We passed the Setting Sun –

Or rather – He passed Us –

The Dews drew quivering and Chill –

For only Gossamer, my Gown –

My Tippet – only Tulle –

We paused before a House that seemed

A Swelling of the Ground –

The Roof was scarcely visible –

The Cornice – in the Ground –"

* When the due day of death is coming, people will die naturally. (Christians can't suicide.)

** The red words represent four stages in a person's life.

>> School-- It means when people are in their childhood.

>> Gazing Grain-- It means when people grow up and get mature more and more.

>> Setting Sun-- It means when people are in their old ages and ready to face death.

>> Swelling of the Ground-- It means when people are having their eternal sleep under the ground. 

*** There are the meaning of playground and commitment within the Ring. 

(b) 260 [288] "I'm Nobody! Who are you?" (poem) -- on P.1197

"I'm nobody! Who are you?

Are you nobody, too?

Then there's a pair of us -- don't tell!

They'd banish -- you know!

How dreary to be somebody!

How public like a frog

To tell one's name the livelong day

To an admiring bog! "

* It would make Odysseus comes up to reader's mind. After Odysseus wandered on the sea for twenty years, he lost all his self-confidence.    

 Odysseus gor attacked

(c) 591 [465] "I heard a Fly Buzz- when I died-" (poem) --on P.1207

"I heard a Fly buzz - when I died -

The Stillness in the Room

Was like the Stillness in the Air -

Between the Heaves of Storm -

The Eyes around – had wrung them dry –

     And Breaths were gathering firm

     For that last Onset – when the King

     Be witnessed – in the Room –

I willed my Keepsakes - Signed away

What portion of me be

Assignable - and then it was

There interposed a Fly -

With Blue - uncertain - stumbling Buzz -

Between the light - and me -

And then the Windows failed - and then

I could not see to see -"

* It's a poem which is talking about the fear to death or a virgin's first night.

** Storm-- Christians believe that they will head to a light within a whirl wind after they died.

>> This story is recorded in Book of Job. 

>> Job was the most righteous person on earth so he had to face the trial as others' scape-goat (or the concept of Chosen People). He was so brilliant that he could suffer for all of us; on the other hand, after all the suffering, he got double payback. 

*** "Firm" is used to describe the mood of surrounding.

**** "The King" represents the God.

***** "Keepsakes"-- Brother's Keeper (Cain's quotation)and Air 

>> Cain and Abel -- Cain is described as a crop farmer and his younger brother Abel as a shepherd. Cain was the first human born and Abel was the first human to die. Cain committed the first murder by killing his brother. Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother, Abel?" "I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?"

Am I my brother's keeper?

****** "Window failed" means closing eyes and eternal sleep.  

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B. Overview 1865-1914 (Including Mark Twain and Henry James) 
a. Mark Twain

(a) He represents the point of view of the people in the lower Socialeconomic Status.
(b) He used many "wrong" words to portray the different tones and their dialects.
* 童年是心中永遠的一首歌─導讀馬克•吐溫的《湯姆歷險記》-- Dr. T. Sara Sun
    《湯姆歷險記》的確擁有許多兒童文學經典的共通特質：諸如爭取小讀者認同的孩童主角(child protagonist)、弱勢族群的集結以挑戰權威、領導統禦與兄弟情誼、追求夢想與冒險等暢銷元素。
     馬克•吐溫用拼音(如spoil卻念成spile)、口說文字(如ain't doing)和節構破碎的語句(run-on sentences)，加上常張冠李戴的經典諺語和自以為是的真理格言，還有三不五時就捧出來的聖經名言，絮絮叨叨的波麗阿姨下里巴人的氣質於是躍然紙上。馬克•吐溫還小心刻意地在書中虛構的聖彼德堡，以口音與措辭區分出窮人與富人、黑人與白人的對話口吻。
(c) Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (text)
* It is a piece which was written by Colloquial Language.
** He used the first person's (Huck) point of view to describe the story.

>> Tom persuades Huck to go back to their original life. -- on P.1464

           

                        "THE first time I catched Tom private I asked him what was his idea..."

" 'No, he hain't,' Tom says; 'it's all there yet--six thousand dollars and more; and your pap hain't ever been back since. Hadn't when I come away, anyhow.'

Jim says, kind of solemn:

'He ain't a-comin' back no mo', Huck.'

I says:

'Why, Jim?'

'Nemmine why, Huck--but he ain't comin' back no mo.' "

b. Henry James
(a) He represents the people in the upper Socialeconomic Status.
(b) He always took his nanny and tutor to travel around the UK and Europe. He naturalized as a British eventually.
(c) His female student-- Edith Wharton, the author of The Age of Innocence

 Henry and Edith

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C. Extra News- I'll Ride With You (BBC News)
As a gunman holds people hostage in a cafe in Sydney, thousands of messages of support have been posted online for Muslims in Australia who are afraid of an Islamophobic backlash. Thousands of people have now joined the spontaneous campaign, offering to meet Muslim people at their local stations and to ride with them on their journey.