"Abhorred monster! Fiend that thou art!"
Victor is calling the monster a fiend here. Sure it's a lame insult to start with but that's not the ironic part. The ironic part is that he is the one who created him and is now calling him "abhorred" that's ridiculous! it[s fault in the first place! Oh well, beyond that I do feel bad for the monster. I think everyone does. He really gets the short end of the stick. He didn't choose to come into the world and just because he's trying to learn how to live because Victor abandoned him doesn't mean he should suffer. I don't know, I have a feeling he'll be the one either saving Victor and Victor realizes he;s a nice monster or he'll kill Victor unknowingly.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Irony
"Learn from me...how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow." -page 31
This quote is very ironic. Who would think that knowledge leads to unhappiness? Although then again there is the old saying (although maybe not older than this book) that ignorance is bliss. This also advocates not knowing the true realm of the world. It instead promotes simply knowing your own town to be the world. Interesting. In this time period it would have been much easier to be like this though. Not knowing the whole world is tough in today's world. I feel like Americans shut out the rest of the wold better than everyone else. Well or worse than everyone else depending on which way you look at it. We tend to focus on affairs here at home and we are a fairly happy nation so maybe there is some truth to this idea.
This quote is very ironic. Who would think that knowledge leads to unhappiness? Although then again there is the old saying (although maybe not older than this book) that ignorance is bliss. This also advocates not knowing the true realm of the world. It instead promotes simply knowing your own town to be the world. Interesting. In this time period it would have been much easier to be like this though. Not knowing the whole world is tough in today's world. I feel like Americans shut out the rest of the wold better than everyone else. Well or worse than everyone else depending on which way you look at it. We tend to focus on affairs here at home and we are a fairly happy nation so maybe there is some truth to this idea.
Responsibility
Be calm! I intreat you to hear me, before you give vent to your hatred on my devoted head."
Ok I just want to reflect a little on whats happened and what I think is strange about it. Victor created the monster and doesn't seem to feel like he has any responsibility in keeping it under control. It seemed like he made it then just left his house and hoped it was gone when he got back. How can he do that? I think its amazing the thing survived. Obviously it wouldn't be a very good book if it hadn't but I just feel like there's something missing there. How did it survive if it was basically like a toddler at best when it was "born?"
Ok I just want to reflect a little on whats happened and what I think is strange about it. Victor created the monster and doesn't seem to feel like he has any responsibility in keeping it under control. It seemed like he made it then just left his house and hoped it was gone when he got back. How can he do that? I think its amazing the thing survived. Obviously it wouldn't be a very good book if it hadn't but I just feel like there's something missing there. How did it survive if it was basically like a toddler at best when it was "born?"
Letters
I really like the letters. I think it's an interesting way to start the story and it gives you the same perspective that Margaret Saville had when she read them (hypothetically speaking of course).
"What may not be expected in a country of eternal light?"
Ok I'll admit, I didn't exactly come up with this quote completely on my own. I was talking to my aunt, an English teacher, about this book and she told me to pay attention to when they mention light. I figured this is a perfect example of that and when I asked her what was so important about this quote she told me it has to do with theme and a commonality between Frankenstein and Walton. She wouldn't tell me anymore but I see what she means. They both thirst for knowledge and not just learn from others but to discover. Frankenstein creates a monster out of nothing and Walton is in search of what makes the needle point north. Interesting how they parallel each other and how this quote demonstrates Waltons search for answers using the metaphor of light.
"What may not be expected in a country of eternal light?"
Ok I'll admit, I didn't exactly come up with this quote completely on my own. I was talking to my aunt, an English teacher, about this book and she told me to pay attention to when they mention light. I figured this is a perfect example of that and when I asked her what was so important about this quote she told me it has to do with theme and a commonality between Frankenstein and Walton. She wouldn't tell me anymore but I see what she means. They both thirst for knowledge and not just learn from others but to discover. Frankenstein creates a monster out of nothing and Walton is in search of what makes the needle point north. Interesting how they parallel each other and how this quote demonstrates Waltons search for answers using the metaphor of light.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
100th Blog!
First off I want to recognize that this is my hundredth blog. I'm not really sure how to feel about that since I'm fairly certain that you (Mr. Costello) are the only one who even skims my blogs and now I've written a hundred of them, kind of depressing really.
Anyway, 1984, crazy book. I thought it was. . .interesting. The idea, especially in 1948 is crazy and perplexing. However, I don't think a world like this is possible in today's society. It seems like there is no way that with the internet it would ever be possible to control people in this extreme of a manner. I think that the revolts in Egypt show this very clearly on a smaller scale. The people were suffering from the governments overwhelming control and due to the ability to unite online they revolted and overturned the government.
I do think that the quote near the end is interesting "He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother." You can see just how brain washed he is. He thinks that loving big brother despite his previous feelings towards him is a victory and that is kind of sickening until you realize, oh yeah its a book. I did like the ending though, it was the only way it could really end legitimately in my opinion.
Anyway, 1984, crazy book. I thought it was. . .interesting. The idea, especially in 1948 is crazy and perplexing. However, I don't think a world like this is possible in today's society. It seems like there is no way that with the internet it would ever be possible to control people in this extreme of a manner. I think that the revolts in Egypt show this very clearly on a smaller scale. The people were suffering from the governments overwhelming control and due to the ability to unite online they revolted and overturned the government.
I do think that the quote near the end is interesting "He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother." You can see just how brain washed he is. He thinks that loving big brother despite his previous feelings towards him is a victory and that is kind of sickening until you realize, oh yeah its a book. I did like the ending though, it was the only way it could really end legitimately in my opinion.
Foreshadowing!
"'Are you guilty?' said Winston.
'Of course I'm guilty!' cried Parsons with a servile glance at the telescreen. 'You don't think the Party would arrest an innocent man, do you?'" -page 233
This quote shows us just a glance about what is to become of Winston. At the time both Winston and the reader (for the most part) is unaware that this man could very well be innocent and just brainwashed by the party. He thinks that it is simply ludicrous that anyone would question the rightness of the party even though we can only assume that is exactly what Parsons did to get caught in the first place. In fact, at the time Parsons probably knew full and well that the party didn't like whatever it was he was doing but in his own conscience saw nothing wrong with it. Woah! That's exactly like Winston! So basically I think this quick little chat between Parsons and Winston is a bit of a preview of what Winston is to become!
'Of course I'm guilty!' cried Parsons with a servile glance at the telescreen. 'You don't think the Party would arrest an innocent man, do you?'" -page 233
This quote shows us just a glance about what is to become of Winston. At the time both Winston and the reader (for the most part) is unaware that this man could very well be innocent and just brainwashed by the party. He thinks that it is simply ludicrous that anyone would question the rightness of the party even though we can only assume that is exactly what Parsons did to get caught in the first place. In fact, at the time Parsons probably knew full and well that the party didn't like whatever it was he was doing but in his own conscience saw nothing wrong with it. Woah! That's exactly like Winston! So basically I think this quick little chat between Parsons and Winston is a bit of a preview of what Winston is to become!
Characterization
"O'Brien's manner became less severe. He resettled his spectacles thoughtfully, and took a pace or two up and down. When he spoke, his voice was gentle and patient." page 245
This quote provides some characterization of O'Brien. Who I didn't feel like we really knew a whole lot before we learned he would be the one torturing Winston. This scene comes right after O'Brien questions Winston for the first time. Overall Winston seems like a pushover. Although who isn't? O'Brien even caves in the end and with all of the influence from Big Brother who can blame them? I do think that O'Brien must be pretty smart. He had Winston convinced they were friends and now, without so much as the twitch of an eyebrow he is torturing him! I mean this guy really keeps work at work!
This quote provides some characterization of O'Brien. Who I didn't feel like we really knew a whole lot before we learned he would be the one torturing Winston. This scene comes right after O'Brien questions Winston for the first time. Overall Winston seems like a pushover. Although who isn't? O'Brien even caves in the end and with all of the influence from Big Brother who can blame them? I do think that O'Brien must be pretty smart. He had Winston convinced they were friends and now, without so much as the twitch of an eyebrow he is torturing him! I mean this guy really keeps work at work!
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