Wednesday, 17 December 2008
The Library of Babble-On
Check out another Sawtry Community College Blog site. This blog gives readers the chance to review books they have read, and contains lots of good advice from our own Mr Davies.
Tuesday, 9 December 2008
bit of rob's cw...
Heres the first bit, thought it would be easier than printing when we can make use of this fantastic resource!!lol
In writing ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’, author Margaret Atwood explores the character’s identity, one which is formed by social and personal extremes. She provides a 1st person narrative insight in turn providing the reader with an intimate connection with the characters in a similar way that Kazuo Ishiguro does in ‘Never Let Me Go’. There is a notable difference between the two though in the female narrative being portrayed through male and female writers.
Atwood’s novel shows her exploiting the effect of the female stream of consciousness through the fast paced almost erratic 1st person narrative. ‘Offred’, our main character, provides the reader with a very intimate portrayal of her identity which is not only formed by her personal actions but also by the strict, controlled society which she is placed in. These intimate insights are achieved by a certain combination of the character’s main thoughts in the present situation with memories from the past which dominate so extensively in her narration. It becomes quite difficult to distinguish between the two as they follow one another in close proximity. This is prevalent in chapter 14: “We wait, the clock hall ticks, Serena lights another cigarette…”, this continues and almost merges into the next paragraph where she recalls a memory which at first seems part of the scene in the hall: “It’s Saturday morning…I’m wearing my shining name”. The way in which both events are on a Saturday morning and take place in a car shows a correlation between the two and some reasoning can be gained as to why the mixture of past and present is set forth by Atwood. This illustrates Offred’s erratic mind and thoughts which can be attributed to the society in which she lives; a constant, controlled deprivation of democracy and freedom.
There is also the notion that, as the novel is written by a female and the narrator is a woman, this style of erratic conversation in unstructured narration can be attributed to the stream of consciousness which can define the difference between male and female narration. This female form can be seen in its historical context in 'Ulysses' by James Joyce where he writes as a woman in order to exemplify the female stream of consciousness. Within, he writes in a constant flow mirroring his thoughts with no punctuation or structure: "let me see if i can dose off 12345 what kind of flowers are those they invented like the stars the wallpaper in Lombard street was much nicer". A male writer is historically more structured than a females' as is seen in Ishiguros' novel. Here however, a male author explores the female style of narrative.
Ishiguro also provides a stream of consciousness for the reader to follow, there is however more of a sense of time, growing up and more in the world, with the attribute of structure not seen in 'The Handmaid's Tale. Atwood’s novel is somewhat enclosed in comparison and merely seems a snapshot has been taken out of a period in Offred’s life. The author of ‘Never Let Me Go’ works hard to create a sense of the characters lives through the eyes of the character herself (Kathy) who provides the reader with what seems the truth and as if she is confiding in us. There is however a problem with this form of narration in that ‘Kathy’s' perspective may be restricted by her own subjectivity, she only tells us what she wants to hear, which begs the truth as to whether she is reliable as a narrator in the novel. . For instance, back at the cottages, Kathy may not have told us things she had done with Tommy, things which the reader believes doesn’t happen until he’s a donor. There is a revelation where she confesses that she used to have the sudden urges for sex with anyone, and he too confirms he was the same, perhaps to comfort her a little or the actual truth. If Kathy is acting as an unreliable narrator, the reader may question how the entire plot between them has developed if they had already had sex at the cottages. It would have perhaps turned out different in that they may have become donors together, and been together. It is however Ishiguro’s entire point in the novel in that the society in which the clones reside is one which forces them to develop without any need or want of affection or even acknowledgement of it. They are built solely for a purpose, and that purpose is not to fulfil their lives but to fulfil society's order.
As an author, women have been very much absent from the literary scene up until the times of Jane Austen in the early 19th century. They existed as playwrights but had not yet dared to publish a novel which would be accessible to so many people with their critique and shunning. This is misleading however as many female writers found a way of publishing their work under male pseudonyms as the Bronte Sisters did for example. Women were very much seen as inferior beings and not capable of being allowed their own independence which would arise from publishing books and gaining interest and status from the public. Women's writings reflected their world of existence; a female voice concerned with the feminine universe. This prompts the notion that Atwood's narrative is in many ways a modern reflection of this literary heritage, or more so a firm defiance of it.
Both novels show a very plain and casual view over sex or, as is more appropriate in 'The Handmaid's tale': baby-making. This is perhaps done by the authors in order to truly illustrate a society whose population has lost all ability and its privilege to love and be loved in order that they focus on their job: surrogate mothers and cloned donors. The 1st person narrative is what drives this notion forward to the reader with a very personal and honest viewpoint from the character/narrator.In Atwood's novel, every reference to sexuality illustrates the lack of passion and instead pure essence of a process. The description of Offred's dress style as "long and concealing" shows the societies handling of how handmaids should be seen; inferior but ultimately necessary whilst all handmaids should be seen as equal and indifferent so to remove sexuality and passion. There is perhaps a link to religion here in the style of women's presentation and purpose. The Muslim society is very similar to the Gilead one as Muslim women are very much forbidden from revealing too much of their skin, long and concealing dresses and head garments must be worn where only the eyes are to be seen purely for their purpose to see. This strict governing of women in the Muslim society is very much to do with women and what could be described as their powers of seduction. It is believed women should not be allowed to tempt men as they will bring his downfall. Their is also a very prominent view of commitment between man and wife and her duty to him even though he may have several wives and lack his commitment to his wife. This is perhaps the very stance Atwood takes on women in society in her novel. Men are the superior, even though the vast majority of them (commanders) are becoming sterile as many of the wives of them are already.
In writing ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’, author Margaret Atwood explores the character’s identity, one which is formed by social and personal extremes. She provides a 1st person narrative insight in turn providing the reader with an intimate connection with the characters in a similar way that Kazuo Ishiguro does in ‘Never Let Me Go’. There is a notable difference between the two though in the female narrative being portrayed through male and female writers.
Atwood’s novel shows her exploiting the effect of the female stream of consciousness through the fast paced almost erratic 1st person narrative. ‘Offred’, our main character, provides the reader with a very intimate portrayal of her identity which is not only formed by her personal actions but also by the strict, controlled society which she is placed in. These intimate insights are achieved by a certain combination of the character’s main thoughts in the present situation with memories from the past which dominate so extensively in her narration. It becomes quite difficult to distinguish between the two as they follow one another in close proximity. This is prevalent in chapter 14: “We wait, the clock hall ticks, Serena lights another cigarette…”, this continues and almost merges into the next paragraph where she recalls a memory which at first seems part of the scene in the hall: “It’s Saturday morning…I’m wearing my shining name”. The way in which both events are on a Saturday morning and take place in a car shows a correlation between the two and some reasoning can be gained as to why the mixture of past and present is set forth by Atwood. This illustrates Offred’s erratic mind and thoughts which can be attributed to the society in which she lives; a constant, controlled deprivation of democracy and freedom.
There is also the notion that, as the novel is written by a female and the narrator is a woman, this style of erratic conversation in unstructured narration can be attributed to the stream of consciousness which can define the difference between male and female narration. This female form can be seen in its historical context in 'Ulysses' by James Joyce where he writes as a woman in order to exemplify the female stream of consciousness. Within, he writes in a constant flow mirroring his thoughts with no punctuation or structure: "let me see if i can dose off 12345 what kind of flowers are those they invented like the stars the wallpaper in Lombard street was much nicer". A male writer is historically more structured than a females' as is seen in Ishiguros' novel. Here however, a male author explores the female style of narrative.
Ishiguro also provides a stream of consciousness for the reader to follow, there is however more of a sense of time, growing up and more in the world, with the attribute of structure not seen in 'The Handmaid's Tale. Atwood’s novel is somewhat enclosed in comparison and merely seems a snapshot has been taken out of a period in Offred’s life. The author of ‘Never Let Me Go’ works hard to create a sense of the characters lives through the eyes of the character herself (Kathy) who provides the reader with what seems the truth and as if she is confiding in us. There is however a problem with this form of narration in that ‘Kathy’s' perspective may be restricted by her own subjectivity, she only tells us what she wants to hear, which begs the truth as to whether she is reliable as a narrator in the novel. . For instance, back at the cottages, Kathy may not have told us things she had done with Tommy, things which the reader believes doesn’t happen until he’s a donor. There is a revelation where she confesses that she used to have the sudden urges for sex with anyone, and he too confirms he was the same, perhaps to comfort her a little or the actual truth. If Kathy is acting as an unreliable narrator, the reader may question how the entire plot between them has developed if they had already had sex at the cottages. It would have perhaps turned out different in that they may have become donors together, and been together. It is however Ishiguro’s entire point in the novel in that the society in which the clones reside is one which forces them to develop without any need or want of affection or even acknowledgement of it. They are built solely for a purpose, and that purpose is not to fulfil their lives but to fulfil society's order.
As an author, women have been very much absent from the literary scene up until the times of Jane Austen in the early 19th century. They existed as playwrights but had not yet dared to publish a novel which would be accessible to so many people with their critique and shunning. This is misleading however as many female writers found a way of publishing their work under male pseudonyms as the Bronte Sisters did for example. Women were very much seen as inferior beings and not capable of being allowed their own independence which would arise from publishing books and gaining interest and status from the public. Women's writings reflected their world of existence; a female voice concerned with the feminine universe. This prompts the notion that Atwood's narrative is in many ways a modern reflection of this literary heritage, or more so a firm defiance of it.
Both novels show a very plain and casual view over sex or, as is more appropriate in 'The Handmaid's tale': baby-making. This is perhaps done by the authors in order to truly illustrate a society whose population has lost all ability and its privilege to love and be loved in order that they focus on their job: surrogate mothers and cloned donors. The 1st person narrative is what drives this notion forward to the reader with a very personal and honest viewpoint from the character/narrator.In Atwood's novel, every reference to sexuality illustrates the lack of passion and instead pure essence of a process. The description of Offred's dress style as "long and concealing" shows the societies handling of how handmaids should be seen; inferior but ultimately necessary whilst all handmaids should be seen as equal and indifferent so to remove sexuality and passion. There is perhaps a link to religion here in the style of women's presentation and purpose. The Muslim society is very similar to the Gilead one as Muslim women are very much forbidden from revealing too much of their skin, long and concealing dresses and head garments must be worn where only the eyes are to be seen purely for their purpose to see. This strict governing of women in the Muslim society is very much to do with women and what could be described as their powers of seduction. It is believed women should not be allowed to tempt men as they will bring his downfall. Their is also a very prominent view of commitment between man and wife and her duty to him even though he may have several wives and lack his commitment to his wife. This is perhaps the very stance Atwood takes on women in society in her novel. Men are the superior, even though the vast majority of them (commanders) are becoming sterile as many of the wives of them are already.
Tuesday, 2 December 2008
Post about Opera
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2003/mar/22/classicalmusicandopera.fiction
It does have some useful information - well I think so anyway...
It does have some useful information - well I think so anyway...
Some useful links for your coursework
New York Times site on Atwood:
http://partners.nytimes.com/books/00/09/03/specials/atwood.html
Biblical links in 'The Handmaid's Tale'
http://www.heliweb.de/telic/breuer.htm
Further reading;
http://www.enotes.com/contemporary-literary-criticism/handmaid-s-tale-margaret-atwood/further-reading
Reviews on Ishiguro:
http://www.metacritic.com/books/authors/ishigurokazuo/neverletmego
http://partners.nytimes.com/books/00/09/03/specials/atwood.html
Biblical links in 'The Handmaid's Tale'
http://www.heliweb.de/telic/breuer.htm
Further reading;
http://www.enotes.com/contemporary-literary-criticism/handmaid-s-tale-margaret-atwood/further-reading
Reviews on Ishiguro:
http://www.metacritic.com/books/authors/ishigurokazuo/neverletmego
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