Jane Austen is well-known for her witty dialogue, back-and-forth banter between characters, and free-indirect discourse; yet, Persuasion is a complete departure from all of her previous works. Persuasion is a more ‘adult’ novel, with the female protagonist as a 27-year-old unmarried woman. Her once betrothed, whom she denied due to his lack of wealth and societal stature after persuaded by her aunt, has returned to her life seven years later. The lack of dialogue that ensues between these two characters throughout the majority of the novel creates a level of excruciating passion and anticipation that is palpable, and unmatched in any other work by Austen. Focusing on the sensory capabilities of the two characters creates a sensual environment where the body remains in the foreground. When reviewing Austen’s breach from the traditional overload of dialogue and new reliance on body language, the power of perception and keen sensual prowess, do we in fact have a more ‘adult’ geared book, matching her own age, and possible longing for more sensuality, and less games?
I would compare Austen's previous works to this novel to get a better sense of what has changed in terms of story mechanics.
– BMartin437 years ago
Consider how mythology-based stories that articulate the hero’s journey are presented in classical literature. Compare and contrast this with present day literary genres and how older and more modern texts can impact upon a person’s everyday life. Some contemporary examples could include: The Lord of the Rings; The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe; Harry Potter; and His Dark Materials.
I think a great example of this is Shakespeare's The Tempest. The story of the island that Prospero has brought Miranda and shipwrecked his enemies, contains many modern tropes. Jealousy, betrayal, romance, etc. There are themes of colonialism, and also ones of man vs nature (similar to Tolkien's work). As far as modernism, it was a response to the enlightenment and Romanticism. As a response to those things, it focused on freedom of the individual. I would suggest that anyone writing on this topic, go and read Kant's "Critique of the Power of Judgement", Plato's The Republic and read a romantic novel such as Pride and Prejudice. Then take modern works and see how they could be a response to some of these works. – Richard Krauss7 years ago
Modernism and Myth do go hand in hand with a strong portion of creative mediums such as: Art; Literature; Film; etc. Another good example would be the bible, as many stories have derived from it. – SerWilde7 years ago
I love the general concept of this idea! – Sarah7 years ago
Compare and contrast the Other/Alien and the Human. What is a human? Is there such a thing as a "superior race"? Texts to consider: Ursula Le Guin’s "The Left Hand of Darkness", China Mieville’s "Embassytown" and A. E. van Vogt’s "Black Destroyer".
I have been taking a science fiction literature course at Uni and I feel that a great novel to discuss is the War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells and the discussion that the "other" are those who were under the thumbs of the British military during resource wars. The novel comments on cultural atrocities committed by the British Empire and the demonization of many countries, in order to rule them and replenish the Empire's need for resources. The novel uses Martians that invade Britain and relentlessly attack the human race in order to take over. That's all I can say without spoiling it but if you need any notes please let me know. – Esme947 years ago
What picture does Steinbeck draw for us in The Grapes of Wrath of the world in terms of God’s place in it, nature, human nature, and the artifices in place before the Great Depression and the artifices that needed to be changed in response to the Great Depression?
Significant to note that during the roaring twenties the free market and business enterprise were deified via the re-emergence of Adam Smith's theories and the rise of social Darwinism. This free-market, laissez-faire ideology was severly problematized by the events of the Depression-era. – Jonathan Judd7 years ago
From constructing his own languages to developing the universum of Middle Earth, J. R. R. Tolkien has left its mark on the literary world, as well as the field of linguistics. It might be interesting to look at how much his work has influenced the fantasy genre. How does Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit compare to newer conceptions like e.g. Game of Thrones? What elements of Tolkien’s work carried on to other fantasy narratives?
Another interesting aspect to this topic could be to compare the mythologies underlying Tolkien's work and other more contemporary mythology-based fantasy fiction novels - particularly those that articulate the hero's journey. – Toula7 years ago
Analyze how children’s literature has changed over the years to be more inclusive and to have strong female protagonists. One example of this theme is The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munch.
This is an interesting topic. I cannot say I am familiar with many strong female protagonists in children's literature other than The Paper Bag Princess. That goes to show there should be more – Riccio8 years ago
You could start with Jo in Little Women and Anne in Anne of Green Gables plus Pippi Longstocking and Ramona and Beezus. – Munjeera8 years ago
It's stupid to have male heroes only since men are stronger than women, as a group, but not the dragons, etc., that are so often slain in children's literature. This father of two female dragon slayers says, "Great topic." – Tigey8 years ago
Look at Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen"--in that story, the little girl, Gerda, is the one who embarks on the dangerous journey to save the boy, Kay. Also, some of George McDonald's fairytales feature interesting female protagonists, as does Oscar Wilde's "The Canterville Ghost." – Allie Dawson8 years ago
Don't forget Hansel and Gretel, wherein Gretel is the one who ultimately defeats the witch. Feminism is a lot older than we think. Some other great examples of feminism in children's lit:
1. Amazing Grace (can't remember the author right now): Grace, a young black girl, is determined to get the lead in her class' production of Peter Pan, although her classmates say a black girl can't play the role.
2. Homecoming (Cynthia Voigt): Dicey Tillerman, 13, takes over the role of mother and leads her 4 siblings to a new home after their mentally ill mother disappears.
3. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle (Avi): Charlotte, a young girl growing up in the 1830s, becomes a crew member on the Seahawk during a voyage from England to America, and helps put down a ruthless captain.
4. Dear America and American Girl books: many of these have strong female protagonists. Focus on Julie, Kit, and Felicity for particular AG examples. – Stephanie M.8 years ago
Also, try Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. – Munjeera8 years ago
Discuss the history of books, moving from paperback to online. Consider what kind of options these new online books give people, and explore your own preference as to physical paperback books or books online, on your phone, or on an e-reader. Also reflect on how this industry can expand- can/will it? Will we ever see the end of paperback books, or is that, at the end of the day, what we will always return to?
I was completely against e-readers until I witnessed how quickly I could have a book in the palm of my hands. No matter the time, within seconds, the book was mine to relish--and that is how I personally became hooked on the e-reader. Do I still buy paperbacks, of course! The Strand Bookstore in NYC is my favorite place (especially the $1 vendors located outside the store!!) and I will never cease visiting this treasure trove of books that are impossible t find at the big name book sellers. Another plus about e-readers is the ability to search a word or phrase. In mere seconds, you can see how many times a word was used throughout the novel, or find the quote your professor was referring to that you forgot to mark off in your paperback. Personally, I find it much easier to read from print books, and I do feel I absorb more information. As a previous graduate student, I would also buy the ebook to look up information in a quick fashion when writing papers. Also, with things such as kindle unlimited for $8.99, a month, an e-reader is the way to go. $9 a month, and you can read 30 books in a month, if you choose?! – danielle5778 years ago
To danielle577, I love your passion! I truly wish I could say I feel the same way, though. I really do. E-books are so easy, and the question of e-reader vs. print has been present in my mind for years now. There's something to the palpability of paper that I can't be without. Maybe mine is the emotional argument, where yours makes the most sense and has the most benefits! And for the record, thanks for your love of the Strand. I'm a fellow New Yorker and the Strand is truly wonderful. It's a shame that type of book culture isn't too common anymore. – elroddavid7 years ago
I feel that the best way to resolve the preference for paper or digital is to combine both into one product. For instance, keep the pages but incorporate the digital technology into the book front and rear cover, which are usually thicker than the pages anyway. This would give readers the best of both worlds, for the time being until another way of delivering content is reinvented. – L:Freire6 years ago
The plot of Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland is both confusing and simple: a child, in what is said to be a dream, encounters and creates havoc in an alternate world. However, the meaning of the story has changed drastically over time. While some works (ex. Tim Burton’s Through the Looking Glass or The Matrix) use the original story as a metaphor for fighting social and governmental oppression, many others, from the recurrent use of the name Alice for mentally unstable/institutionalized characters (ex. Twilight) to the discussion of drug/alcohol issues (Even in music, ex. Shinedown’s Her Name is Alice) see in the tale a darker message. In both cases, these interpretations at first glance seem far removed from the story of a sleeping child. How have the connotations of the story changed over time, and are these changes reflective of the work’s audience, the cynicism of the era the audience lives in, both, neither, etc.? Alternatively, since we know that fighting social norms was once considered a sign of insanity, are the various connotations actually conflicting, or are they in any way interconnected? In short, it would be interesting to take a closer look at the various legacies of Alice in Wonderland, dark and positive, and determine which have persisted over time and why. What do they say about the work, and what do they say about us?
I wonder if the book and movie Still Alice would fit here? It's probably a coincidence that the protagonist's name is Alice, but from what I understand, Alzheimer's can make you feel like you're falling down a rabbit hole. Whoever writes the topic might also want to look into Finding Alice, author Melody Carlson. It's a Christian-based novel but not overtly so. The protagonist, raised in a fundamentalist home, develops schizophrenia in college. She uses allusions to Alice in Wonderland, as well as appropriate descriptions, metaphors, and so on while going through the journey of mental illness. – Stephanie M.8 years ago
I actually had "finding Alice" in mind while writing this topic but couldn't remember the title and author, so indeed it would definitely be something to think about. Also, another work that the writer could look into is Resident Evil, though I'm not very familiar with it, since many of the elements (character called Alice, security system called Red Queen) reference the work [Note: This is about the movie, I'm not sure how different it is from the games]. I don't know if this falls into the first category of fighting oppression (I thing the games are about fighting a corporation), the second, or if it opens up new avenues of interpretation/legacies, but it could add to the writer's analysis to look into it. – Rina Arsen8 years ago
The video games "American McGee's Alice" and "Alice: Madness Returns" are excellent samples to study when exploring the mentally unstable Alice route. – KennethC8 years ago
There's also a short TV series called Alice very ''dark'' that maybe can help you or TV series ''Once Upon A Time in Wonderland''. The connotations have change with the contexts and the different theories that come up everyday thanks to the historical criticism. Regarding to fighting social norms as a sign of insanity, I'm not very sure if I have understood your question, but personally believe that either before nor now is interconnected to insanity as social norms are created to destroy our freedom as we can read in Foucault and his bio-politics or Betham's panopticon. Could you reformulate you question? – barbarapetidier7 years ago
@barbarapetidier I would, but I'm not sure which part you are confused about. When I speak of fighting social norms as being a sign of insanity, I'm talking about the 18th, 19th and 20th century (depending on the country we are talking about) when people who defied social norms were often ostracized, arrested or locked up in psychiatric hospitals (take for instance prostitutes, homosexual people, radicals, sexually active women, etc.). Standing outside social boundaries or pushing against them used to be treated as a medical/mental condition. I'm pretty sure Foucault does talk about it, so I think you might understand what I'm referring to? He's the one who points out that even today, social deviance is medicalized. In any case, just let me know how you feel I should change my question and I will – Rina Arsen7 years ago
