Week 1: Mark Twain's 'The Private History of a Campaign that Failed' and 'The War Prayer'

"the War Prayer": What is the Narrator's attitude towards the speech he reports hearing early in the story? Why would the narrator likely feel the way that you surmise? In what ways does this story defeat our expectations of a story about "The War"

The narrator feels the speech was wrong and pointless, viewing war as an opportunity for honor and glory. The story challenges the expectation of being a tale about the positives of war, instead highlighting the wrongness of wishing violence on others.

Defeat of expectations

The story challenges the expectation of being a tale about the positives of war, instead highlighting the wrongness of wishing violence on others.

Pivotal event

The death of an unknown man, leading to the narrator's remorse and guilt, causing a shift in their perspective on war.

Exploration of patriotism

The story explores how easy it is to be swept up in patriotism, but upon witnessing the violence and devastation of war, many no longer support what they once did.

Thesis of 'The War Prayer'

The importance of humanizing the other side of our actions, emphasizing the consequences of praying for success and glory in war.

Response to 'The War Prayer'

The story evokes a realization of the power of actions on others, emphasizing the need to understand and change perspectives.

Realism in 'The Real Thing'

The story suggests that our perceptions and expectations can affect what we consider to be reality, emphasizing the meaning of 'real' in art and life.

Irony of the Monarchs

The Monarchs struggle to relate to normal people, attempting to be 'the real' thing despite not being rich, while Miss Chirm is willing and able to be someone she is not.

Difficulties in pursuit of reality

The story suggests difficulties in creatively illustrating reality in writing, as well as the discomfort and loss of creativity caused by actual, real transformations.

American story in 'The Real Thing'

The story reflects the American can-do spirit and the struggle to keep up the American dream, with characters working hard for everything they get.

Oronte

Represents the idea of an improvised Italian immigrant representing an English gentleman, challenging views of culture categories.

The Real Thing

Art is about the illusion of reality, not necessarily the real thing, emphasizing perception over actuality and its relation to commerce.

Realism

Promoted by William Dean Howells in America, emphasizing accurate portrayal of speech and behavior, no idealized characters, situations, or settings, and no art for art's sake.

Socialism

Influential in realism, along with theories of Karl Marx and Charles Darwin, emphasizing deterministic views and the impact of increasing capital and industry in growing cities.

Emancipated African Americans

Position after the war revealed through the encounter between Julius McAdoo and the northern couple, showing the northerners' superiority complex and the relationship between freedom and power.

The Yellow Wallpaper

A horror story depicting a woman's descent into madness due to her lack of freedom and rights, serving as a realist literature and a political allegory with significant symbols.

Double-consciousness

Suggested by 'The Yellow Wallpaper,' as W. E. B. Dubois described, reflecting the internal conflict experienced by subordinated groups in an oppressive society.

Sympathy

A poem suggesting human nature's desire for freedom and the consequences of misjudging appearances, exemplified by a caged bird resorting to violence.

The Open Boat

Critique of class divisions and the subtle brotherhood formed for survival, highlighting the necessity of sacrifice and unity in dire circumstances.

Teleology

The study of design or purpose in natural phenomena, relevant to the story's theme of the fight with nature and the desire for rational explanations.

The Dynamo and the Virgin

Adams sees the Virgin Mary and the electric dynamo as analogous forces, associating European art and history with the Virgin and American art and history with the dynamo.

Force of Women

Adams suggests that America's shift from traditional ideals led to the marginalization of women, resulting in a largely sexless American art and literature.

Historian's Business

Adams emphasizes the importance of following the track of energy in history, understanding its origins and consequences to avoid repeating mistakes.

Reform of Education

Adams would advocate for a focus on history and the prevention of repeating mistakes, especially with the increasing access to public education for women and minorities.

Mrs. Spring Fragrance

Negotiates between the expectations of Chinese and American traditionalists, critiquing both cultures and exercising power and influence despite being caught between patriarchal traditions.

Winnemucca's narrative

Autobiography analyzing the rhetorical situation and intended audience.

Patriarchal cultures

Societies where men hold power and women are marginalized.

Piute women's role

Valued in Piute culture, fighting for rights and teaming up with white women.

Claude McKay's poetry

Descriptive, sensory, and portrays hardships.

Robert Frost's 'The Wood Pile'

Reflective poem about solitude, not loneliness.

Zitkala-Sa's cultural changes

Forced changes at missionary school, including language acquisition.

Washington's metaphor of separate fingers

Illustrates the need for different races to work together for prosperity.

Langston Hughes' river theme

Symbolizes resilience and strength in adversity.

Glaspell's 'Trifles'

Women's empathy leads to discovering clues and forming theories.

Mrs. Hale's remark

Reflects women's self-imposed guilt and societal pressure.

American literature debate

Discussing the relationship between art and politics in the 1920s and 1930s.

Death of a Salesman's theme

Explores the impact of the American dream on the Loman family.

Willy's hallucinations

Represent the mythic past interfering with current reality.

Ben's jungle story

Illustrates the contrasting realities of the American dream.

Linda in 'Death of a Salesman'

Supportive but sacrificing, holding the family together.

Willy's tragic end

Result of societal pressures and his own bitterness.

Reality vs. perception

Comparison of Henry James' 'The Real Thing' and Miller's 'Death of a Salesman.'

Individuals and surrounding systems

Comparison of Henry Adams' 'The Dynamo and the Virgin' and 'Death of a Salesman.'

American Dream (Biff)

Original concept of happiness, now overshadowed by material success

Utilitarian Terms

Sacrificing individuals for the greater good of society or economy

Civic Responsibility

Active participation in community and economy, regardless of job status

Self-awareness (Willy vs. Prufrock)

Willy lacks awareness, while Prufrock overthinks and fears failure

Toxic Masculinity (Skyes)

Feeling threatened by female success, cheating, and abusive behavior

Babylon Revisited (Paris)

Paris symbolizes excess and moral decay, contrasting protagonist's changes

Losses in the Boom

Gained material wealth but lost family, self-control, and morals

Justice in 'The Chrysanthemums' and 'Sweat'

Lack of legal and moral justice, need for societal reform

Objective Correlative (T.S. Eliot)

Passionate anger against societal suppression and loss of potential contributions

Beats' Discontent with 1950s Prosperity

Rejecting materialism, conformity, and standardization

Radicality of Beat Writers' Texts

Still radical due to original intent to shock and provoke reaction

Erotic Response to Violence (Baldwin)

Linking violence and sexual acts, leading to obsession and fetishization

Jesse's Reaction to Protestors

Lack of empathy, dehumanization, and obsession with violent control