prose study guide

revelation author

falnnery o’conner

signs and symbols author

vladimir nabokov

the sons veto author

thomas hardy

brownies author

zz packer

the rocking horse winner author

dh lawrence

the prince author

niccolo machiavelli

cry, the beloved country author

alan paton

4 reasons to study greek culture

1. often first

2. been influential

3. window into world of christ

4. often best

how did the environment shape greek culture

1. bounty of natural resources and deficit of others

2. mountains hampered a single nation-state

3. sea connected the culture

4. mediterranean triad: grain, grapes, olives

5. average greek was a small scale farmer

what kind of greek was the new testament written in

kione greek

10 distinctions of greek mythology

1. many gods

2. gods resemble humans

3. gods are morally flaws

4. fate often controls events

5. heroes occupy a central role

6. nature is explained through myths

7. gods interact directly with humans

8. violence and conflict are common

9. pride (hubris) leads to dowfall

10. no clear distinction between good and evil

principles derived from greek mythology

pride leads to destruction, actions have consequences, human beings seek meaning and order, people recognize moral failures even without biblical revelation

greek flood story

gods sent a flood destroy humanity and saved Deucalion and Pyrrha

3 reasons greek myths are important

1. influenced Western literature and art

2. integral to Greek culture, which in turn was integral to our culture

3. object lessons in morality

parable

teaches truth through realistic human situations

fable

usually talking animals or objects

machialvellen

manipulative, deceptive, willing to do unethical things to gain power

characteristics of machiavellis philosophy

political success is more important than morality, better to be feared than loved

arguments against maciavelli

no morality, dishonesty, short-term success creates long term success

dh lawrence characteristics

1. salvation of modern civilization lies in free expression of emotions and in true personal relationships, espcailly those of man and women in love

2. wealth and privlege are often seen as corrupting influences or impediments to true hearts’ desires

3. rocking horse combines fable, fantasy, and fairytale

4. opedial complex: mothers love thats impossible to please

theme of the rocking horse

materialism and greed destroy families, destructive pursuit of wealth

thomas hardy characteristics

pessimistic outlook, social criticism, conflict between individual society

theme of brownies

predjudice and racial misunderstanding, dangers of stereotypes

4 views of literature hardy resisted

1. literature as politics

2. literature as morality lessons

3. literature as sociology

4. literature as a simple reason

7 characteristics of nabokov

1. fond of parady

2. fond of coincidence

3. professor as protagonist

4. deep detail

5. fond of patterning

6. plays with conventions and expections in literature. -metafiction

7. frequent theme of paranormal

metafiction

draws attention to itself as fiction

referntial mania

the son’s belief that everything in the world refers specifically to him

flannery o’conner

the most famous short story writer of the 20th century

2 distinctive qualities of flannery o’connery

grotesque characters, violent or shocking moments leading to revelation

cognitive estrangement

making familiar things seem strange so readers see them differently

criticism o’connor recieved

excessive violence, grotesque characters, difficult religious symbolism

titihoya

a bird appears early descriptions of land symbolizes broken condition of south africa and environmental and spiritual decay

4 distinctions of patons style

1. biblical language and rhythms

2. repetition

3. simple, direct prose

4. lyrical and poetic descriptions

xenoglossia

use of foreign language words or expressions within a text

2 themes of cry of the beloved country

racial reconciliation, sin forgiveness and restoration

ethos of cry of the beloved country

compassion, forgivness, christian love, reconciliatinoo

patons lesson in cry of the beloved country

fear hatred and injustice destroy societies