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Introduction to Literature

Introduction to Literature. Introduction: -- Functions of Literature (1): Narrative -- “The Sound Collector” -- “ 20/20 ” 2015/9/17. Outline. Functions of Literature (1) Let’s Start with an episode of a Text: The Sound Collector 1 st Viewing: Plot, Character

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Introduction to Literature

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  1. Introduction to Literature Introduction: -- Functions of Literature (1): Narrative -- “The Sound Collector” -- “20/20” 2015/9/17

  2. Outline • Functions of Literature (1) • Let’s Start with an episode of a Text: The Sound Collector • 1st Viewing: Plot, Character • (2nd Viewing): Image, Form and Content • Elements of a Narrative • Reading “20/20” –Group Discussion • Quiz and Course Introduction

  3. What is Literature? Artistic Representation of Life Fiction Drama Poetry

  4. Why Literature? (1) Stories of our own and others -- interesting ways of understanding the world!

  5. Let’s Start with a Text: The Sound Collector (Lynn Smith; 1982) While you watch the film: pay attention to its

  6. While you watch it . . . The Beginning • What do you get from the beginning? What do you expect to see after watching the title & the beginning? • 1. Adults’ voices: Two women chatted about the weather, that it was going to rain. Also, one marveled at the hat the other bought on sale. 2. Nature’s sound+ Adults’ voices: With the bee we get into the room, and hear the father coughing.

  7. Let’s analyze it . . .Two Brothers • Have you noticed any conflicts or contrasts? • e.g. -- the relations between the two brothers; --the contrast between the kids and the adults. • Two brothers: The older brother (Seymour) complained about the younger, Leonard, that he was a dreamer, and he always followed him around. • Seymour: finds his brother a nuisance; Leonard, more imaginative

  8. Structure . . .and its Turning Point. • When does the ‘action’ begin? Seymour, the older brother, could not go out, so he is forced to play with Leonard. Leonard says that he collects sounds, but Seymour does not believe in him. • Leonard starts to imagine different things with the sounds he hears: “Hey, Listen to that.” • Seymour: “take a hike” (go away); "Leonard, cut it out.“ -- Mother: “Matt, the window” • “You can hear the ocean inside.”

  9. Is Leonard a nuisance? Leonard’s Imagination • Father’s rocking chair: Robber with squeaky shoes coming around the corner • Sounds from a seashell: A story about the submarine, a shipwreck, … --Seymour gets a bit interested. • A guy fishing • (mother’s dropping pots and pans) Fished up old pots and pans, --mocking Leo

  10. The Working of Imagination • “A suit of armor”  a story • Toaster  Castle • Father ‘s gargling dragon, flying Monster guarding it. • Water boiling  A Dracula screaming with a toothache. • Bee  dentist drilling; (“how do you know”) • “Telephone rings” – the guy’s wife • Egg-beater helicopter “But then what?”

  11. The Endings…Game Picked up by Seymour • “The end.” “Leonard can’t keep up anything.” • Father’s snore  the dentist turns into a lion, scaring the Dracula away • “Lunch is ready.” “I bet Leonard would change his mind.” • Outside – feet tramping on some twigs evil kings who eat snails for breakfast; a bike’s horn  sounds like Dad “He’s probably on to something else.” • Leonard: Clouds – a fish, a mermaid, a dragon …

  12. Questions for you… • How do you compare the two brothers? • What do you think about the ending? • What’s special about this animation and esp. its presentation of human figures? • What do you make of the text?

  13. The Plot • Beginning: Setting: a boring rainy afternoon in a suburban house. • Middle: Development of a tension: between the two brothers. • Turning Points –- The older brother gets interested in joining the game. –- The rain stops and Leonard loses interest in collecting sounds. • Ending –- The two brothers go out, lie on the lawn and keep on imagining. Seymour keeps on listening, but Leonard starts to use his eyes... More discussion by you later …

  14. 20/20 Note 1: -- carpool (共乘) e.g. When Harry Met Sally (1989) -- 20/20 vision = 視力 1.0

  15. Note 2: Ohio to Indiana to Spokane

  16. Note 3 “Look, cows.” Chalk/Choke it up to = attribute it to source

  17. What Ruthie observes Sources (left to right): 1, 2, 3; Indian Paintbrush (West America or Asia)

  18. What Ruthie thought she saw Tree reflector Big Foot Sources (left to right): 1, 2

  19. What Ruthie thought she saw • UFO on top of Twin Falls, Idaho • UFO Sighting Twin Falls 2012 • UFO Sighting in Twin Falls, Idaho on April 14th 2014 • A handsome genius in the person of Bill himself.

  20. 20/20: Questions for Discussion • [Character] What is Bill's first impression of Ruthie? What does that say about Bill? Has he changed his view on her as they drive along? • [Character] Which of Ruthie's observations are realistic and which are unreal? Do you think she is merely misinterpreting what she sees, or is she seeing things that aren't there? • [Theme] Whose vision is 20/20, Ruthie's or Bill's? What makes you think so? • [Association] Which one of them would you like to have as roommate, or travel partner?

  21. Discussion –in class and online • 1) Your Prompt-Card Question, • 2) comparing the two texts and • 3) the Functions of Literature • In class discussion – 1-6 in SF 204; 7-12 in SF 205

  22. Let’s Take a Break!!! • Form a Group of 6 or 7; • Those without a group or with questions, please come see me.

  23. Period 2: Discussion Time 10:10-11:00

  24. Let’s Take a Break!!! • Turn on your smart phones, and • Connect them to Internet

  25. 1. Which of the following is NOT what Ruthie sees on the road, or thinks she sees? 1. An Indian paintbrush 2. A golden eagle 3. The store sign of Berger King 4. A UFO.

  26. 2. For Bill, Ruthie is 1. not argumentative like an East Coast woman 2. Not a good driver 3. Not attentive to the surroundings 4. Not willing to share fuel cost

  27. 3. When does Bill start to change his idea about Ruthie 1. When she says “Look, cows.” 2. When she sees Indian Paintbrush. 3. When she says she sees Big Foot. 4. When she sees a UFO.

  28. 4. What does Ruthie think about Bill? 1. A good-for-nothing 2. A male chauvinist 3. A lazy bone 4. A handsome guy

  29. 5. Do you anyone like Ruthie? 1. Yes, one of my family members 2. Yes, one of my friends 3. No 4. Not sure

  30. Prompt Card Discussion

  31. The Characters: More Questions • -- How does Seymour look at Leonard?  Do you relate to your siblings in similar ways?   • -- How does Seymour respond to the story Leonard tells?  • -- How does he tell the story differently from Leonard when the mother drops pots and pans on the floor?  When does he gets interested?  • -- Why does Leonard finish the story so abruptly?  Does that say something about how a child thinks?  How about Seymour as an older kid?  What do you think about the ending he gives? Also, what do you think about the different games they have when going outside the house? 

  32. Children’s Imagination • Example • 1) their father rocking on the rocking chair --> a thief coming around the corner 2) cone shell --> a story about a submarine, a shipwreck, the ocean, a guy fishing, 3) the dog making the mother drop all the pots and pans, a racket --> the guy fishes up old pots and pans, or fishes up a suit of armor; --> the toaster --> As soon as the guy puts on the armor, a castle pops up in front of him.

  33. Children’s Imagination (2) • --> the father gargling --> a monster is guarding the gate of the castle. --> the father gargling --> a dragon? --> the tea pot whistling --> a Dracula screaming because of his toothache --> the bee sound --> the guy a dentist drilling the teeth of the Dracula; --> the telephone --> the guy’s wife comes to his rescue in a helicopter; As soon as the sky clears up, Leonard says, ’the end,’ and goes to look at the sun. But his brother kept on figuring out another ending. The father’s snoring --> The dentist turns into a lion, and scared the Dracula away forever. A girl stepping on some twigs-> An evil king who eats nails for breakfast.

  34. The Two Brothers: Children with Different Potentialities Seymour • More mature, knows about “trading.” • Apparently a leader, but actually a follower • More consistent but less imaginative  a collector? A more disciplined artist? Leonard • Imaginative and intuitive • Not consistent •  an artist? A rolling stone?

  35. The Characters (2): Minor Characters as Foil • The parents -- minor characters who serve as a foil(陪襯).  • Their activities & concerns: the weather, hat, cooking, brushing teeth, housekeeping and sleeping • Funny picture of the father; e.g. the bike horn sounds like 'Dad‘

  36. Form and Content –After second viewing • Image 1– The bee is noisy, isn't it?  How does the film use the fly?  What does Leonard imagine the noise it creates to be?   Why is it a recurring image? • Image 2 -- The human images are not cute at all, aren't they?  But pay close attention to how the images are made. 

  37. Form and Content together … • Children can sometimes use their five senses to respond to nature better than adults, who have more daily matters (daily routine, housekeeping, buying and collecting) to worry about.

  38. A Story with a Message to YOU and for the Course • Have you ever been a collector?  A collector of what?  Have you ever listened to a sea shell? • Some people say that only children can be pure and imaginative.  What do you think?  How is an artist's imagination different from that of a kid? • Would you like to be a sound and sense collector in our class?  What do you think you can gain from this collection?

  39. For your reference—till the Poetry unit “The Sound Collector” by Roger McGough A stranger called this morningDressed all in black and greyPut every sound into a bagAnd carried them away The whistling of the kettleThe turning of the lockThe purring of the kittenThe ticking of the clock The popping of the toasterThe crunching of the flakesWhen you spread the marmaladeThe scraping noise it makes The hissing of the frying panThe ticking of the grillThe bubbling of the bathtubAs it starts to fill The drumming of the raindropsOn the windowpaneWhen you do the washing-upThe gurgle of the drain The crying of the babyThe squeaking of the chairThe swishing of the curtainThe creaking of the stair A stranger called this morningHe didn't leave his nameLeft us only silenceLife will never be the same From All the Best – The Selected Poems of Roger McGough. (source)

  40. Course Introduction Fiction Drama Poetry

  41. This course selects interesting English poems, short stories (and a novel next semester) and plays for us to read and -- appreciate how literary texts convey their meanings to us through both form and content;  -- understand different literary genres, their conventions and components, -- analyze different parts of a text and how they are connected to its overall meaning; and, most importantly, -- relate (creatively) the knowledge and experience we have in reading English literature to our understanding of ourselves and our society. Analytical Skills + understanding of Life

  42. Reading Process: Understanding (with your own ‘horizon’ 地平線)  Appreciation  Interpretation  Your Self-Understanding and horizon broadened. • It usually takes several readings to fully understand and appreciate a text. • While you read, keep your mind and hand busy—by doing annotations first and then raising and answering questions online and in class. • Please turn to the syllabus now.

  43. Overall Plan of a Class • Before class: • you first read the texts, and raise questions (before Wed. noon 12:00) • [optional and if available] -- watching lecture-- for a general understanding; -- 2nd reading + watching the discussion--think of your own answers to the questions raised • In class (the following order will be used flexibly) • 1st hour: (comprehension) Quiz and lecture • 2nd group discussion and in-group presentation • 3rd group presentation and wrapping up the discussion

  44. Class Management Seating • Each time one group comes earlier for 15-20 mins to help arrange the seats • The group members sit together on the numbered seats.

  45. What have you learned today? • Analyzing a text (by examining its narrative elements) in order to understand others and broaden our horizons; • Reading process • “20/20” –Character and Plot • Our course objectives and requirements

  46. See you next time! • Assignments: • Finish “A&P” • Raise Questions before SAT. noon 12:00

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