Harvest Quotes Flashcards

Context and Themes

• Isolationism represented as a metaphorical "island on land" highlighting seclusion and separation from the outside world.
• Social structures contrasted between Ferdinand Tönnies' concepts of Gemeinschaft (rural community) and Gesellschaft (urban society), emphasizing the struggles of different social groups.
• Hidden oppression depicted as a trait of controlled societies that leads to betrayal among individuals, reflecting Margret Atwood's insights.

Chapter 1 Insights

• The use of "We" and "Our" contrasted sharply with "They," illustrating social division and a sense of hostility within the village.
• Self-oppression is exhibited through the phrase "These wayward lads," indicating personal accountability and collective reckoning.
• Identity issues highlighted through imagery of "broadest shoulders" and "faces I do not like entirely," showcasing the struggle with power dynamics and unity in rural life.
• Gossip serves as a tool for social control, emphasizing the faults of the village and its reliance on malicious talk over authentic social interaction.
• False power dynamics are expressed through "silent swagger," reflecting the facade of strength masking underlying vulnerability.
• Regressive village life is illustrated as "divided into shares and portions," showing a fragmented existence in contrast to broader societal norms.
• Passivity towards self-imposed oppression is metaphorically conveyed through a dove "cooking" in its own passivity, symbolizing inaction against societal issues.
• The inevitability of collapse is highlighted by the mindset of attributing downfall to "an act of God," demonstrating a refusal to accept responsibility or blame.

Chapter 2 Analysis

• Foreshadowing depicted as the village being "aflame, but not with fire," suggesting internal conflicts rather than external threats.
• A destructive mentality emerges where communal relationships are strained: "We prefer to keep our handshakes to ourselves."
• Lexical fields related to farming demonstrate the village's deep-rooted connection to the land, signifying both power and oppression.
• Walter’s transformation into a "frowner" signifies the oppressive impact the village life has on individuality and emotional expression.
• Irony arises when oppressive authority is wielded through the mundane act of pointing with an index finger, highlighting the absurdity in power structures.
• The character of Mr. Quill represents true bravery amidst societal cowardice, reflecting the theme of flawed leadership and bravery within oppressive environments.
• Contrasts between villagers and outsiders underline the dynamics of insider versus outsider perceptions, often leading to hypocrisy.

Chapter 3 Reflections

• Irony in retaliation against the church's oppression, as represented by "Rosaries of flowers," shows how societal norms can romanticize suffering.
• Walter’s inability to see beyond personal desires reflects a broader commentary on communal responsibility and selfishness denoted in repetitive phrases.
• The impact of industrialism is illustrated by mapping that confines existence to "webs of lines," capturing the loss of freedom in a mechanized world.
• Walter's self-interest is examined through his disloyalty contrasted with his desire for appearance, revealing the complexity of human motives within oppressive frameworks.

Chapter 4 Observations

• The oppressive influence of the village is personal for Walter, as expressed in his longing for simplicity through the act of picking a flower, symbolizing loss and nostalgia.
• Lingering foreboding in the village is poignantly stated as "You cannot shovel a smell away," indicating the permanence of oppressive experiences.
• Villagers’ struggles are metaphorically connected to their land, where personification reflects relentless burdens, as encapsulated in "It taxes us."
• The cycle of suffering in the village, reflected through the imagery of children and animals, reinforces the intergenerational transmission of oppression and conformity to social norms.