Podcast
Questions and Answers
What refers to a classification of literature?
What refers to a classification of literature?
- Literary canon (correct)
- Literary devices
- Literary theory
- Book club
Who was the only modern British woman writer that made the cut at a lot of schools when Foster was in school?
Who was the only modern British woman writer that made the cut at a lot of schools when Foster was in school?
Virginia Woolf
Why should you not reference Homer?
Why should you not reference Homer?
Not everyone would get the message.
Why should you not reference Shakespeare?
Why should you not reference Shakespeare?
What should you reference that a majority of the population would know?
What should you reference that a majority of the population would know?
What children's story probably has the most drawing power?
What children's story probably has the most drawing power?
Who wrote The Gingerbread House (1969) about the same theme as Hansel and Gretel?
Who wrote The Gingerbread House (1969) about the same theme as Hansel and Gretel?
What does the witch in The Gingerbread House gradually turn into?
What does the witch in The Gingerbread House gradually turn into?
What is the substitution of the name of an attribute or adjunct for that of the thing meant?
What is the substitution of the name of an attribute or adjunct for that of the thing meant?
Where does the story end in The Gingerbread House?
Where does the story end in The Gingerbread House?
What do authors do with fairy tales in their stories?
What do authors do with fairy tales in their stories?
Who wrote the book The Bloody Chamber (1979) about exposing sexism in classic fairy tales?
Who wrote the book The Bloody Chamber (1979) about exposing sexism in classic fairy tales?
How do you use fairy tales in your writing?
How do you use fairy tales in your writing?
What is the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning?
What is the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning?
Which German brothers revised and wrote down old German fairy tales?
Which German brothers revised and wrote down old German fairy tales?
What is a body of story that explains things chemistry, physics, and math can't explain?
What is a body of story that explains things chemistry, physics, and math can't explain?
Which German composer of operas used Germanic myths for his operas?
Which German composer of operas used Germanic myths for his operas?
Who wrote 'Yellow Woman'?
Who wrote 'Yellow Woman'?
Who was the son of the master craftsman Daedalus?
Who was the son of the master craftsman Daedalus?
Which painting featured plowmen and shepherds but also a drowning boy?
Which painting featured plowmen and shepherds but also a drowning boy?
Who wrote Musee des Beaux Arts, which discusses private suffering?
Who wrote Musee des Beaux Arts, which discusses private suffering?
Who wrote Landscape with Fall of Icarus, discussing the scene and thematic elements?
Who wrote Landscape with Fall of Icarus, discussing the scene and thematic elements?
Which Nobel Peace Prize winner wrote Omeros about characters named after The Iliad?
Which Nobel Peace Prize winner wrote Omeros about characters named after The Iliad?
Why do people make references to myths?
Why do people make references to myths?
What is Homer's epic poem of the story of the Trojan War?
What is Homer's epic poem of the story of the Trojan War?
Who is king and leader of Greek forces?
Who is king and leader of Greek forces?
Who is the greatest Greek warrior in The Iliad?
Who is the greatest Greek warrior in The Iliad?
Who was a hero to the Trojans killed by Achilles?
Who was a hero to the Trojans killed by Achilles?
Who was king of Sparta and whose wife was taken by Paris?
Who was king of Sparta and whose wife was taken by Paris?
Who was Achilles' best friend that was killed?
Who was Achilles' best friend that was killed?
Who was a Roman poet that wrote the Aeneid?
Who was a Roman poet that wrote the Aeneid?
Who was a mythical Greek warrior that was a leader on the Trojan side of the Trojan War?
Who was a mythical Greek warrior that was a leader on the Trojan side of the Trojan War?
What was a movie by Joel and Ethan Coen about prisoners trying to get home?
What was a movie by Joel and Ethan Coen about prisoners trying to get home?
What is a book by James Joyce about an older man wandering around Dublin?
What is a book by James Joyce about an older man wandering around Dublin?
What is written by the Roman poet Ovid?
What is written by the Roman poet Ovid?
Which Greek playwright wrote about Oedipus Rex?
Which Greek playwright wrote about Oedipus Rex?
Who wrote the Percy Jackson series about a modern teenager who discovers he is a demigod?
Who wrote the Percy Jackson series about a modern teenager who discovers he is a demigod?
What is an example of an opening line from a novel that begins with 'It was a dark and stormy night'?
What is an example of an opening line from a novel that begins with 'It was a dark and stormy night'?
What is significant about rain?
What is significant about rain?
Who wrote 'The Three Strangers' about a condemned escaped man?
Who wrote 'The Three Strangers' about a condemned escaped man?
Who was the woman in Song of Solomon who tries to impress her lover?
Who was the woman in Song of Solomon who tries to impress her lover?
What is a book written by Ernest Hemingway about a man whose girlfriend just passed during childbirth?
What is a book written by Ernest Hemingway about a man whose girlfriend just passed during childbirth?
Who is the main character in A Farewell to Arms whose lover passed during childbirth?
Who is the main character in A Farewell to Arms whose lover passed during childbirth?
Who wrote The Dead?
Who wrote The Dead?
Who tells her husband about her long-dead love for Michael Furey in The Dead?
Who tells her husband about her long-dead love for Michael Furey in The Dead?
Who was Gretta Conroy's childhood love in 'The Dead'?
Who was Gretta Conroy's childhood love in 'The Dead'?
What poem features the line 'April is the cruelest month'?
What poem features the line 'April is the cruelest month'?
What was a book about the Fisher King mythology of the Arthurian legends?
What was a book about the Fisher King mythology of the Arthurian legends?
What are rainbows a sign of?
What are rainbows a sign of?
What are examples of rainbows in literature?
What are examples of rainbows in literature?
What is fog a sign of?
What is fog a sign of?
What is used to represent the Court of Chancery in Dickens's book, The Bleak House?
What is used to represent the Court of Chancery in Dickens's book, The Bleak House?
What are signs of snow?
What are signs of snow?
Who wrote the 'Snow Man' (1923) in which snow indicates inhuman, abstract thought?
Who wrote the 'Snow Man' (1923) in which snow indicates inhuman, abstract thought?
Who does Foster point out when teaching The Iliad for their rapid deaths shortly after being introduced?
Who does Foster point out when teaching The Iliad for their rapid deaths shortly after being introduced?
What is the most important thing a character can do?
What is the most important thing a character can do?
Why does Achilles rejoin the Greek army?
Why does Achilles rejoin the Greek army?
What does Patroclus have that makes him almost as good as Achilles?
What does Patroclus have that makes him almost as good as Achilles?
Which god makes armor for Achilles?
Which god makes armor for Achilles?
What's the problems with being pals with a hero?
What's the problems with being pals with a hero?
Who in The Last of the Mohicans dies giving the protagonist a motive for revenge?
Who in The Last of the Mohicans dies giving the protagonist a motive for revenge?
What are characters?
What are characters?
What three movies were about young men who had conflict with the world?
What three movies were about young men who had conflict with the world?
Who wrote Lord Jim in which Jim's overconfidence led to tragedy?
Who wrote Lord Jim in which Jim's overconfidence led to tragedy?
Who directed the film Lawrence of Arabia about TE Lawrence's disciples?
Who directed the film Lawrence of Arabia about TE Lawrence's disciples?
Who wrote Aspects of the Novel and coined the round and flat characters?
Who wrote Aspects of the Novel and coined the round and flat characters?
What are characters full of traits and capable of change known as?
What are characters full of traits and capable of change known as?
What is a character who lacks development called?
What is a character who lacks development called?
Why aren't all characters round?
Why aren't all characters round?
Who was Hamlet's uncle and the villain of the play?
Who was Hamlet's uncle and the villain of the play?
Who tries to give attention to minor characters by giving them tic or taglines?
Who tries to give attention to minor characters by giving them tic or taglines?
Who were two hapless characters that Hamlet outsmarted?
Who were two hapless characters that Hamlet outsmarted?
Who said, 'Plot is character revealed in action'?
Who said, 'Plot is character revealed in action'?
What are writers who attempt to control every facet of their creative output called?
What are writers who attempt to control every facet of their creative output called?
Study Notes
Literary Concepts and Terms
- Literary Canon: Classifies literature; refers to significant works deemed important for specific periods or places.
- Metonymy: A figure of speech where an attribute or adjunct is substituted for the thing meant (e.g., "Washington" as a reference to the U.S. government).
- Myth: A significant body of story that explains aspects of life beyond the reach of science, such as chemistry or physics.
- Irony: The use of words to convey a meaning that is opposite to its literal definition.
Significant Authors and Works
- Virginia Woolf: Notable modern British woman writer, widely taught during Foster's time in school.
- Angela Carter: Authored The Bloody Chamber (1979), which critiques sexism in classic fairy tales.
- Robert Coover: Wrote The Gingerbread House (1969), inspired by the tale of Hansel and Gretel.
- Derek Walcott: Nobel laureate and author of Omeros (1990), which reflects on characters inspired by The Iliad.
- James Joyce: Wrote Ulysses (1922), capturing a day in the life of a man in Dublin.
- Joseph Conrad: Author of Lord Jim, exploring themes of overconfidence and consequence.
Key Characters from Classical Literature
- Achilles: The greatest Greek warrior, his heel is his only vulnerability; involved in the Trojan War.
- Patroclus: Achilles' best friend whose death propels Achilles back into combat.
- Hector: Trojan hero killed by Achilles in the Trojan War.
- Agamemnon: King of Greece and chief leader of the forces in the Trojan War.
- Aeneas: A Trojan warrior and leader who plays a pivotal role in the Aeneid by Virgil.
Fairy Tales and Adaptations
- Hansel and Gretel: A children’s tale with strong cultural resonance; adaptation by Robert Coover explores darker themes.
- Use of Fairy Tales: Authors employ elements of fairy tales to enhance themes in their writing, often reinterpreting or subverting traditional narratives.
Thematic Elements in Literature
- Rain: Symbolizes various themes such as misery, restoration, and the arrival of spring, as reflected in multiple literary works.
- Fog: Represents confusion; seen prominently in Dickens' Bleak House to indicate the complexity of situations.
- Snow: Signifies starkness, severity, or purity while conveying a range of emotions from clean to suffocating.
Characters in Conflict
- Round and Flat Characters:
- Round (Dynamic) Characters: Complex personalities capable of change.
- Flat (Static) Characters: Simplistic figures lacking development.
- Importance of Character Development: Characters must evolve, reflecting change, growth, and maturation, often driven by their relationships with others.
Notable Film and Poetic References
- "O Brother, Where Art Thou?": A film about prisoners striving for freedom; highlights the themes of journey and discovery.
- *"The Waste Land" by T.S. Eliot: Famous for its line "April is the cruelest month," reflecting on renewal and personal suffering.
Relationships and Heroism
- Heroic Relationships: In literature, heroes often have relationships that drive the plot, requiring personal sacrifices and difficult choices.
- Lessons from Mythology: Myths illustrate how ordinary individuals can embody greatness, encouraging readers to see their potential.
Miscellaneous
- "It was a dark and stormy night": Famous opening line from Edward Bulwer-Lytton's novel, often cited as an example of poor writing.
- Literary Rainbows: Symbolize divine promise and peace; featured in texts by Lawrence and Bishop.
- Conflicts in Tales: The struggle between heroism and personal flaws is a recurring theme throughout literature.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
Test your knowledge of chapters 7-10 and the Interlude from 'How to Read Literature Like a Professor'. This quiz features flashcards covering key concepts, terms, and notable authors. Perfect for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of literary analysis.
