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Questions and Answers
What does violence mean?
What does violence mean?
It is one of the most personal and even intimate acts between human beings and can be symbolic, thematic, biblical, Shakespearean, Romantic, allegorical, or transcendent.
How is violence different in literature?
How is violence different in literature?
It could also be a metaphor.
Who wrote 'Out, Out' about a farm boy whose hand gets cut off?
Who wrote 'Out, Out' about a farm boy whose hand gets cut off?
Robert Frost
Who wrote 'Lycidas' about how all nature weeps?
Who wrote 'Lycidas' about how all nature weeps?
What are the two types of violence in poems?
What are the two types of violence in poems?
Why is there violence in literature?
Why is there violence in literature?
What is a book by D.H. Lawrence about Gudrun Brangwen and Gerald Crich?
What is a book by D.H. Lawrence about Gudrun Brangwen and Gerald Crich?
What is a book written by D.H. Lawrence about the relationship between Banford, March, and Henry Grenfel?
What is a book written by D.H. Lawrence about the relationship between Banford, March, and Henry Grenfel?
What does the death of Banford in 'Women in Love' signify?
What does the death of Banford in 'Women in Love' signify?
Who is an individual in 'Women in Love' corrupted by the values of industry?
Who is an individual in 'Women in Love' corrupted by the values of industry?
Who in 'Women in Love' gets caught dancing in disco and has a hatred relationship with Gerald?
Who in 'Women in Love' gets caught dancing in disco and has a hatred relationship with Gerald?
Which author is known for their violent themes including rape and incest?
Which author is known for their violent themes including rape and incest?
What is a short story by William Faulkner about a father's revenge?
What is a short story by William Faulkner about a father's revenge?
Who is a character in 'Barn Burning' trying to stop his father from burning a plantation?
Who is a character in 'Barn Burning' trying to stop his father from burning a plantation?
What book by William Faulkner discusses Ike McCaslin and his grandfather's true history?
What book by William Faulkner discusses Ike McCaslin and his grandfather's true history?
What did Eunice do after finding out Tomasina was pregnant?
What did Eunice do after finding out Tomasina was pregnant?
Who wrote 'The Hearts and Lives of Men' about a little girl in a corrupt world?
Who wrote 'The Hearts and Lives of Men' about a little girl in a corrupt world?
Who wrote 'The Satanic Verses' featuring characters becoming demons?
Who wrote 'The Satanic Verses' featuring characters becoming demons?
Do symbols have a single meaning?
Do symbols have a single meaning?
What is a story or poem that can reveal a hidden single meaning?
What is a story or poem that can reveal a hidden single meaning?
Who wrote 'Pilgrim's Progress' depicting a journey to the Celestial City?
Who wrote 'Pilgrim's Progress' depicting a journey to the Celestial City?
Who wrote 'Animal Farm' about failed revolutions?
Who wrote 'Animal Farm' about failed revolutions?
Who wrote 'A Passage to India' involving accusations of rape?
Who wrote 'A Passage to India' involving accusations of rape?
What are caves a sign of based on Plato and ancestors?
What are caves a sign of based on Plato and ancestors?
Who describes the cave's effect only in terms of what does not cause it?
Who describes the cave's effect only in terms of what does not cause it?
What did Mrs. Moore not like about the cave?
What did Mrs. Moore not like about the cave?
What did Adela's cave stand for?
What did Adela's cave stand for?
What book by Mark Twain features an escaped slave and a white boy?
What book by Mark Twain features an escaped slave and a white boy?
Who wrote 'The Bridge' about how rivers and bridges connect?
Who wrote 'The Bridge' about how rivers and bridges connect?
What did T.S. Eliot write about after WWI?
What did T.S. Eliot write about after WWI?
Which author is noted for using action symbolism in their poems?
Which author is noted for using action symbolism in their poems?
Who claimed human population can outgrow food supply?
Who claimed human population can outgrow food supply?
Who wrote 'A Christmas Carol' attacking Malthus's ideas?
Who wrote 'A Christmas Carol' attacking Malthus's ideas?
Why does Foster hate political writing?
Why does Foster hate political writing?
Why does Foster like political writing?
Why does Foster like political writing?
Who was a poet that wrote about anti-Semitism and fascism?
Who was a poet that wrote about anti-Semitism and fascism?
How is 'Women in Love' political?
How is 'Women in Love' political?
What did Edgar Allan Poe write about a prince having a party during a plague?
What did Edgar Allan Poe write about a prince having a party during a plague?
What did Edgar Allan Poe write about decaying nobles?
What did Edgar Allan Poe write about decaying nobles?
What was written by Washington Irving about a character who fell asleep for 20 years?
What was written by Washington Irving about a character who fell asleep for 20 years?
Who in 'Oedipus at Colonus' was the Athenian king that protected Oedipus?
Who in 'Oedipus at Colonus' was the Athenian king that protected Oedipus?
Who wrote 'Mrs. Dalloway' that critiques legislative views?
Who wrote 'Mrs. Dalloway' that critiques legislative views?
How is Christian the predominant religion?
How is Christian the predominant religion?
What does John 3:16 communicate?
What does John 3:16 communicate?
What is a method of biblical interpretation involving the Old and New Testament?
What is a method of biblical interpretation involving the Old and New Testament?
Who said biblical typology was a dead language?
Who said biblical typology was a dead language?
What book by Ernest Hemingway is similar to the life of Jesus?
What book by Ernest Hemingway is similar to the life of Jesus?
What is the plot of 'The Old Man and the Sea'?
What is the plot of 'The Old Man and the Sea'?
Who is the old man in 'The Old Man and the Sea'?
Who is the old man in 'The Old Man and the Sea'?
How do we know if we see a Christ-like figure?
How do we know if we see a Christ-like figure?
Who wrote 'Love Medicine' involving a character named June Kashpaw?
Who wrote 'Love Medicine' involving a character named June Kashpaw?
Who was a character in 'Love Medicine' who dies after walking home in a blizzard?
Who was a character in 'Love Medicine' who dies after walking home in a blizzard?
Who is the illegitimate son of June Kashpaw?
Who is the illegitimate son of June Kashpaw?
How is June Kashpaw a Christ-like figure despite her flaws?
How is June Kashpaw a Christ-like figure despite her flaws?
Why are there Christ-like figures?
Why are there Christ-like figures?
Study Notes
Violence in Literature
- Violence serves as a significant theme reflecting personal, social, and political aspects in literature.
- Different interpretations of violence can be symbolic, thematic, or allegorical in nature.
- Robert Frost’s poem "Out, Out" depicts the tragic consequences of machinery through the narrative of a farm boy.
- "Lycidas" by John Milton explores nature's mourning, emphasizing loss.
- Two types of violence in literature: character-inflicted violence (e.g., murder, bombings) and authorial violence that drives the plot.
- Violence in fiction often symbolizes deeper issues, such as the horrific realities of slavery in "Beloved" by Toni Morrison.
Notable Works and Themes
- D.H. Lawrence's "Women in Love" addresses themes of personal conflict and violence in modern relationships.
- "The Fox," also by D.H. Lawrence, examines the destructive outcomes of relationships and violence.
- The death of Banford in "Women in Love" symbolizes gender-role confusion and societal pressures.
- In "Barn Burning," William Faulkner illustrates class struggles and familial ties through the character of Sarty Snopes.
Authors and Their Contributions
- William Faulkner, famous for his exploration of intense subjects like rape and suicide within concise narratives, defines Southern Gothic literature.
- "Go Down Moses" reveals Ike McCaslin's confrontation with his family's history and racism.
- Fay Weldon’s "The Hearts and Lives of Men" critiques the corrupt adult world through the innocent lens of a child.
- Salman Rushdie's "The Satanic Verses" discusses transformations of characters from a corrupt existence to demonic entities.
Symbols and Allegories
- Literary symbols often possess multiple meanings rather than one single interpretation.
- Allegory, as defined, is a narrative that conveys a deeper moral or political meaning.
- John Bunyan’s "Pilgrim’s Progress" serves as a Christian allegory depicting a character’s journey to salvation.
- George Orwell’s "Animal Farm" critiques totalitarianism through allegorical representation of failed revolutions.
Philosophical Themes in Literature
- E.M. Forster's "A Passage to India" involves themes of racial tension and colonialism, articulated through Adela's false accusations of rape.
- Caves symbolize consciousness and perception, revealing deeper truths about human existence.
- T.S. Eliot's "The Waste Land" uses polluted imagery to convey post-WWI disillusionment.
Character Studies
- In "The Old Man and the Sea," Santiago’s struggle between man and nature mirrors Christ-like sacrifices and endurance.
- Mark Twain’s "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" represents freedom and moral dilemmas along the Mississippi River.
- Characters like June Kashpaw in Louise Erdrich’s works embody flawed yet redemptive qualities, symbolizing resurrection and sacrifice.
Political and Social Critique
- Literature often serves as a medium for critiquing societal structures, such as Edgar Allan Poe's critiques of European nobility in "The Masque of the Red Death" and "The Fall of the House of Usher."
- Political writing in literature may present an author’s perspective on societal issues, but it risks adhering to a single narrative vision, reducing its complexity.
Influential Literary Figures
- Thomas Malthus’ theories regarding population growth and societal impacts are echoed in Charles Dickens’ critique through "A Christmas Carol."
- Notable literary critics such as Northrop Frye comment on interpretive methods like biblical typology, revealing complexities in texts.
Recurring Themes
- Themes of resurrection, sacrifice, and moral dilemmas recur in literature, revealing societal values and human conditions.
- The portrayal of flawed characters challenges conventional notions of heroism, providing a more relatable depiction of the human experience.
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Description
This quiz focuses on chapters 11 to 14 of 'How to Read Literature Like a Professor'. It explores key concepts such as the meaning of violence in literature and its various interpretations. Test your understanding of these themes and their implications in literature.
