Read:
Stories:
Kafka, F., The Metamorphosis, pp. 341-70
Cather, W., “Paul’s Case,” pp. 588-601
Lawrence, D. H., “The Rocking-Horse Winner,” (pdf Download pdf)(webLinks to an external site.). (10 pages)
Poems:
Milton, J., “When I consider how my light is spent,” pp. 1108-09
Blake, W., “The Chimney Sweeper,” pp. 723-24
Graphic Story:
Satrapi, M., “Kim Wilde,” pp. 562-71
View:
In Search of Thoreau (19:00) (Note: View segments 5-10 only.
Write a paragraph length answer (100 word+ minimum) for each reading question. Include observations about basic literary elements (character, structure, plot, setting, tone, and theme for prose; theme, structure, rhyme, symbols, images, etc. for poetry). Include specific, parenthetically documented observations and/or short quotes from the unit readings to support each answer. Edit each response for clarity, conciseness, and grammatical correctness before submission.
Avoid using online sources like Wikipedia, SparkNotes, Grade Saver, etc. in place of your own analysis. If you borrow ideas, words, or other information beyond the course text, they must be documented parenthetically and a Works Cited page included.
Do not include the instructor’s prompts in your Reading Questions submission to avoid inflating the Turnitin word count.
Unit 3: On Work, Money, and Values
Franz Kafka (1883-1924), was a German speaking, Czech writer known for his strangely disturbing depictions of the struggles of early twentieth century urban life. Interpret the title of his novella The Metamorphosis. Define the term metamorphosis in your own words. Does the metamorphosis of Gregor Samsa happen overnight? How long has it been going on? What does his appearance as a giant insect symbolize in his and his family’s life? What does that have to do with his job?
Describe the metamorphosis experienced by each member of Gregor’s family. Trace their development from the beginning to the end of the story both individually and as a family unit. How do they react to his death? Are they better or worse off when Gregor dies?
H. Lawrence’s (1885-1930) short story “The Rocking-Horse Winner” chronicles the destruction of the child Paul as he attempts unsuccessfully to win his mother’s love. Analyze Hester, Paul’s mother. What motivates her most in life? Why can she not love her children? Why is she resentful of her status in life? What is her understanding of “luck”? Is she “redeemed” by the end of the story, or does she remain in the same moral/spiritual condition?
Relate the personal values of John Milton (1608-74) reflected in the sonnet “When I consider how my light is spent” with those of the characters in D.H. Lawrence in “The Rocking-Horse Winner” or Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis.
In the poem “The Chimney Sweeper” William Blake (1757-1827) imagines a child in early industrial London doomed to a short life of hard labor (This is not the Disney world of the happy, singing chimney sweeps in Mary Poppins). Analyze the innocent optimism of the first-person narrator in the poem and consider who has by implication failed “to do their duty” in the last line.
Willa Cather (1873-1947) was an American author known for her stories about the American West, often in relation to the more “civilized” and artistic cities of the Midwest and East. Marjane Satrapi (b. 1969) is an Iranian born French graphic artist, film director, and author. Describe and critique the values of the main characters in the Willa Cather story “Paul’s Case” and those of the teenager Marji in “Kim Wilde.” What do both want most in life? What is music to them? What dangers do each face in fulfilling their desires? Are they successful?
