Jigsaw Notes

4-Discuss the evolutionary behaviors of the boys and how they progress and/or digress as a society. What factors cause them to evolve or change?

 

NOTES:

• Undulation in behavior that either benefits or hurts group
  
• Progression in relation to digression is cyclic
  
• Perception of progression and digression limited to older kids (Jack and Ralph)
  
• Limitations that cause cycle between progression and digression:
  

1. Boys' ignorance
   
2. Boys' imaginations/fears
   
3. Boys' inability to remain on task (remain focused on task/goal)
   
4. Boys' former reliance on parents (situation)
   
5. Boys' young age --> lack of strength and wisdom
   
6. Boys' inability to work cohesively with one another
   
7. lack of structure, leadership, and following
   
8. Limited food
   
9. Boys' restlessness and boredom
   

• Evolution from cyclic behavior of progression and digression:
  

1. Lack of parental guidance forces them to survive based on instinct and practice
   
2. Leaders and their roles are beginning to become more definitive
   
3. Boys are being compliant to commands of leaders

Jigsaw Notes

Essential Question

Passage:

"The only marked event of the afternoon was, that I saw the girl with whom I had conversed in the verandah […] whether good or naughty" (49).

Re-write:

During the afternoon Jane had noticed the girl from the verandah had been dismissed in disgrace by Miss Scatcherd during a history class, and sent to stand in the middle of the large school room. The girl seemed very composed, yet grave. This completely contrasted how Jane would have reacted to a similar scenario. She began pondering about what might have gone on in her head, how she could deal with such an ordeal, and whether or not she was a good or bad person.

Essential question (How does this change the characters, the plot, and your interpretation of the novel?):

Similarly to what we were discussing in class this conversion from first to second person detaches the reader from the protagonist, Jane. In first person, the audience shared a more intimate connection as if what Jane was experiencing was what we were experiencing. The reader essentially was Jane, living her life, acting out her story. However when reading in the third person, the reader becomes an observer, a witness to what will unfold. The reader is free to make their own conceptions on characters and the protagonists such as what are they thinking or feeling. Looking at the passage above we get this sense of separation from the protagonist. Instead of hearing what the protagonist thinks and feels as if they were our own we are forced to learn about them in a more observational manner through depictions of what is happening in a scene. This leaves more for the reader to assume and speculate while the first person narrative prescribes what one can see, feel, and think. In the passage above for example, in the first person narrative we have deeper understanding of Jane's confusion as to how Helen can with stand such humiliation. We understand the fear of it happening in our own lives; we feel the compassion for Helen as she stands there to be shamed. In the third person narrative however, the narrator only depicts to us Helen's punishment and Jane's surprise. Everything is essentially separated from us so we are more free to conceptualize our own thoughts but are never truly capable of understanding how Jane truly feels about what is happening.

How do Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein compare and contrast as men, scholars, and scientists?

When looking at Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein there is very little to no distinction between them besides their personal experiences. In terms of personality and goals they are quite similar; both are passionate about science, the pursuit of knowledge, and understanding the world. They both are dedicated to their research which isolates them from other people. In fact these two characters seem so similar one can easily make the assumption that the author Mary Shelley is comparing Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein’s actions in their lives and the effects of these differences. Their personalities and pursuits for knowledge are seemingly in sync but the choices they are making, the lives they are living, seem to be minutely different. For example a minute difference shared between the men is their pursuit of friendship. Both characters express that their pursuit for understanding often leaves them separated from other people however Robert Walton in the second letter to his sister states “I [Robert Walton] bitterly feel the want of a friend” (Shelley 4). However it is clear that he does not pursue it as he is too consumed with his research. In comparison, Mr. Frankenstein too is busy with feeding his thirst for knowledge but he states at a young age he did make a friend: “I [Victor Frankenstein] united myself in the bonds of the closest friendship to one among them” (19). Now clearly these are very small and seemingly non influential differences but looking closely to the text one also must realize that Victor Frankenstein’s “fate is nearly fulfilled” (13) while Robert Walton’s journey is just beginning. This means that Victor Frankenstein is in essence what Robert Walton could be in the future if he makes the same mistakes, the same choices, and lives the same life.

Does Petruchio love Katherine?

"The Taming of the Shrew" is an interesting play surrounding courtship. In most Shakespearian plays, the lovers fall in love nearly instantaneously and either marry or attempt to marry. There is little to no courting ever shown, leaving room for the remaining plot to show the effects of said union. However, "The Taming of the Shrew" provides the unique story of a man trying to court a lady after marriage. Today most people court each other before marriage in search of a person that is connected to them in what can only be described as "love". Love of course has multiple meanings but in this case most people use the word in its connotative form, meaning some type of connection based beyond what is visceral but instead on what is often referred to as feelings felt at their "heart". This deeper connection is often a justifiable cause for a couple to marry, however during the time of the play "The Taming of the Shrew", marriage was a business proposition between two families. In this case the proposition was between Petruchio and Katherine's family. Petruchio marries Katherine and in return received a large dowry. Following their marriage Petruchio begins to court her through various acts. However these acts are not aimed at winning her heart but are instead an attempt to tame her shrewdness: "For I [Petruchio] am he born to tame you, Kate, and bring you from a wild Kate to a Kate conformable as other household Kates" (Act 2 Scene 1 Line 291-293). Hence we see that Petruchio does not "love" Katherine but instead it can be said that he enjoys controlling her.

Do you think that Hamlet has created his own insanity, or has he lost his sense of reality completely?

Ever since Hamlet spoke to his father's spirit, Hamlet has been acting unusual. To characters like Claudius, Gertrude, and Polonius, Hamlet seems to be going insane which Polonius clearly states: "your noble son is mad. Mad call I it, for, to define true madness, What is ’t but to be nothing else but mad?" (Act II Scene II 94-96). However to the audience, who have a deeper insight into what Hamlet has experienced, his unusual behavior can be justified because they can put Hamlet's odd behavior into context.

After learning his father was murdered by his uncle, it is understandable that Hamlet would begin to act cold toward his family and so called friends because the people he had believed to be his loving family were actually greedy, murderous backstabbers. The resulting behavior is a result of his desire to seek vengeance. Hamlet's moody behavior is cold and calculated as to mislead others while allowing himself to ascertain the truth. One example of this is when he invites his uncle Claudius to a play he created as to evoke remorse from Claudius to see if he is trully guilty: "One scene of it comes near the circumstance Which I have told thee of my father’s death. I prithee, when thou seest that act afoot, Even with the very comment of thy soul Observe mine uncle. If his occulted guilt Do not itself unkennel in one speech, It is a damnèd ghost that we have seen, And my imaginations are as foul" (Act III Scene II 70-77).