In the second part of Long Distance we learn how attached the son is to his father. In part 1 the son seemed to view his father as a general annoynance, someone who rang him all the time to moan. However when the father dies in part 2 the death hits the son hard. Despite his bluntness in believing "life ends with death and that is all," Harrison finds himself still ringing his fathers disconnected number, in the wild hope he will be able to speak to him. Harrison was already feeling guilty in part 1 of long distance for not doing enough for his father, a guilt which would have been intensified after his father's death. While i related to Harrison in part 1 and felt some sympathy there is much more sympathy in part 2. His love of his father is much more evident in part 2, he associates his father with slippers and water bottles and comfy, cosy items. As a result you appreciate Harrison's grief for his father, and after reading part 1 you realise not only is Harrison upset at the loss of his father but is also wracked with guilt about not doing more for him. Until the last few lines of part 2 Harrison seems to appear fairly insensitive, irritated at his father for constantly ringing and showing no obvious grief for his mother, but when his father dies you see Harrison as a far more sensitive person then first thought.
There is also a lot more sympathy for the father in part 2. In part 1 he was portrayed as a stereotypical grumpy old man. His wife's death was barely touched upon and although the I felt sympathy for his apparent lonliness, there wasn't much to pull on the heartstrings, In part 2 you appreciate the fathers intense grief for his wife. He can't bear to clear away any of her things, refusing to accept she is gone. It is only in part 2 you realise how much this woman meant to the father, and how crushingly lonely he must be now she is dead. As such you feel annoyance at Harrison for not being more understanding in part 1, and sympathy swings more towards the father.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Hamlet Act 1
The play begins with Marcellus and Barnardo- two Danish guards who take a shift at midnight, waiting for the ghost they have seen for the last two nights, which greatly resembles the recently deceased King in his battle armour. Tonight they have brought Horatio, the best friend of the Prince Hamlet. Horatio is sceptical that there is a real ghost, and is shocked when the ghost appears at midnight. Horatio charges the ghost to speak, but it instead dissapears. Horatio believes it is a bad omen for the future of Denmark, and Marcellus questions why the country is gripped with a sense of fear and why ships are being gathered, even on sunday. Horatio tells him that the young new king of Norway, Fortinbras, is preparing to attack Denmark in revenge for his father's death at the hands of the old King Hamlet and to reclaim the lands lost in the same battle. Horatio realises that the ghost probably wants to speak to young Hamlet, the old kings son.
Hamlet is attending his mother's wedding to his uncle Claudius, the old kings younger brother, who has now ascended to the throne (ahead of young Hamlet, for unknown reasons.) The whole court of Denmark seems to be happy at the marriage, but young Hamlet is appalled by it. He still wears black in respect of his father's death, and despite not voicing his opinions, it is obvious Hamlet is still fiercly loyal to his father. Gertrude is upset at Hamlet's sadness, but Claudius tells Hamlet to get over it, that everyone loses their father at some point, but he must move on. Gertrude asks Hamlet to stay in Denmark instead of returning to his university in wittenburg, Germany, and Hamlet agrees. The wedding procession leaves, leaving Hamlet to reflect on his disgust at the marriage, which has taken place less than two months after his father's death.
Horatio enters with Marcellus and Barnado. Hamlet is pleased to see his university friend Horatio, but comments he has only come to see his mother's wedding. Horatio tells Hamlet about the ghost, confirmed by the two soldiers. Hamlet is intrigued, and says he will come to the guard that night incase it walks again. Hamlet is troubled by the news of the ghost, but doubts Horatio is lying to him.
Meanwhile Laertes, son of Polonius the chief minister to the King, is leaving to go back to France. His is speaking to his sister Ophelia, who has history with Hamlet. Laertes warns her against Hamlet, saying as a prince he may not get a choice in who he marries, and Ophelia may not be of high enough status to make a suitable wife, and if he has already slept with Ophelia she will be ruined. Laertes says goodbye to his father, and then it is Polonius who warns Ophelia. He says that Hamlet will promise Ophelia the world just to sleep with her, and not to trust his promises of love. He then forbids Ophelia to see Hamlet alone again, and she agrees.
Hamlet, Horatio and Marcellus wait for the ghost to appear at midnight. They hear noise from the castle, and Hamlet comments the king is probably drunk, as has become a custom in Denmark, to the scorn of other nations. The ghost appears, Hamlet charges it to speak to him, and the ghost gestures Hamlet to follow him. Hamlet is willing to follow it, but Marcellus and Horatio hold him back, worried it will lead him into a river or over a cliff. Hamlet eventually breaks free and chases after the ghost, Marcellus and Horatio follow him.
The ghost speaks to Hamlet, confirms he is the older Hamlet's spirit and tells him that he walks the earth by night and by day suffers in purgatory for his sins committed in life. He then tells Hamlet to avenge his murder, and tells Hamlet that Claudius, jealous of the older Hamlet's marriage to Gertrude and his throne, murdered him by pouring poison in his ear while the King was napping in his orchard. The elder Hamlet is furious at his brother, and furious at the marriage of Gertrude and Claudius. Morning approaches and the Ghost must leave, bidding Hamlet to remember it. Hamlet swears to avenge his father, before Marcellus and Horatio appear. Hamlet makes them swear never to tell anyone else about the ghost, and they swear. Hamlet then says that from this point onwards he will pretend to be mad, and Horatio and Marcellus must no reveal he is pretending. They all return to the castle.
Themes so far include: Murder (Claudius's murder of his brother.) Incest (Gertrude and Claudius's marriage) Erosion of the pride of Denmark (The royal bed of Denmark is now described as incestuous, Hamlet mentions that the culture of drinking has caused other nations to look down on Denmark, Horatio says "something is rotten in the state of Denmark.) The supernatural (the appearance of the ghost.) And the romance between Hamlet and Ophelia, forbidden by her family.
According to traditional Shakespearean tragedy, the tragic hero should begin the play at the height of his fortunes. This is not so with Hamlet, Hamlet may be a prince but he is grieving the death of his father and is disgusted by the marriage between his mother and uncle. Instead of starting off the play happy he begins it miserable. Usually the hero's misery is brought about by a fatal flaw in his or her character, but in this play Hamlet's early misery has been brought about purely by the malevolence of Claudius and seeming weakness of Gertrude. Hamlet's fatal flaw, which as a tragic hero he should possess, has yet to be revealed, though Polonius implies he is a womaniser. Currently the world does not seem to be the moral one that tragedy's are set in. Claudius has yet to suffer anything at all for the murder of his brother, Gertrude has yet to suffer for her incestuous marriage, and the only people that have suffered so far are the older and younger Hamlets, who don't seem to have done anything to deserve their suffering. The older Hamlet did kill the King of Norway in battle, and as he is in purgatory it suggests he does have some sins to suffer for, but neither he nor his son seem to have sinned enough to deserve their suffering.
Hamlet is attending his mother's wedding to his uncle Claudius, the old kings younger brother, who has now ascended to the throne (ahead of young Hamlet, for unknown reasons.) The whole court of Denmark seems to be happy at the marriage, but young Hamlet is appalled by it. He still wears black in respect of his father's death, and despite not voicing his opinions, it is obvious Hamlet is still fiercly loyal to his father. Gertrude is upset at Hamlet's sadness, but Claudius tells Hamlet to get over it, that everyone loses their father at some point, but he must move on. Gertrude asks Hamlet to stay in Denmark instead of returning to his university in wittenburg, Germany, and Hamlet agrees. The wedding procession leaves, leaving Hamlet to reflect on his disgust at the marriage, which has taken place less than two months after his father's death.
Horatio enters with Marcellus and Barnado. Hamlet is pleased to see his university friend Horatio, but comments he has only come to see his mother's wedding. Horatio tells Hamlet about the ghost, confirmed by the two soldiers. Hamlet is intrigued, and says he will come to the guard that night incase it walks again. Hamlet is troubled by the news of the ghost, but doubts Horatio is lying to him.
Meanwhile Laertes, son of Polonius the chief minister to the King, is leaving to go back to France. His is speaking to his sister Ophelia, who has history with Hamlet. Laertes warns her against Hamlet, saying as a prince he may not get a choice in who he marries, and Ophelia may not be of high enough status to make a suitable wife, and if he has already slept with Ophelia she will be ruined. Laertes says goodbye to his father, and then it is Polonius who warns Ophelia. He says that Hamlet will promise Ophelia the world just to sleep with her, and not to trust his promises of love. He then forbids Ophelia to see Hamlet alone again, and she agrees.
Hamlet, Horatio and Marcellus wait for the ghost to appear at midnight. They hear noise from the castle, and Hamlet comments the king is probably drunk, as has become a custom in Denmark, to the scorn of other nations. The ghost appears, Hamlet charges it to speak to him, and the ghost gestures Hamlet to follow him. Hamlet is willing to follow it, but Marcellus and Horatio hold him back, worried it will lead him into a river or over a cliff. Hamlet eventually breaks free and chases after the ghost, Marcellus and Horatio follow him.
The ghost speaks to Hamlet, confirms he is the older Hamlet's spirit and tells him that he walks the earth by night and by day suffers in purgatory for his sins committed in life. He then tells Hamlet to avenge his murder, and tells Hamlet that Claudius, jealous of the older Hamlet's marriage to Gertrude and his throne, murdered him by pouring poison in his ear while the King was napping in his orchard. The elder Hamlet is furious at his brother, and furious at the marriage of Gertrude and Claudius. Morning approaches and the Ghost must leave, bidding Hamlet to remember it. Hamlet swears to avenge his father, before Marcellus and Horatio appear. Hamlet makes them swear never to tell anyone else about the ghost, and they swear. Hamlet then says that from this point onwards he will pretend to be mad, and Horatio and Marcellus must no reveal he is pretending. They all return to the castle.
Themes so far include: Murder (Claudius's murder of his brother.) Incest (Gertrude and Claudius's marriage) Erosion of the pride of Denmark (The royal bed of Denmark is now described as incestuous, Hamlet mentions that the culture of drinking has caused other nations to look down on Denmark, Horatio says "something is rotten in the state of Denmark.) The supernatural (the appearance of the ghost.) And the romance between Hamlet and Ophelia, forbidden by her family.
According to traditional Shakespearean tragedy, the tragic hero should begin the play at the height of his fortunes. This is not so with Hamlet, Hamlet may be a prince but he is grieving the death of his father and is disgusted by the marriage between his mother and uncle. Instead of starting off the play happy he begins it miserable. Usually the hero's misery is brought about by a fatal flaw in his or her character, but in this play Hamlet's early misery has been brought about purely by the malevolence of Claudius and seeming weakness of Gertrude. Hamlet's fatal flaw, which as a tragic hero he should possess, has yet to be revealed, though Polonius implies he is a womaniser. Currently the world does not seem to be the moral one that tragedy's are set in. Claudius has yet to suffer anything at all for the murder of his brother, Gertrude has yet to suffer for her incestuous marriage, and the only people that have suffered so far are the older and younger Hamlets, who don't seem to have done anything to deserve their suffering. The older Hamlet did kill the King of Norway in battle, and as he is in purgatory it suggests he does have some sins to suffer for, but neither he nor his son seem to have sinned enough to deserve their suffering.
Analysis of own fairytale
Piglet, the fairytale written by myself, Mike and Joe, is a different version of the classic fairytale ‘The Three Little Pigs.’ Our fairytale, instead of being told in the third person by a passive narrator, is told in the first person from the point of view of Francoise- the little French pig. Our story follows the general story structure of having a beginning, a middle and an end – the growing threat of the wolf at the beginning, the destruction of the Polish and French houses in the middle and the failure to destroy the British house at the end.
Our story is an allegory, the traditional story of the three little pigs has been changed and the characters made to represent different figures and countries from 1939-1940, the beginning of the Second World War. The ‘big bad wolf’ represents Hitler, and his attempted destruction of the houses represents Hitler’s attempted takeover of Europe . The three houses represent Poland , France and Britain respectively. The Polish and French houses are destroyed to represent the Nazi occupation in those countries, while the British house holds firm against the wolf to represent Hitler’s failure to invade Britian.
Of course in History Hitler took months in between attacking different countries, in our story the time in between attacks is not specified but the attack on the French house comes almost immediately after the attack on the Polish house, as Francoise can hear the wolves coming just after he sees the Polish house be destroyed. There seems to be a longer gap from the French attack to the attack on the British house as Churchill and Francoise have time to strengthen the house with tin. This pause in Hitler wolf’s attack goes unexplained, to represent the real unexplained pause Hitler took when attacking the British Expeditionary Force at Dunkirk .
While the basis of the story is set in Europe 1939-1940, the fairytale is set in an imaginary world, where Poland , France and Britain are contained in three adjacent houses, with the German house presumably near by. The time is also unspecified, though it seems to be fairly recent, with references to Eastenders and ‘footie.’ This suggests this imaginary world is set in much more recent times than the beginning of the second world war, and presumably brings the story to the current day, although Hitler’s weaponry doesn’t seem to be from the 21st Century.
Parts of the dialogue in our fairytale have been directly copied both from the original story ‘The Three Little Pigs’ and from quotes taken from Winston Churchill during the war. The famous line “not by the hair of my chinny chin chin” is uttered both my Michel and Churchill, and acts as a reference to the original story. There is also a real Churchill quote, acting as Churchill pig’s speech to Francoise when Francoise comes to warn him. These two different quotes help to combine the two stories being amalgamated, the story of the three little pigs and the real story of the beginning of the Second World War in Europe .
Francoise acts as the main character. Francoise first sees his neighbour being killed before losing his house and sole family member, his beloved father. This initial tragedy is in line with the real tragedy suffered by millions of European country during the war. However Francoise, who is a lively character, despite being devastated by the death of his father, refuses to give up and instead goes to try and save his neighbour Churchill, showing Francoise to be selfless and brave in facing Hitler Wolf again. Francoise’s father is a contrasting character, portrayed as rather more serious and grumpy. Francoise enjoys a bitter sweet ending, despite losing his house and father, he is left with the hope of a new life in the British house with Mr Churchill, this perhaps corresponds to the opinion of many at the end of WWII, though most had some personal tragedy to remember, there was the hope of a new and bright future.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Piglet
So there I was, munching away on panne au chocolat… But before I get into it, I’ll let you know about the boy behind the struggle, me, Francoise Le Petite Couchon. I was twelve years of age and the rise of the III Reich was upon the world and it was not prepared.
I lived alone with my dear father, Michelle, in the Paris room of the house of France, dominated by the stench of camembert and garlic yet the French stench was overthrown by the English house waft of lager and cigars.
Onto my story… At this stage, our house held a great animosity to our German neighbours and at this stage conversation was also laconic. It was unusual for me to enjoy the French garden at this time but I needed some fun and alone time so I decided to play a game of football. In the distance, I spied the Polish house, where Mr Podolski lived, being viciously approached by a pack of wolves, meerkat Mussolini, and the Führer. Quickly and without mercy, Hitler wolf huffed, and puffed, and blew the dumpling built Polish house up.
I ran back into the house as quickly as my little trotters could carry me, I found my father and told him what I had seen.
“Papa, papa, Mr Podolski’s house was blown away, it was Mr Hitler and his wolves, they blew it straight down, we need to leave now papa, before we end up like Mr Podolski.”
“Mr Podolski’s house was not built as strong as ours, these French built croissant walls have never been blown down, don’t worry Francoise, we’ll be fine.”
Despite my protestations, papa wouldn’t leave, convinced our house was strong enough to withstand Hitler’s attack. I could hear them marching towards us, I could hear their claws scratching at the ground, their paws squelching through the coffee moist soil. It wasn’t long before Hitler Wolf knocked on our door.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
“Let me in little piggies, I have brought gifts of wine and cheese, please let me in.” said Hitler wolf, with unconvincing politeness.
“Never Hitler Wolf, not by the hair of my chinny chin chin.” Said my father.
“Then I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house up.”
I ran, as fast as my little trotters could carry me, jumping through the back window. I thought my father was behind me, surely now accepting the French house couldn’t hold out. But the time I looked back, my house had been destroyed, and my father was nowhere to be seen. All my time at the French residence I was awaiting my fathers company to play football, something we would now never do.
All I could think to do was run to the British house, to warn Mr Churchill, I couldn’t think about my father. I jumped over the white fence of Dover, and ran to the British house, made up of cups of tea built up precariously. I knocked on the door, and Churchill pig appeared, bulging with a cigar in his mouth.
“What do you want little pig? Shouldn’t you be at home?”
“My home is gone, it was blown up by Hitler wolf, he’ll do the same here unless you make your house stronger.”
Churchill looked down on me, and considered me, before saying “A pig does what he must-inspite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures-and that is the basis of all pig morality.” I wasn’t sure what he meant at the time, but goddamn I was willing to help the British house.
So Mr Churchill and me got to work, building up defences, making the British house the strongest house there had ever been… We built it out of British made tin, coming from tins of baked beans. It wasn’t long before Hitler Wolf came knocking at the British Door.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
“Let me in little piggies, I’ve brought you gifts of mustard and the ever-popular BBC 1 soap opera Eastenders.” Said Hitler.
“Never Hitler Wolf” boomed Churchill pig, “Not by the hair on my chinny chin chin”
“Then I’ll huff and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house up.”
And Hitler wolf huffed, and puffed, and his wolves huffed, and puffed. And Mussolini Meerkat huffed, and puffed (though he was a bit rubbish.) But together they could not blow the house up, even the best bombs from Germany could not blow up that house.
This was the beginning of the Nazi Party becoming moribund.
And after the Nazi Party had gone, i lived with Churchill in the tin house, and now we play football all the time.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
What's So Good About Hamlet?
In Shakespeare’s time, the Renaissance period of theatre, audiences were intrigued by the plays portrayal of madness. The play became famous for the ghost, and its portrayal of insanity and melancholy. In Jacobean and Caroline theatre, insane courtiers were a common sight, and this seems to be indebted to ‘Hamlet.’ After the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, ‘Hamlet’ became one of the most popular and profitable plays of the time, despite some top critics (such as John Evelyn and Jeremy Collier) lambasting Shakespeare as un-educated and condemning his ignorance of Aristotle’s rules of unity and decorum. In the 18th Century the play was criticised for being confusing, due to the irregularities and discontinuities within the play, which modern scholars argue over whether these discontinuities were by accident or to re-enforce the themes of dilemma and duality. However the ghost scenes were still very popular amongst audiences. Hamlet breaks a lot of the accepted rules of playwrighting, such as action over character. In fact Hamlet has more lines than any other Shakespeare character, and the main focus of the play is Hamlet’s monologues, rather than any action in the play. It is currently the most performed play by the Royal Shakespeare Company.
The play has sparked great debate amongst scholars and left many questions to pick over. Is Hamlet really as insane as he say’s he is? Why does Hamlet not kill his uncle praying when he has the chance? Why does it take Hamlet so long to decide to kill his uncle? Does Hamlet have repressed sexual feelings for his mother Gertrude? Is Hamlet a misogynist or are his actions towards Ophelia down to his state of mind? Some of the most famous minds in the world have considered the play, including Sigmeund Freud, who analysed Hamlet as if he was a real person and diagnosed him with Oedipus Complex.
The play is rumoured to have been based on the true story of Prince Amleth, adding another dimension to the play. The play has in effect 5 strands, with five different sons trying to avenge the death of their father, Hamlet’s story being the most prominent of course. Death plays a huge part in the play, with Hamlet, in Shakespeare’s most famous soliloquy, discussing the concept of suicide, and whether it is better “to be or not to be.” Despite being a very serious play there are some comic sequences, such as the gravedigger’s scene, which was seen as hilarious by audiences in Shakespeare’s time.
The play is considered, melodramatically, to be fairly run-of-the-mill, with the sword fighting finale and death of most of the main characters, including the titular character, but the Shakespearean language of the play, complexity of Hamlet’s character and the huge moral dilemma’s he is faced with make this play stand out for many people.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Stop all the clocks by W.H. Auden
Q1 Poem told in the first person, presumably from the poets point of view. The Poem is split into two different halves, during the funeral and after the funeral. During the funeral Auden is shocked at the death of his partner, and wishes for everything in his local area to cease to work. At this point, despite grieving, he perhaps doesn’t quite believe that his lover is gone. After the funeral Auden’s grief intensifies, as the death starts to sink in and Auden is faced with his life without his partner. At this point Auden wishes for the whole universe to end, showing his huge grief that intensified after the funeral. The poem runs in a pattern, Auden at first is demanding everything to stop, before going to the past and considering his life and relationship with his partner, he then comes back to the present, and again demands everything to stop, perhaps this looking back has also contributed to his increased grief.
Q2 The poem deals with the themes of death and the intense grief that can follow. It also is about true love and what happens after it is ended.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Opening of Necropolis by Anthony Horowitz
"The girl didn't look before crossing the road.
That was what the driver said later. She didn't look left or right. She'd seen a friend on the opposite pavement and she simply walked across to join him, not noticing that the lights had turned green, forgetting that this was always a busy junction and that this was four o'clock in the afternoon when people were trying to get their work finished, hurrying on their way home. The girl just set off without thinking. She didn't so much as glimpse the white van heading towards her at fifty miles an hour."
Anthony Horowitz was my favourite author as a young teenager, i've read all the Alex Rider series and the Power of of Five series (Necropolis is the fourth book in the Power of Five series.) I always find myself hooked almost from the first word, as something exciting or intriguing happens immediately, particularly in Necropolis, where the main character is almost hit by a van and killed in the opening paragraph. This immediate excitement is retained throughout the novel, with kidnappings, typoons and plenty of street battles. I would recommend the Power of Five or Alex Rider series for easy and entertaining reading.
That was what the driver said later. She didn't look left or right. She'd seen a friend on the opposite pavement and she simply walked across to join him, not noticing that the lights had turned green, forgetting that this was always a busy junction and that this was four o'clock in the afternoon when people were trying to get their work finished, hurrying on their way home. The girl just set off without thinking. She didn't so much as glimpse the white van heading towards her at fifty miles an hour."
Anthony Horowitz was my favourite author as a young teenager, i've read all the Alex Rider series and the Power of of Five series (Necropolis is the fourth book in the Power of Five series.) I always find myself hooked almost from the first word, as something exciting or intriguing happens immediately, particularly in Necropolis, where the main character is almost hit by a van and killed in the opening paragraph. This immediate excitement is retained throughout the novel, with kidnappings, typoons and plenty of street battles. I would recommend the Power of Five or Alex Rider series for easy and entertaining reading.
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