Thinking Outside the Box

Plato and Sartre both chose to use allegories to describe the limitation of our thinking.  However, the two pieces differ in tone and theme. In "Allegory of the Cave," and "No Exit," the characters had different perspectives and challenges to overcome.  Although the plot lines, tones, and themes are disparate, the author conveys the same message of describing the limitation of our thinking.  Eventually, they imply solutions to the problem.

In "Allegory of the Cave," the characters were "shackled" and limited in knowledge and thinking because they chose to never look beyond what was there.  Therefore, they trapped themselves and weren't living to their full potential.  In "No Exit," the characters are trapped in their way of thinking by each other.  Each one influences the other, preventing them to think for themselves.  The reading suggests that hell is other people's influence; the only thing that was putting those people through hell was one another.

 Although both tones are informative, they include other different characteristics.  For example, in "Allegory of the Cave," the tone seemed to be more relaxed, because the characters did not know they were living in bondage.  However, in "No Exit," the tone includes some urgency, because the characters were going through hell.  The characters' circumstances in each affected the tones.

The themes of both works are disparate.  In "No Exit," one of the obvious themes was hell.  The ironic thing was that this hell was being created by one another.  Hell was related to existence and to one's idea of oneself.  The reason they were put through hell was because they were seeing the negative, shameful things in themselves in each other. A theme of "Allegory of the Cave" was knowledge is power.  The more the characters learned about their situation, the more they were able to break out of the "cave" and live a more fulfilling, empowered life.  It shows how ignorance can be crippling, and even trap a person into their mindset and beliefs. 

Literature Analysis #3: Kafka On the Shore

1. Kafka on the Shore  is centered around a man named Kafka Tamura who has run away from home to escape a horrible destiny.  This Oedipal prophecy is that he will  kill his father, and sleep with his sister and mother. When Kafka runs away, strange occurances start happening.  Eventually, to his dismay, Kafka realizes he has fulfilled each of his prophecies.  Throughout this story, another story is being alternated involving an elderly man named Nakata that claims he can talk to cats, but he cannot read.  Although Nakata and Kafka never meet, their actions seem to affect one another and be codependent.  This can be blamed on the fact that the book relates to the idea that souls can jump from one body to another.  Thus, through Nakata, Kafka did in fact carry out his prophecy.

2. Fate was the most prominent theme in the novel.   Even when Kafka tried his best to escape it, he could not.  It was going be fulfilled no matter what.

3.  The tone of the story is somber. The author includes very little comedy in the novel. 
- "Memories are what warm you up from the inside. But they're also what tear you apart."
- "Lost opportunities, lost possibilities, feelings we can never get back.  That's part of what it    means to be alive. But inside our heads-at least that's where I imagine it - there's a little room where we store those memories."
  - "Listen up- there's no war that will end all wars."

4. Theme: Fate

- Sometimes fate is like a sandstorm that keeps changing directions.  You change direction but the sandstorm chases you.  Your turn again, but the storm adjusts."

- no matter what Kafka did, he couldn't escape his fate

- running away from it only brought him closer

    Symbolism: 

- Alter- ego "crow"

-  represents Kafka's downfalls

    
    Foreshadowing:

- "On my fifteenth birthday I'll run away from home, journey off to a far-off town, and live in a corner of a small library."

  
Diction/ Syntax:
- easy to read, colloquial

 - "Hey, Mr. Nakata. Gramps. Fire! Flood! Earthquake! Revolution! Godzilla's on the loose! Get up!

- "Chance encounters are what keep us going." 

     Imagery:

 -  “Being with her I feel a pain, like a frozen knife stuck in my chest."

-   “Not just beautiful, though--the stars are like the trees in the forest, alive and breathing. And they're watching me.”
 -    “A strange, terrific force unlike anything I've ever experienced is sprouting in my heart, taking root there, growing. Shut up behind my rib cage, my warm heart expands and contracts independent of my will--over and over.”

"Allegory of the Cave" In- Class Essay

In "Allegory of the Cave, by Plato, the author often uses symbols to represent much deeper meanings.  Throughout the work, countless metaphors are used to convey the purpose.  This figurative language is what makes this piece an allegory.  The reader is required to interpret what each symbol means, and furthermore, the allegory as a whole.  Although this piece may appear as a simple bedtime caveman story, it has a much deeper meaning and purpose.

Plato's purpse in writing this piece may not be conspicuous to many readers.  His real purpose was to reveal how unenlightenment traps a person, and restrain them from living to their full potential.  He uses the sun as a metaphor for enlightenment.  The prisoners had never seen the sun in their cave.  He also represents the hindering affect of unenlightenment through the shackles set upon the cavemen.

Big Question

Why do people have deja vu?

Hamlet/epics/language essay

Language can reveal much information about a person or character in a novel.  A
character’s choice of language in a novel is extremely important.  In “Hamlet,” Hamlet’s
language use differs from that of epic heroes’ such as Beowulf.  This helps a reader be
able distinguish one from the other.  By reading lines from each, a person could tell which
voice belonged to which character without reading any of the novel.

    Beowulf conveys more imagery with his language choices than Hamlet does.  For
example, Beowulf said, “I’d use no sword, no weapon, if this beast could be killed
without it, crushed to death like Grendel, gripped in my hands and torn limb from limb.”
Hamlet often chose to use diction that did not allow the reader to get a visual picture.
The reason may be because most of Hamlet’s remarks were his inner thoughts and
feelings. 

    The purpose of each character’s sentences has an effect on their diction and
syntax.  Hamlet often uses speech as a way of venting his feelings, and figuring them out.
So Hamlet’s language choice often consisted of long soliloquies, in which he over
analyzes his problems.  On the other hand, Beowulf often chose language that was about
battles or accomplishments.  “I’ve never known fear, as a youth I fought in endless
battles.  I am old now, but I will fight again.”

    Language choices are distinct to each character.  It is important to recognize them,
hence gaining a better understanding of the novel.  Hamlet and Beowulf choose very
disparate diction and syntax, and that helps distinguish them.

Major Concept I've Learned

One major concept I've learned in this class is "filter bubbles."  This stuck out in my mind because when I learned about it, I was shocked and even a little disturbed.  The fact that search engines filter out and control the results we receive makes us miss out on other information.  I am much more careful about using search engines now, and have learned which ones don't perform "filter bubbles."  This knowledge will continue to help me in college and throughout my life, which is also why I chose this concept. 

Outline (Roy Christopher)

A) The Medium is the Message
- medium is the most important item
- different mediums produce different results/interpretations

B) "Digital Maturity"
- one must know how technology works to get full benefit from it
- using a computer used to mean programming one- we should familiarize ourselves thoroughly

C) Generations
- older generations should trust younger generations
-  people don't have to engage if they don't want to

D) "Program or Be Programmed"
- participate in it, don't be victimized by it
- unfamiliarity can cause fear
- know how technology operates to take full control of it

E) Pros and Cons
- technology offers mixture of cultures
- has developed skill of multitasking in younger generations
- can be effective tool of knowledge
- can be a distraction
- can take control of you if you don't control it