Today ,we first studied how to discern and to develop a thematic statement. I clarified for Aiden the difference between a literary work and a parable. In other words, thematic statements address observations about human nature, life , or/and society. They are not necessarily didactic epigrams. With that in mind, we studied the next pages of the novella focusing on the representative or symbolic nature of the plot and what the events depict or suggest about life and society :here the dehumanizing impact of modernity caused by isolation and impersonal forces. We will finish the novella tomorrow-test on Thursday/Friday.
We continue to explore Kafka's existentialist world view. Aiden raised questions as to whether the story's theme was anti capitalist and somewhat anti-family . I noted that these elements of the novella are illustrative of broader ideas: alienation caused by modernity and humans as disposable assets in the modern world. We further studied a passage in the novella depicting
Gregor's family as financial parasites again highlighting the story's irony wherein Gregor, a bug, is more human than his family who are in fact parasitic like insects. We last addressed the role of setting as establishing the appropriate tone for the novella's themes.
Today we focused on interpreting textual passages illustrative of the motifs of alienation/lack of communication .Aiden astutely noted that Gregor has done nothing to deserve his fate-becoming a cockroach- which I explained is exactly Kafka's perspective : a senseless ,illogical world where one futilely struggles to find or to create meaning in the face of persection. We further explored the role of modern commercialism as a cause for Man's alienation and noted examples of alienation in the text such as the persistence of closed doors and Gregor's longing to be "included in the circle of humanity." Critically, we began to examine how Gregor , a bug, is more human than the human characters in the story, a developing theme.
We began our first full session on this existentialist novella by examining biographical information about the author that informs the novella and by discussing some of his other known works, specifically "The Trial." I provided more contours to Kafka's existentialist views noting the themes of alienation , absurdity, and senselessness of modern existence. From there we studied the first pages locating textual examples illustrating themes of lack of communication /alienation and the acceptance of life's absurdity .
During the first half of the session , we reviewed Aiden's essay test. on "A Raisin in the Sun." I addressed how to avoid relying on generalized terms and further discussed the distinction between a symbol and a literary allusion. We further addressed some word usage issues. We then began our next novella ,Kafka's "Metamorphosis." I introduced some elements of existentialist philosophy which we will further explore tomorrow along with some biographical background about the author.
In preparation for an upcoming practice PSAT, we reviewed Aiden's PSAT homework. I provided instruction on the distinction between a question that asks the main idea, the purpose, and the function of a sentence. We next worked on how to analyze a data table or chart noting the importance of answering the question posed about the data. Last, I provided strategies for answering note summarization questions. I emphasized the importance of focusing on the question as answers almost always correctly summarize the notes but do not respond to a specific inquiry such as summarizing a note so that it emphasizes a difference or similarity.
In order to review and to prepare for tomorrow's test, we first addressed Aiden's study guide work on Act III. I addressed how to analyze a metaphor in order to glean a theme as well as writing issues such as subject -verb agreement and pronoun antecedent agreement. We further discussed the play as a universal story about family struggles even beyond the issue of race . We noted the optimistic mood at the end of the play and examined how that optimism illustrates a thematic element: overcoming adversity through resilience and family support .
As we have completed reading the play, today we traced plot elements as categorized in the Freytag pyramid. We first addressed the major conflict in the play and how it crescendos into the play's climax in Act III. We noted the relationship between the rising action , the climax, and Walter's character development as he adapts values more consistent with family love rather than the worldly definition of success. I further addressed the symbolism of Mama's plant in Act III and its significance to theme as in the final moments of the play Mama retrieves from the now vacant apartment the plant which "expresses" her.
