Monthly Archives: April 2020

3. Explain the significance of the story about reburying Weifu’s little brother?

The significance of reburying Weifu’s little brother is the display of filial piety, one of Confucius’s great virtues. Weifu reburied his little brother out of respect for his mother because she cannot sleep knowing his brother’s remains may slip into a river. Despite the action being pointless, for the remains had already decomposed, he went forth and buried an empty coffin. This act is significant because he yielded to tradition, the very thing he sought to bring down. Weifu had displayed resistance to traditional norms at an early age when he states “how all day long we used to discuss methods of revolutionizing China.” The act of reburying his brother, despite knowing it was pointless, contradicts this belief. It signifies that Weifu had abandoned his revolutionary ideas and yielded to tradition. 

4. Weifu recalls when he and the narrator used to pull the beards off religious statues in the Temple when they were younger.  What is the significance of this memory?

The significance of pulling the beards off religious statues is to portray defiance. It’s Chinese tradition to pay respect to religious figures; pulling off the beard of religious statues is a display of disrespect and resistance to traditional norms. The memory of pulling the beard off religious statues during their youth implies their rejection of tradition. The memory is significant for it emphasizes Weifu’s change, during which he states “But now I am like this, willing to let things slide and to compromise.” Weifu lacks the ambition and recklessness he possesses in his youth, life had taught him to yield to the very thing he seeks to overthrow. 

The story’s narrator is revisiting a place he once lived.  Explain the significance that this “revisiting” has in relation to the themes of the story.

When one revisits a place that he/she has been before, it often triggers to bring back one’s memories that are associated with the place and hence evokes a feeling of nostalgia. In the story, the narrator revisits the place but soon finds out it is not what it used to be anymore. Everything has changed along the change in culture due to the New Culture Movement, which, according to the narrator, has made him feel like a “stranger” to the familiar place. Additionally, the change is seen in his childhood friend Weifu. Unlike how passionate he was about the revolution, Weifu no longer cares about contributing and shows indifference. The whole event of revisiting is significant as it connects to the themes of the story, the change. The narrator notices the difference in places, people, culture and reminisces the old time when Weifu and him were enthused by the revolutionary ideas. The nostalgic feeling creeps on him, reminding him those old days are loss and long gone.

Explain the significance of the story about reburying Weifu’s little brother?

Reburying Weifu’s little brother conveys how Weifu has bowed down to the traditional norms. The act itself is pointless since the body of Weifu’s brother is decomposed. Yet, Weifu proceeds to rebury it in a new coffin next to his father simply out of filial piety. He knows the act is meaningless but does so anyway just for his mother. It creates a contrast between the old Weifu and him now.

Describe an instance of filial piety in the story.  What is its significance?

One instance of filial piety in the story is when Lu Wei-fu went to his younger brother’s burial site in his mother’s request because the coffin was getting destroyed by the river. It’s significant because he hadn’t the time or money to go there in the first instance he knew about it from his mother. But once the New Year’s holiday came around he instantly went there to resolve the issue. The story stated, As soon as my mother knew this, she became very upset, and couldn’t sleep for several nights—she can read letters by herself, you know. But what could I do? I had no money, no time: there was nothing that could be done.” Here it’s stated that his mother was suffering but he felt that it was a hopeless mission, and yet, once it was possible to go, Lu Wei-fu went for his mother so she wouldn’t be upset anymore. Once he got there it was already too late and futile to move the body to a new coffin because everything inside rotted a was now emptied. So he pretended to move the body in this new coffin and then buried this empty coffin in order to satisfy his mother’s request and for her mind to be at ease. Lu Wei-fu believes and follows the old traditional Chinese philosophies of filial piety- of strong loyalty and deference to one’s parents, to one’s ancestors, and to one’s country and its leaders.

What aspects of this short story seem to you to be particularly modernist?

The aspects of this short story that seem to me modernist are the way as we the readers are inside the thoughts of the narrator the story is told from his perspective, meaning the narrator’s self-conscious and how he is describing and navigating throughout the world. Another aspect is modernist themes such as the sense of alienation, the loneliness, of the characters particularly the narrator. For example, when the narrator stated he felt like a stranger going back to a place he once been, “When I passed the gate of the school, I found that too had changed its name and appearance, which made me feel quite a stranger. In less than two hours my enthusiasm had waned, and I rather reproached myself for coming.” Another aspect is the use of metaphors and symbols and description of the setting, such as- the artificial flower, moistness of the heaped snow, dry northern snow, the poor grave, and more.

Please respond to any two of the following questions, being sure to ground your response in concrete details or quotations from the text.  Your responses should be posted to the blog before our Zoom call on Wednesday at 3pm:

1. Do you think that Gregor is more powerful BEFORE or AFTER his metamorphosis?  Explain your response.
2. How is Gregor’s family transformed in the wake of his metamorphosis?
3. Discuss the theme of food and eating. What role does it play in “The Metamorphosis”?
4. At the end of the second section of the story, Gregor’s father pelts him with apples.  What do you think this episode is about?
5. Gregor emerges from his room one last time when he hears his sister playing her violin for the lodgers.  What is the significance of this scene? What meaning does music hold for Gregor here?
6. Ultimately, what do you think Gregor’s metamorphosis means?  What does it mean to be transformed into a giant bug?
7. Explain your understanding of Gregor’s death.  How/why does he ultimately die?
8. Look at the final paragraph of the story. How does it shape or alter our understanding of the text?

Hi Friends,

Just alerting you to the fact that I have posted the assignment for your final essay to the blog.  You can find it under the “Essays” tab at the top of the page.  Please note that, for this essay, you will coming up with your own topics using my guidelines.  We will be discussing this assignment during our call tomorrow, so please read the prompt through carefully, so that you can ask questions tomorrow.

Have a nice day!

Professor Sylvor

1. The story’s narrator is revisiting a place he once lived.  Explain the significance that this “revisiting” has in relation to the themes of the story.

In search of fellow colleagues and later realizing that the school once taught at hadn’t looked the same no more or even had the same name to it, the narrator has come face to face with change. In hopes of potentially fulfilling some type of nostalgia the narrator is clearly let down once analyzing the small town and his current surroundings. Imagine coming back to the neighborhood in which you had grown up your whole life after a period in time only to feel like a stranger in your own home. When you revisit a place you wouldn’t revisit somewhere you hadn’t bad experiences with so when the narrator is displeased with what he is seeing this comes as a shock to them. Revisiting and not expecting what you though you were going to expect also relates to the old friend the narrator meets when he goes to give the flowers only to find out that the girl had been dead. The man also resisted the boy only to find out his body had been washed away. In revisiting you don’t come with a negative mindset as this man only wanted to do good for the young girl and boy only to find out times have changed significantly. 

3)   Describe an instance of Filial Piety in the story. What is its significance?

An instance in where Filial Piety is displayed in the text is when Weifu returns to move his brothers grave and purchased a small coffin for the once living three year old. His mother had been upset of the grave becoming swamped so to make his mother happier he wanted to rebury his brother. Of course he was later disappointed to find everything gone. He still ordered the men to continue digging at this point not only wanting to please his mother but himself as all he wanted to do was just see his little brother. I really feel for this man and the scenarios he has been through, but times do change drastically as we get older sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. 

    And would it have been worth it, after all,

Would it have been worth while,

After the sunsets and the dooryards and the sprinkled streets,

After the novels, after the teacups, after the skirts that trail along the floor—

And this, and so much more?—

It is impossible to say just what I mean!

(Lines 99-104)

           Throughout the poem Prufrock says he has this overwhelming question on his mind. He seems to really need to get something off his chest but just doesn’t seem able to do so. The poem discusses his thin self and and loss of hair. Maybe he realizes these characteristics of himself and just isn’t confident to approach whoever he has this question for. His biggest fear is most definitely rejection. I felt when he mentioned the woman had been talking of Michael Angelo he may see Michael Angelo as a man woman care about and talk highly about.  He himself doesn’t even come close to comparing to Michael Angelo so why would these women ever talk about him. The passage chosen could potentially relate to me possibly explaining my reasoning for choosing it. As a man rejection of a fear of myself. I would never want to be turned down by a woman. Imagine building up the confidence and courage to talk to a woman simply to be denied. Your confidence is destroyed and could be almost embarrassing. However, Prufrock understands the cons of delivering such an impactful question but he does understand that of everything goes as planned the reward is definitely worth it. Thinking about life and the biggest what if’s can have ur brain thinking and turning all day. What if you did this instead of this. What if you took a certain path in life would you be in a better position than you are currently. The way I look at it for Prufrock is it is better to try than to never know. You never want to regret never doing something and look back at it everyday. Although his biggest question would’ve potentially  ended badly at least he has tried. At the end of the day you only live life once so why not do what you desire to do. If all goes well the reward will most definitely be worth it as the future could be bright. But if he holds that question to himself it will remain on his mind for the rest of his days. After the sunsets, teacups, and so much more shows that he can see the pros and a bright future ahead. He’s thinking of better and happier days. He just shows himself that it will in fact be worth it. When he says it is impossible to say just what I mean. Maybe he’s dealing with love and sometimes when dealing with love you don’t really know what you do mean or how you feel. It could be hard for him to get off his chest what he is trying to say. Or maybe he does know what he is trying to say yet again lacks the confidence to say it.  I myself wish I could’ve pepped talk him into building such confidence after all it IS worth it to find happiness .

The story’s narrator is revisiting a place he once lived.  Explain the significance that this “revisiting” has in relation to the themes of the story.

In the story, the narrator comes back to the place where he once lived. He comes to realize that everything is different and he feels like a stranger. When he passed by his old school, he noticed the name had changed. He felt like everything was different as though he was in a place he no longer knew. He says “In less than two hours my enthusiasm had waned, and I rather reproached myself for coming.” He felt like he should not have come back because this place he once knew was nothing like how he left it. This theme of revisiting is significant because it shows how things are always changing in life and nothing is going to stay still. We have to keep up and adapt to these changes. I feel that this is important to learn for the narrator because he is going back to teaching confucianism, but when growing up he wanted to teach things that were to bring change to the way people learned. Instead of moving forward towards change, he goes backwards to the old ways. 

Describe an instance of filial piety in the story.  What is its significance?

An instance of filial piety was when he came to rebury his brother because his mother had told him to do so. However, this moment in the story was even more significant because when he went to the grave, he saw nothing there. There was no body and no remains of anything that would show a dead body was buried there. However, he still reburied an empty casket next to his father to keep his mother at peace. He says “As soon as my mother knew this, she became very upset, and couldn’t sleep for several nights—she can read letters by herself, you know. But what could I do? I had no money, no time: there was nothing that could be done.” He knew how upset his mother felt when she found out that her son’s grave was going to be swamped. Knowing he could do nothing else to make her happy, he took his opportunity to keep her at peace and rebury him. He did not really know his brother and even said that he has forgotten how he looks, which shows that rebutting his brother has no significance to him. He is only doing this because of his mother, which is why this is a significant example of filial piety in the story. 

T.S. Eliot’s The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock made its mark as one of the most influential masterpieces in literary history, especially during its time at the early years of the Modernist movement, for being one of the first pieces to make use of stream-of-consciousness writing to portray a dream-like world. In summary, the poem revolves around a man named J. Alfred Prufrock who doesn’t seem to have the courage to tell his feelings to the woman he loves, and so he comes up with doubts and insecurities in his head, all of which stops him and he eventually, metaphorically speaking, dies of drowning.

In relation to the current generation, the poem is reflective of the insecurity and anxiety many of us are experiencing. As pop culture progresses further and technologies advance, our perception of beauty has been changing dramatically. What has been considered the benchmark then is romanticized by most people to be different. The LGBTQ community, for example, is under fire and highly criticized, which leaves most of its members insecure of them/him/her/itself and anxious of revealing their/his/her/its personalities and true selves. Moreover, fashion trends for women and bases of beauty has varied and so some, if not all, women are having insecurities and self-doubt for not being slim enough, not having the latest makeup collection, or whatnot. Therefore, some of them are body-shamed for not meeting the expected definition of ‘pretty,’ which leads to hate themselves and their body the same way Prufrock is with his bald spot. Conversely, men are also shamed for not having the expected six-pack abs or toned muscles, which leads them to become insecure and have the fear to approach women as much as they want to. All in all, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock reflects the mental health many of us are struggling with.

However, I believe that another message that the poem is trying to convey, which reflects the Modernist approach to conventional relationships, is the loss of human connection. In the poem, Prufrock tries to connect with the women, or perhaps his beloved, but does not get the courage to do so. In relation to world events, I feel that this can be related to the current issue of the COVID-19 pandemic. I believe that because of the stay-at-home order and self-quarantine, we become alienated to the feeling of genuine human connection. The normal we knew then, such as handshakes and hugs, would become different. Therefore, I feel that Prufrock’s wavering confidence to say what he wants to say could reflect us trying to establish a bond when we go back to ‘normal’ life.

For I have known them all already, known them all:
Have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons,
I have measured out my life with coffee spoons;
…
So how should I presume?
(49-51, 54)

Presume, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is defined as “to believe something to be true because it is very likely, although you are not certain.” In the passage, Prufrock assures himself that “he [has] measured out [his] life with coffee spoons,” which means that he has everything calculated and figured out the small details (Dahl). This is because, if taken literally, a coffee spoon is small and holds approximately 10 grams or 0.36 ounces. In this case, Prufrock measures everything he does and so he does not account for changes or mistakes. Additionally, the first two lines of this stanza indicates that Prufrock may not be young for he has “known them all already,” which could be another way of saying the phrase: “I have seen better days.” Going back to Cambridge Dictionary’s definition, this passage means that Prufrock assures himself for he has experienced everything and accounted for anything that could change his life or his habits, and so he asks himself the rhetorical question, “Where should I be uncertain?” (Dahl).

I chose this passage not just because it contains one of T.S. Eliot’s iconic lines, which is “I have measured out my life with coffee spoons,” but also because I kind of relate to it. As an introvert, I try to calculate everything, especially when giving an oral presentation in class or usually the first days of class when professors ask everyone to introduce themselves, but I also leave space for uncertainty and adventure. In relation to the poem as a whole, I believe that this passage encapsulates Prufrock’s wavering confidence as it conveys the message of reassurance, which sort of contradicts Prufrock’s self-doubt and insecurity.

References
https://bit.ly/354jyKM – Coffee spoons
https://bit.ly/354jyKM – “I have measured out my life with coffee spoons”
https://bit.ly/359yyHs – Cambridge Dictionary