great works ii – 2850 jta 12:25-2:05: love letters from the world

1. In The Metamorphosis, Kafka chose to have Gregor transform into a cockroach. What is the significance of Gregor turning into a cockroach of all things? What does the cockroach symbolize?
2. Compare and contrast the journey to enlightenment for both Monkey, from Journey to the West, and the woman from Life of a Sensuous Woman. How were the journeys similar and how were they different? Were they both able to find their “bliss”? Why or why not?

Bartleby- allegory of the cave
In Plato’s allegory of the cave, there are four prisoner one in which escapes. This prisoner now enlightened with new found knowledge early tries to teach it to the other, but to no avail, for they are stuck in their ways. Plato used this allegory to explain why his friend and teach Socrates was sentenced to death and also why he would not preach his ideals more aggressively. Bartleby does too (like the prisoner) to a realization. Did he not retaliate because of fear of prosecution or did he feel those around him will not “get it”?

Sensuous woman- 5 stages of grief
The five stages of grievance is denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. The sensuous woman’s desire has led her to many hardships and as she told her stories to the two men is was clear she was grieving. When and how the narrator did experience denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance?

In the texts “Bartleby the Scrivener” and “Metamorphosis,” both Bartleby and Gregor suffer a downfall in their society. Compare or contrast how being ostracized in their society affected these characters and how it ultimately lead to their death.

In Franz Kafka’s “Judgement,” Georg’s father exclaims that all this time, Georg has only cared about himself and no one else. Do you agree with the father’s remarks? Is there anything that Georg is not able to see or perhaps does not want to see like the example of the prisoners in “Plato’s Allegory of the Cave?”

1.Both The Metamorphosis and Kaspar share their similarities. Gregor not Kaspar question what is going on with their lives at the moment (Gregor woke up as a cockroach and Kaspar is locked away.) why do you think this is?
2A. Who do you think is to blame for Gregor’s metamorphosis?
2B. Do you think Gregor committed suicide?

1. In “The Metamorphosis” by Kafka, Gregor turns into a cockroach and we see how the people in his life react to this transformation. Although Gregor suffers this tragedy some people in his life (including Gregor himself) do not react realistically, how does Gregor in “The Metamorphosis” relate to Aristotle’s Tragic Hero model? Specifically, how does Gregor’s metamorphosis help to gain more awareness and self-discovery of Gregor?
2. There is much evidence to suggest that Monkey from “Journey to the West” proved to live up to the meaning of his name and his journey is similar to Campbell’s Heroic Journey model. However, on the contrary, how does Monkey fail to find enlightenment and fail to progress in his journey?

1. Pick two stories we have read and determine how a character in each story follow a similar heroic journey model.  (Use only one heroic journey model for both characters)
2. In “Journey to the West”, Monkey faces many challenges and in “Bartleby the Scrivener”, the narrator faces many challenges as well. Do these challenges follow any heroic journey model we’ve discussed? Why?

1.The Journey to Enlightenment is present in the life of the Sensuous Women. Does the Narrator reach Nirvana? Use the idea of enlightenment, emptiness, and/or karma to defend your answer.

2.Gregor from The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka has a tragic flaw. According to Aristotle’s idea of The Tragic Hero, What is Gregors downfall? Do you believe he responsible for his downfall or is his downfall a triggered by another character in the story?

1. In “Bartleby the Scrivener” and “The Metamorphosis” we are introduced to two main characters who are in one way or another, outcasts in society. In terms of Feud’s opinion of the unconscious mind (a repository for socially unacceptable ideas, wishes or desires, traumatic memories, and painful emotions) in what ways do both of these literary works compare?

2. Looking at Saikaku Life of a Sensuous Woman, we get to know about the journey of a woman’s promiscuous life. She experiences many ups and downs. At the end, she is an elder and lives alone. From the beginning up to that point do you believe she went through the five stages of grief? If so provide specific examples for each stage.

1. Life of a Sensous Woman satirizes the Japanese lifestyle. Through the sensuous woman, what does the author argue the role of women in society is? How do the roles of women contribute to the pleasure-seeking society?
2. In Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, Gregor works diligently to support his family. After his physical transformation into a cockroach, he is ostracized and treated as an outcast by his family. What are the limits to familial love? What does his family’s intolerance say about unconditional love?

1. Can the lawyer in “Bartleby the Scrivener”  be considered a hero during his time employing Bartleby, could he have done anything to make the outcome different?
2. In Kafka’s “Metamorphosis” explain how Gregors transformation may have caused each of his family members to experience a metamorphosis as well.

-Tara