Theme: Questions for Midterm
Group Members: Radia, Elizaveta, and Mel
Comment #1 – Radia
Tripitaka from a Journey to the West, and the narrator in “Bartleby the Scrivener,” share a similar character trait; the fear of taking risks. Compare how both characters battle their fear in their internal journey.
Coment #2 – Mel
The narrator in The Life of a Sensuous Woman and the narrator of Bartleby the Scrivener both tell a story of what happened to them. Should they be considered a traditional hero because of this? Why or why not?
Comment #3 – Elizaveta
Monkey from a Journey to the West and a narrator from The Life of a Sensuous Woman are desperately trying to find more in life, what brings both of them to the enlightenment. How are two characters different and similar? And did they actually achieved enlightenment? Why or why not?
I believe Radia’s question is a very realistic question for our midterm. It is true that both Tripitaka and Bartelby struggle with taking risk or being a”mans man”. It would definetly be possible to support an argument through the text as we already know that their is validity in this question. The only thing I wouldnt agree with is that both of their Jounreys are internal as we see much of Tripitakas jounrey on display for the reader to interpret themselves. Also, maybe its not so much their fear as it is their own personality traits that prevent them from taking risks. Overall, its still a simple but good and very realistic question for the midterm.
I came up with the same question as Elizaveta’s. The similarities in character’s traits and the problem that are encountered shared between the narrator of The Life of a Sensuous Woman and the Monkey in The Journey to the West, make this question understandable and answerable. For example, they both have special ability which makes them stand out. For monkey it is the super power they have, and for the narrator of Sensusou Woman it is the sexual attraction she has. However, it is also because of these special abilities they have that prevent them from reaching the enlightenment.