4th YEAR
SEMESTER 1
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SEMESTER 1
YOUR COMMENTS are to be posted here:
- your opinion about the Story
- how this Story is related to the ones you read before
- examples you like or dislike from the Story you've just read:
- examples you like or dislike from the Story you've just read:
the characters
the ideas
the author's descriptions
the plot
the words and word-combinations which are new and caught your eye.
September 22 Story 1, Story 2
September 30 Story 3
October 06 Story 4
October 14 Story 5
October 20 Story 6
The novel seems to be unconventional in a good sense. The first two chapters are two totally different stories, but there are some allusions to the first chapter in the second one. The action is developing on board ship; the animals as well as passengers came in two by two; and both were divided into “clean and unclean”. The content of both chapters is rather depressive, and I dare say with a hint at misanthropy. The first chapter’s narrator is a woodworm who criticizes vices of Noah and the whole humanity and even God as well. It also gave examples of indifference and injustice which has become laws of the world. The woodworm defines men as less evolved in comparison with simple-hearted animals. It’s interesting that the author chose such a character thus degrading the position of men.
ОтветитьУдалитьThe quotes I like:
“Why didn’t God just restore the unicorn? We animals would have been happier with that, instead of a big hint in the sky about God’s magnanimity every time it stopped raining.”
“Blame someone else, that’s always your first instinct.”
As for the second chapter, the global issue was raised. Why a civilian of any nation is an enemy? International policy imbued such stereotypes. Why not live in peace? The answer is in the first chapter. Human beings are not ideal, they are unable of ideal, peaceful coexistence. Vices such as greed, malice, vanity and so on lead to homicidal acts, that lead to wars, conflicts. Such a “merry-go-round” will last forever like an integral part of human coexistence. But we must hope for the best, of course.
The quotes I like:
“That was a difference between a monkey and a human being. In the last analysis, humans were capable of altruism.” So, human beings are very intricate. On the one hand, they can destroy enemies, on the other hand, they are willing to save what’s dear to them, not knowing that we had come from one and the same family.
Thank you, Lera, for your opinion.
ОтветитьУдалитьIn Story 2 the description of the experiment with the monkey is important and thought-provoking!!!!!
I found the story 3 quite extraordinary and satirical. We see the Middle Ages as time full of irrational and even comic things. I believe they were somewhat like that. The arguments of both sides seem ludicrous and absurd to our contemporaries. The language of the chapter has an elevated character to create the right atmosphere and some comparisons of mythical nature are used in the speeches in the court to produce a satirical effect. But anyway, our time isn’t deprived of absurdity either as it’s represented in the second chapter about terrorism which is an irrational thing, too.
ОтветитьУдалить“Noah’s ark”, “woodworms” and “the Deluge” are the words repeated in the first and in the third chapters. One of the arguments of the prosecution was that woodworms hadn’t been at Noah’s Ark but their secret is revealed in the first chapter.
The expressions I like: “an offence to the eye”, “a deep sea in which it’s impossible to touch bottom” and the proverb “Cast out the beam from your own eye before you seek to extract the mote from the eye of another”.
The expressions from the previous chapters: 1 -“to have smb over a barrel”, “the scene resembled an obligatory mass wedding”, “to have convenient lapses of memory”; 2 – “ to bear an obvious stamp of nationality”, “ostentatiously an old hand”, “to allot smb nominal duties”, “to have an overall grasp of things”, ”to suppurate with panic”.
Lera, good ideas, thank you!!!
ОтветитьУдалитьchapter 1
ОтветитьУдалитьI liked this chapter, the idea is not bad in whole. But I think the chapter will seem unpleasant to religious people as the plot is based upon the Bible story and shows the opposite side of travelling on the board of Noah's Ark.
Expressions: to know on which side one's bread is buttered; to turn one's head; to have over a barrel.
chapter 2
For me this chapter was difficult to read as it was full of violence and cruelty. it mare us think over our behavior in such critical situation as an author describes. Here is most significant the problem of choice which the main character faces with.
chapter 3
At first this chapter may seem funny and childish. But here some philosophical problems are hidden. The problems of our sins and our desire to judge every person forgetting to judge ourselves.
Expressions: Cast out the beam from your own eye before you seek to extract the mote from the eye of another.
Alisa,
Удалитьdetails are required!!!!
Chapter 4. The Survivor
ОтветитьУдалитьThis chapter is quite ambiguous. Firstly, it’s told from the first and the third persons. It’s made up of many fragments , that’s why sometimes it’s difficult to figure out what is being narrated. Secondly, there are two versions of the events before and after the landing. And it’s not quite clear whether Kath was of unsound mind and her nightmares were really true or she was one of the survivors.
Such words as “reindeer”, “the Ark” are repeated. We remember that reindeer were the most mysterious animals in the first chapter; they looked as if they knew something horrible, as if they could foresee the future events. And also the sea connects this chapter with the others.
The story has a lot of interesting thoughts about our life in the present-day world.
“We live in a world where they make children pay to see the fish eat. Nowadays even fish are exploited, she thought.”
“How do tribes in the jungle measure the days? It's not too late to learn from them. People like that have the key to living with nature.”
Most people don’t live in harmony with nature, being a part of it. Such behavior won’t do any good.
“She tried to imagine how awful it would be, the terrible wait, and then the feeling as the ship goes past and there's nothing you can do, all your shouts drowned by the engines. That's what's wrong with the world, she thought. We've given up having lookouts. We don't think about saving other people, we just sail on by relying on our machines. Everyone's below deck, having a beer with Greg.”
“The mind simply got too clever for its own good, it got carried away. It was the mind that invented these weapons , wasn’t it? You couldn’t imagine an animal inventing its own destruction, could you?”
“”Going round in circles,” I repeated. “That’s what the world does.”
“There’s nothing like a good disaster to get people thinking clever thoughts.”
People treat each other more carelessly, they don’t want to foresee consequences of their indifference. They see the point in wars giving way to their vices. And people seem not to take into consideration the lessons of history, repeating it again and again.
The expressions I like: “clank past on”, “switch of tactics” “sort smth out”, “couple with”, “lookout”, “back down”, “all one’s eggs in one basket”.
The idea about the reindeer is sound! And you have selected very profound ideas expressed by the author which you say you share, and so....could you now answer this question of yours you raise at the beginning of your Comments - "And it’s not quite clear whether Kath was of unsound mind......" ???!!!!!
УдалитьI think she was really of unsound mind. Her worrying and soppy nature and troubles in her life and in the world superimposed and produced this effect.
УдалитьChapter 4. The survivor.
ОтветитьУдалитьIn the beginning this story made me confused. It is really hard to follow what was happening. We see some remarks aboout atomic war. But still we couldn't understand whether it was true or not. Again we see the relationship between people and animals, people and nature and between people themselves.
There is Kath, who was tortured by her nightmares. And i think that exactly her nightmares were the reality. And we understand it when she saw the same persons in her dreams and then learnt about fabulation and psychosomatic symptoms. But still it is not rather clear.
But I let my imagination ran riot and i saw some symbols, if the nightmares had been the reality. For example, she was surrounded by cats and her thoughts about reindeers were constantly spinning round in her head. As we know, cats represent the hearth and maybe her cats were just symbols of things that she wanted always to have but failed. And as for the reindeers, some mythological stories say that the reindeer is the symbol of immortality, here i can interpret it like something unchangable, and we know that Kath connected most of her thoughts with reindeers and they were unchangable. Anyway, all these are just my guesses.
Also, there was mentioned the case with the bear and this case showed us the nature of people's problems. Some proplems we just create ourselves.
Unfortunatelly, i didn't understand whether she tried to escape from the reality in her own imaginative word or was a real survivor.
Expressions: teach a lesson, slap around, strategic precausion, " dates are bullies, dates are know-alls", " keep the mind under control".
Alex, what are the problems raised by the writer in this Story?
УдалитьAnd how is this Story connected with the other ones who have already read?
I guess there are some psychological and even philosophical overtones. But I just see a woman who can't keep her mind under control, trying to escape from the world and from the disaster. Maybe there is something about the way people decide their problems and cope with them. Maybe there is something about problems od self-possession.But other problems are lost on me.
УдалитьIn this story we see a reference to the first chapter - The Ark and the whole act of survival and again an example of creatures who were in pair - the cats. Also, there is a problem of people's choice like in the chapter 2. But in this case there are two ways - whether to accept things as they are or try to struggle even in imaginary world.
And also i have noticed that in some chapters the leaving-beings are in pairs. It means, in my opinion, every person should have someone to help him , in fact, to survive or even just hekp to cope with troubles. And in the case with Kath if she had someone by her side, she won't go crazy and we just see her dispair with a note of hope.
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ОтветитьУдалитьAnd how is this Story connected with Story 1 you have already read?
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ОтветитьУдалитьIs Story 1 just about the relations btw men and animals?
УдалитьWhy are Story 1 and Story 3 named like this?
chapter 3
ОтветитьУдалитьAt first this chapter may seem funny and childish. But here some philosophical problems are hidden. The problems of our sins and our desire to judge every person forgetting to judge ourselves. The author says about adsurd things with a serious colouring. I fully agree with a lawer that it impossible to judge woodworms who are not able to appear in the court, who doesn't even have a mind. But people a ready to find guilties at the serfice, after the grief has already happened. It is always easy to judge those who can't argue. Congregation don't think that they could prevent the catastrophie, if they sometimes examined the throne. I consider the words of jurist convincing. Most of all I liked this part: "Are those who come before the court as petitioners so certain to their obedience to God, so sure of their humility and Christian virtue that they would accuse the humblest animal before accusing themselves? Beware the sin of pride, I tell those petitioners." One more problem which the author tells about is the problem of our treating the animals. People think that they main, that they can manage the animals they don't want to live in the harmony with them, they want to be above. I don't share this point of view. Wу all heard of the laws of nature. When we get rid of some links of the chain, this chain can't exist any more. The God created all the species together to live in piece. As for the arguments of the petitioners, I don't think that they are convincing. They use many rude words, they are complaining of permanent attacks of woodworms. But before the accident they were patient and did't go to the court. Evidently, the main reason was their fear to be prejudiced for not being attentive enough, though they attended the church every day and were able that it was infested with woodworms. They try to persuade the court that God let people to judge the animals. But the petitioners don't want to hear that God could send the woodworms to destroy the church as the people who came there were not fair, had a lot of virtues. People say that the woodworms were not at the Noah's Ark though in the Bible ot all the species were mentioned.
I liked this story, though there were a lot of unjust moments in it. All the stories of Julian Barnes don't look like the tales from the beginning to the end, but as the passages from someone's lives, the end of which we should imagine ourselves.
Expressions: Cast out the beam from your own eye before you seek to extract the mote from the eye of another.
And how is this Story connected with the other ones who have already read?
Удалить1. To tell the truth, I dislike this book very much. And I can say about the 1 chapter the only one thing. It is misrepresented by the author. At first the reader had to face one unusual moment. The whole narration was made by the woodworm. How is it possible for a simple little woodworm, who can’t even be noticed, to understand global developments of humanity? Also it was cruelly unreasonable to narrate the ideas in woodworm's name. He called himself a stowaway, as all the other animals on the ship. But I don’t think that it was concerning the truth. The reason is that the very plot of the Bible story about the Noah's Ark was awfully changed. Yes, the life on the board ship was like a life in the nature reserve. All the animals were in the state of hibernate. Also a strict discipline was kept there. But the laws written in the Bible were distorted. There was no harmony, no love between animals and people.
ОтветитьУдалитьBesides, the authors' description of the Noah's family destroys all the religious statements. They were cruel, hysterical and indifferent relative to animal’s existence. Moreover, all their actions were immoral. I can’t discern any good ideas in this chapter. It’s impossible to read that Noah was always drunk and that members of his family used to kill animals only to survive. This idea can seem to be a reason for the conflict and misunderstanding. Religious people would be against of such an interpretation of God’s follower. The opposition between animals and people is not a great example of our world’s imperfectness. The author was too brave in trying to break ancient inviolable basis and rectitude. There are some copy-book maxims, which exist not to be changed, but to believe in.
As for the expressions, one of them about Varadi's genes (His genes would have helped you a great deal) stopped me and made me think. Sometimes there is something unnoticed in the history, which could be useful to the next generations. Also I’ve caught a thought that it’s very necessary to be “two by two”, if you want to survive and make a great deal.
This chapter contained not so many unknown words and expression. It’s not difficult to understand things from the side of language. But it’s too hard to follow the speech of the Julian Barnes because of his ideas, broad intellectual plant.
Thank you Mary for your interesting ideas!
УдалитьIsn't the Ark a little copy of our present day world? And the way many people live?
You say that people "were cruel, hysterical and indifferent .....Moreover, all their actions were immoral." Those people? Or we, now?
I can say "both". Many people lost theirs possibility to change to best features. A lot of years can pass, but "people of light" and "people of darkness" will always exist. And of course our planet can be compared with the Ark, because we are put together in one place (like animals and Noah's family). I mean our planet, the Earth. And we have to coexist and teach each other.
Удалить2. The chapter "Visitors" impressed me more, than the previous one. The plot of the story contained deeper lines of thoughts. And actually the problem, which was chosen for it, is still actual to all the nationalities. This chapter looks like a false mirror. We look at the typical political situation from the wrong side.
ОтветитьУдалитьTerrorists, who visit the ship, seem to be heroes. They just want to save their comrades. At first sight we can thought, that their purposes are noble. They create a specific plan, which includes people going to be killed and people of some privileges. The difference was in the decision, taken by those people. As Franklin Hughes they could choose the side of terrorist in helping them. On the other hand, they had a right to die, saving their inside position. The difficulty of such a choice was described in episode about a monkey. That experiment concerning altruism showed the main necessity for animals. That is surviving. But the question is what’s more necessary for a man. His own survival or his possible death for other people. In this story that very man, Franklin Hughes, chose to save his own skin, to get a privilege from terrorists. He read a lecture about their plan.
So at the beginning they don't want to kill anyone. But the plan changes when Arabs understand that their comrades won't be free. So they start killing people in two by too. Again we see the author’s separating of people and “animals”. Some of them deserve to be alive, some of them not. Clean and unclean groups. The line between good and evil. The human being again is described as some destructive power. Of course we know that noone gave Arabs and opportunity to separate people. They were not guilty of their troubles.
He I see a new side of the plot. All people, who didn’t accept Arab’s suggestion, were presented as animals. They have no choice, no will, no possibilities. They are just targets. And “God” decides to whom he would grant a forgiveness. Good and evil changed their places in this chapter, as I think. And as for the choice, I like the description of the experiment with the monkey. It shows how it's difficult to find a right way and make a right decision. The expression I liked is “contemporary allusion” and my lively one which is "in two by two". Also It's something new and unusual to me. I'd like to use it in my speech in what follows.
This chapter is connected with the precious one in several plot’s lines. 1) The situation took place on a ship in the sea. 2) “animals” were killed 3) clean and unclean groups 4) the presence determinant – the instinct for survival against destructive power of human being.
And are there any words which are repeated by the writer in the Stories you have read already?
ОтветитьУдалитьI can't remember them. Usually my attention is attracted by the plot of the story and its lines.
УдалитьIn the first chapter we get to know about Noah'S Ark. Although this story is distorted , it gives us food for thought. The most extraordinary thing about this story is that it is told by woodworms. And everything we see by their eyes. And as you go along, you think that it is better to be a woodwarm, than a person ( one of the members of the family).
ОтветитьУдалитьIn this chapter reveals the true nature of people. People are shown there rather mean. And we can go by the relations between animals and people. Nobody cares of no one. The Noah's family here is like the embodiment of the whole mankind. And They are rude, careless and selfish. Also we deal with some religious moments. God is mentioned several times and not in a good way. As this story is told by woodworms, they blame God for being careless and having chosen Noah as their savior. Because in fact, he was, in some degree, a blighter. And it is seen from the story with the unicorn, who was noble and majestic.
And i dont think that this story is only about the relations between animals and people. But this case illustrates the real nature of people. And i pay attention to this fact, because i consider this story to be the story of the development of the mankind and of all the leaving creatures. The future of the world depends on people. And is people are like this, we can expect the world to be perfect.
" The man is a very unevolved species compared to the animal".
Expressions: vouch for, stampeding sea, pay off, capricious punishment of a dutiful son
And if people are like this , we can't expect the world to be perfect*
УдалитьChapter 2. The visitors
ОтветитьУдалитьThe whole events take place on board and people come in pairs - " The animals came in two by two" as in the first chapter. Also the kind of sorting out people into clean and unclean is mentioned. And the people are dying one by one ( but in the first chapter it was the case with animals).
According to the mentioning about the experiment with the monkey. I can say that this chapter is about self-interest and altruism. More truely, about the struggle of these two things within the person.The main character have chosen self-interest. We can neither accuse him of it nor justify him. As we know, every person is selfish by his nature and pure altruism can be found only in a utopian world.
Also the problem of people's choice is mentioned. Sometimes we feel confused when there are a lot of ways and we dont know what to choose. And in many cases we make a wrong decision. So did the main character - to stay alive by means of other people's lifes.
The quotes: " In every case, sooner or later self-interest had triumphed over altruism". " humans were capable of altruism", " The world is not a cheerful place".
Expressions: fake-charming, go awry, zestful intuition, attract one's attention
And this two chapters have even someting in common in their captions. The 1st is named " The Stowaway" and The 2nd - " The Visitor". In both cases it means someone undesirable or whom you are not supposed to see in some situations. So, we see that the woodworms were not wanted on board and the visitors were not expected to come.
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ОтветитьУдалитьAs for the chapter 3. It seems to be quite asurd. It is called The wars of religion. There is a trial of woodworms. The habitants accuse them of defiling the Church and infesting their bishop. They claim that the woodworms are possessed by the Devil. So we see the God and The Devil.
ОтветитьУдалитьAnd people think that they are endued with God's power and have the right to judge. People here are ridiculous and their arguments against woodworms have no sense, for example, that they were not on board of Noah's Ark - also it is the reference to the first chapter.
However, we can even believe that in the 15th century all the things were like this. Firstly, people were rather religious. Secondly, they were not quite wise and clever. Another thing that is revealed here , I think, is people's irresponsibleness. They tried to blame God or Devil in bad things that were happening. It is asurd to blame creatures who didn't have a suffrage, and it was shown with a glimpse of irony. Also, here we can see some
disrespect to anyone who is "lower" and " weaker".
The man problem of the mankind is that it can only use everything around them and give nothing in return and considers himself to be superior.
" Is man not higher than the animals?Is it not clear from the holy book of Genesis that the animals which were created before man, wwere so created in order to be subservient to his use?Did not the Lord give unto Adam dominion over the fish of the sea,and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth"
Expressions: breathe life into, be expelled from, under pain of malediction, duty of charity,.
3. The chapter "The wars of religion"
ОтветитьУдалитьAgain the author tried to direct our attention to world’s disputes. And again he used the prism of church and religion. It rather shocked me. The chapter is too stuffed with religious dogmas. Of course the plot of this story is based on the Bible. But all the statements were used not in proper context. It's not polite relative to people, who believe in God.
The story tells us about the justice under the bestiols (woodworms, as far as I understood). We saw their counsel for the defence begging in justice. He tried to stand up for woodworms’ rights on free living, free choosing of lifestyle and place. Everything woodworms do is supported and allowed by the God’s word. His law is unshakeable. So people can only be guided by it.
We learnt that woodworms destroyed the throne ( the injury of the leg is meant) and the roof of the church. So that Hugo Bishop, who used to make an annual pilgrimage, got into an awkward situation. That very event became a savage incident concerning church's authorities. Besides the infestation of woodworms was a crucial desecration of itself. So the authorities wanted bestoils leave the House of God, wanted enjoin them. Their argument was that woodworms (the bestoils ) had offended God and his spouse the Church, attacking The Lord’s House. Also they had an opinion that woodworms were Devil’s product, wreckers. Thus the bestoils were condemned to the excommunication. And the argument that they were the product of God and needed anything to it didn’t help to discharge the bestoils.
It was said that woodworms were created by God to show people how to be humble and live according to God’s laws.
I suppose, It's awful to use God's laws relative to worms. I dislike the author's idea to show the wisdom of the Bible on such a low level. It's a shame.
In spite of these facts I see some influential and important idea. This can also connect these three chapters. In all of them the author wanted to protect the interests of the minority, but failed as this can exist only under the God’s protection. He showed that there is something little that we can’t notice. I mean something without its will and wishes which could be accomplished. But this thing or creature might have been rater valuable and significant. The ides is that they are our reflection. We should understand who we were, and what we’ve become. We were innocent. But we become murderers and persecutors.
But such expressions as "sinful darkness", "the truth of light" seemed to me very wise and bright. Also "Cast out the beam from your own eye before you seek to extract the mote from the eye of another" was a great expression to learn. I have heard this bible's thought before, but in other interpretation.
Mary, that's a good idea about "the minorities"!
УдалитьChapter 4.
ОтветитьУдалитьThe chapter is called The shipwreck. It is written in two parts.We learn about the wrech of The Medusa. It is a true-to-life story which happened in 1816. In this chapter we can notice a lot of references to the previous ones:
The mention of Noah's Dove, Noah's ark, The Flood, clean and unclean connects this story with the 1st one and even the author pays much attention exactly to the importance of this story in the development of the world and compares The Ark with The Medusa - " A key moment in human history, a storm at sea, picturesque animals, divine intervention in human affairs: surely the necessary elements are there". "Maybe artist agreed that the Flood doesn't show God in the best possible light?".
There is also a problem of people's choice, that makes it similar to the 2nd chapter - "Take the tragic but necessary decision to sacrifice the wounded in order that they themselves might have a greater chance of survival".
The woodworms are also mentioned - " And no doubt if they examine the frame they will discover woodworms living there"
The people in the raft were trying " to find a consolation" as Kath from the 4th Chapter and spinning in the raft round the sea led them to delirium. Also the word "castaway" is repeated.
The author touches upon the most serious problems in this chapter. Firstly, the borders of human selfishness and the ability to survive. When the disaster came people were frightened and and were incapable of healthy judgments. Everybody thought only about his survival and were ready to sacrifice other people's lifes. The examples of despair were illustrated by people's behavior in the raft. And the consequences of this hopelessness led to the cannibalism. Secondly, The problem of choice. There are a lot of different ways how to act but people always choose the one that do them good and don't pay attention to the rest. Thirdly, in this story we can see how the lifes of people depend on one man's decision. They say, One man was under an accusal of this catastrophe and that led to Death. All in all, we see enough difference in their behavior druing the expectation of inevitability.
Also the author raises the question - " How do you turn catastrophe into art?" We know that all the greates historical moments we perceive through the art and we form our own vison of this or that scene. We can even live these moments again and again. But the fact is, that the pieces of art can't guarantee us veracious images. As in the case with the picture by Theodore Gericault, there are a lot of opinions and criticism. As we know opinions differ.
Expressions: necessary execution, crazed with hunger, perils of selfishness, lay suspend between hope and fair,rekindle in the survivors the flame of life, gruesome murders, to infiltrate the air with morality, religion decay, a drop in the ocean, queasy-stomached monarch, supernumerary corpses,easy desolation.
Chapter 5.
Удалить" How do you turn catastrophe into art?" - That's an interesting question to dwell on much, isn't it?!:)
УдалитьThe chapter "Survivor"
ОтветитьУдалитьThe fact that the chapter consists of many parts confused me. It prevented me from concentrating on the main ideas. I think it's an author's mistake to illustrate meaningful problems in such form. He showed us one situation and then threw our attention to another one, after that he again brought us back to the previous one. May be Julian Barns wanted us to look through the prism of two interconnected views to see the truth. The story is narrated by the author and by the main character Kath. So we can imagine that very picture using two sides. As for me, I have not managed to do that, as It was too difficult to catch the idea. The illustrated plot of the story was too diffused.
The name of the chapter makes us think about someone who can do everything to be saved. As far as I understood, the situation took place at the time of atomic war. The catastrophe changed relations between people and animal. (there came fact as in the previous chapters, which concerned the killing of innocent animals ). The main character Kath wanted to save herself and her cats, to go back to natural principals and to survive. She left her home and sopped to eat meat. She broke up with her boyfriend and went away. We found her on the float in the boundless see, waiting to get any piece of land. As she thought, she managed to get one desert island and learnt to live there with her cats.
But it was said that it was impossible to live in harmony with nature at that time. And here the author introduced episodes concerning Kath’s nightmares. I can't understand the aim of Kath's nightmares. Why did author use them in his story? I suppose that he tried to show that Kath failed in her plan. May be she even had not left the house. She lost her mind and created all that scenes with the help of her sick imagination. How can we understood the real idea of the author. Did he wanted to say that a man is too worthless creature?
And again he repeated the scenes of murder relative to animals. At the very beginning of the chapter we observe that people had to eat animals, even such amazing as reindeers. They tortured them and threw human’s guilt on to them. Everybody wanted to survive, so they waives all the moral principles connected with that. We should see the place of animals and people on the Earth. We can understand who is stronger, who is cleverer, who is merciful.
Also I can say that this chapter is connected with the previous ones by the ideas of: killing and eating animals; lost of reasonableness; the single little ship among the sea, the main purpose of which is to survive by all means.
As for the expressions, I liked this one - " Father Christmas ran an all-mail team". This phrase may have not only one interpretation, and also can contain some humor. Besides, I liked the idea that Kath had been believing that reindeer flew, till the end of the chapter.
Thank you, Mary, for your ideas and even doubts shared!
Удалить"As far as I understood, the situation took place at the time of atomic war." - why at war time???? that's impossible:) see the mentioning of Chernobyl in this part...
The chapter “Shipwreck”
ОтветитьУдалитьAgain the author doesn’t look for easy ways of narration. This story is composed of two connected parts ( two sides of view). At the beginning the author tells us about the shipwreck in the sea, which truly happened. And as it’s a first line of the plot, we should know that it repeats the destiny of the Noah’s Ark. We see a definite amount of people, who were trying to survive in the sea. Again we meet a word “ flotia” and see that it contains several ships (in this chapter there are 4 of them). All of ships except on float were lost. The main amount of people divided into two small groups. I mean those who were strong enough to survive and use all possibilities to do that. And those who become that means through which strong people got more days to fight for their lives. The second amount can be called “unclean animals” which existed on that ship only as a resource of subsistence. People-animals had to cruelly eat other people and waste products.
Is that a man who was called to be at the top of nature file? I think not. It’s not a reasonable creature. It’s only nothing. All of them had no any right to live, they had not deserved it. People should fight for each other, but not to be indifferent to others troubles. Their hearts were hardened as they always felt the death’s neighbourhood. Again we can notice the line when healthy people were separated from sick people like that very animals on the Ark. Besides those animals were suffering and dying from infections and illnesses, like some of these people did. Did the author try to shows man’s imperfection and compare men with animals? I can’t properly understand that.
One more detail was repeated in this chapter. A symbol of God’s protection and land’s approximation. In first chapter that was a Noah’s white pigeon. In this chapter we see a whit innocent butterfly, which was fluttering under the ship. In both chapters land did not appeared after the coming of this symbols. So I can say that this stories are very similar to each other.
After that the author changed the topic of narration. He told about real accident which happened in 1816 and attracted our attention to that event (made us think in one key). But then he illustrated the same event as a picture, painted by the painter. The author tried to make us think that it was imagined and interpreted in not right way. The picture was an example of deceived hope (The Medusa’s sailors thought that they would be saved but were mistaken). The painter wanted to make it alive and was always analyzing his creature. So in that picture people managed to survive. At last they so the ship which saved them. But the real story told us that all of them died. All the severe sufferings of people were depicted as they were genuine. So the secret of that picture is in its energy power, which can amaze the viewer.
As for the words and expressions, which were repeated by the author: “ Flotia”, “flutter”, “woodworm”.
Thank you, Mary, for your quite detailed evaluation!!
УдалитьThe problem of Altruism, do you remember it from the previous Chapters?
And - " How do you turn catastrophe into art?" ?
Surely yes. We faced examples of Altruism in chapter 2 and chapter 4. This is rather informative. We can easy judge those people who use all possibilities to survive, saying that they were cruel and immoral. But we can't say for sure that we could have been more miserable like heroes. We can't be sure that we wouldn't behave like those people if we got in such situation.
УдалитьIt's quite difficult to turn catastrophe into art. It's impossible to do that not losing many details. And after details are lots, catastrophe in art wouldn't seem to be real, alive and true. If catastrophe loses it's genuine appearance, it become softer in its emotional content.
Chapter 5
ОтветитьУдалитьThis chapter is made up of two parts. The first one is about a shipwreck and the second one represents the scrutiny of the painting “The Raft of the Medusa” by Théodore Géricault. This chapter was extremely interesting because it’s inspired by true events and what more a catastrophe. Tragedy excites people and moves them more than any other story.
As for connections to the previous chapters, many allusions can be traced. The words that are repeated: ”the flotilla”, “the Flood”, “Noah”, “woodworm”, “egotism”, ”Noah’s dove”(which resembles the butterfly). Some common ideas can be observed. The first arrival of the ship which didn’t pick them up coincides with Kath’s thought how it would be terrible if some ship went by and didn’t notice her(Chapter 4). That is indifference towards other people’s lives. Also the problem of egotism can clearly be seen in this chapter and in Chapter 2.
The second part has many profound thoughts. For example,
“Time dissolves the story into form, colour, emotion. Modern and ignorant, we reimagine the story: do we vote for the optimistic yellowing sky, or for the grieving greybeard? Or do we end up believing both versions? The eye can flick from one mood, and one interpretation, to the other: is this what was intended?”
And also the author claims that catastrophe finds its reflection in art. This allegation is repeated throughout the second part.
“We are all lost at sea, washed between hope and despair, hailing something that may never come to rescue us. Catastrophe has become art; but this is no reducing process. It is freeing, enlarging, explaining. Catastrophe has become art: that is, after all, what it is for.”
Why does the author equate catastrophe with art? Maybe, they both make a deep and lasting effect upon spectators. Moreover, art can make audience experience a tragic event and give thrill.
The expressions I like: “It was traced upon loose sand, which was dispersed by the breath of egotism”, “referendum over hope versus despair”, “rekindle”, “malcontent”, “greybeard”, “spring to mind”, “reimagine one’s eye into ignorance”.
Then, isn't all Art about "reimagining" History and stories??!!!:)
Удалитьchapter 4
ОтветитьУдалитьThe story is about the girl, her inability to submit the conditions of real life. We can say that all her misgivings about the Nuclear war are just a resut of nervous breaksdown, but this probleme still remains. Humanity is light-minded when it is considered enviroment and the future of our planet. Today it undergoes pollution, that leads to the global problems. The author again touches upon the problem of cruel treating of animals. It is shown in dialogues between Katheleen and her bloke, Greg about their cat. the killing of the raindeers also illustrates people's cruelty. Katheleen tried to escape all troubles she was loaded with. She decided to go to the sea. But she could't avoid being found by people. She imagined that she found an inhabited island where she lived with two her cats who grew plump as they could provide themselves with food. In her mind the girl created a new world, calm and care free. But reality went back. The girl found herself in a ward with bandaged hands. She didn't want to believe in it and thought it was just a nightmare. She was not able to survive separately, without people, nobody couldn't, I suppose. One person can't change the situation in the world, can't ban all crimes and unjustices, can't fight withe system. That's why I can understand this girl who is not indifferent to all these matters, but still can't change anything.
Expressions: to raise one's chances of sirvival
chapter 5
The story begins with the description of the expidition to Senegal, consisiting of 4 ships. One of them called the Jelly-fish had a shipwreck. They had to build a raft, take some foodand wine with them and start their voyage in the sea. The author again put his characters in severe, unbearable conditions when other sides of their souls become open. He illustrates how civilized people can become agressive, mad and cruel. In the story they killed each other and even ate each other, some of them commited suicide. At the end of their sufferings only 15 people were saved when the people on the ship noticed them.
The author says about the ability to depict the catastrophie in the picture, to show the expressions of fear and despair, the smell of close death. French artist decided to make a try. He found a few men who had survived and asked them to pose. But the problem was in tthe fact that the artist thought about the composition rather than about showing the scenes which could emphisize people's in-world, the atmosphere which presented at the raft. So у can say that the art for art is just illusion, the imagination of the author, his own concern according to rules of depicting. The artist didn't want to paint people who went down, because they should be located vertically in the picture.
I suppose the author wanted to say that usually people take the things as it is suitable and convinient for them. An example with the artist shows it. He worked being absolutely calm, made the survivors pose him without thinking of their feelings. Nobody can understand the person before he is at his place. Of course, the picture is beautiful but it is made insincerely, touching the feelings of the survivors, making them not to forget the developments. Even we while reading the story can't feel how dreadful all the events were.
The real event - the painting....an opposition, and art interfering...disclosing many things about man!!!!
Удалить6. The chapter “The Mountain”
ОтветитьУдалитьThis chapter seemed to be rather short in the comparison with previous ones. But it contained a great amount of typical ideas, which we have had chance to notice in this book before. So the author decided to oppose the science and the religion. He showed it by illustrating life of colonel Fergusson and his daughter Amanda. Colonel Fergusson adored his daughter but was very disappointed that she failed to inherit his views, his spiritual features. Amanda was crazy of religious things and opinions. She always was carrying her religious pamphlets. Both of them liked looking at works of art. But we know that they used to analyze them differently. And when we see them disputing on Panorama of Wreck of the Medusa French Frigate and the Fatal Paft, we understand that the author wanted to attract our attention to the chapter “The Shipwreck”. He wanted to remind us about the main problems we have already discussed. Even book’s characters can have their own possession relative to that catastrophe. And Julian Barns made us notice that.
When Amanda lost her father, she went to visit the mountain, where Noah’s Ark stopped his adventures. Again we faced to this very famous bible story, and all the talks about the Ark. The author made us think of this fact from all possible sides. As Amanda was a supporter of benevolent order, she looked at that mission as very important. So as Amanda believed in the world divine intent, she went to the mountain to ascend it and purge sins with water. Her idea was to intercede for her father. But there she had found her own death.
We can’t probably guess whether it was on purpose or not. But in this chapter we see the conflict of two people teams, two beliefs, two ways. We see that people who had chosen a wrong way found their punishment. Julian Barns showed his attitude to the blasphemy, but on the other hand he didn’t seem believe in reality of Noah’s Ark and the possibility of its standing on the mountain. I think he wanted to disapprove that, and uncover the natural human’s face. Also he illustrated this story with the beetle’s presence. We shouldn’t forget that this beetle was a death-watcher.
I can’t rebuke the author for his such an unusual method of teaching us to understand the reality in a right way. But I also can’t accept his point of view. Of course people are bogged down their sins. So they have to believe in something more powerful. Everybody has a right to change. And in this chapter we see the criticisms of the science-religious dispute. It’s too old theme to argue.
Here are expressions I liked most: immobile spectacle, the ignorant savage, benevolent order, to intercede for smb. The plot of the story was tragic but not so fascinating. But we saw a repetition of several moments: the story of Noah’s Ark, The shipwreck of Medusa. And again there is a little creature, who keep an eye open on us – a beetle.
Chapter 6. The Mountain
ОтветитьУдалитьThe chapter is very puzzling. The whole story seems to be about the conflict of opposites. As the story unfolds the difference between the father and the daughter becomes more obvious. These two people deeply love each other but at the same time have contrary views on the same subject. For Colonel Fergusson the knocking of death-watch beetle was a love-call but for Amanda it was a harbinger of death. So, the father‘s position is based on science unlike his daughter’s. The episode with the painting “The Raft of Medusa” by Théodore Géricault reveals the difference of perception of the world as well. Colonel Fergusson prefers dynamic, moving pictures while Amanda likes the static and original painting. After the death of her father Miss Fergusson continues to argue with his shade and see divine intent in all that surrounds her. I think this quote reflects the struggle:
“There were two explanations of everything, that each required the exercise of faith, and that we had been given free will in order that we might choose between them.” Does it mean that one can’t explain a phenomenon referring to science or religion that neither of them is well-grounded and both are based on faith?
As for connections to the previous chapters, there are few repeated words: “Noah’s Ark”, “dove”, “olive branch” and allusion to a woodworm. Some speculations about Noah can be found. The painting described in Chapter 5 is mentioned.
The expressions I like: “to dwindle to a mere hanger-on”, “put on view”, “with mockery in one’s eye”, “dragoman”, “hold peace”.
Chapter 1.
ОтветитьУдалитьThe story begins with the describing of some animals and conditions of their habitation. Only in the second paragraph we see the word "Ark" and understand what it is about. But the narrator keeps us "readers" in ignorance of his origin. It's very unusual composition, but we know that Barnes is a post-modernist and this fact explain a lot of features of this novel. For example the whole plot of this story is very strange. We all know that there are such sacred things as the Holy Bible or the Old Testament, but author didn't pay much attention to the feelings of the faithful people and frankly make fun of that myth.
Of course we can't know whether Noah was a kind, brave and noble man or a bad-tempered, smelly, envious and coward guy. But faith consists in believing in something good, strong and kind.
Also we can see some comparison of Noah and God. The author tells that Noah (a human) was created in God's own image and likeness, but I also noticed, that Noah like the creator decided who would live and who wouldn't. To my mind every creature has equal rights to live, but a human is inherently a hunter, and Noah had an opportunity to kill some of the animals no to die himself. But the animals are depicted as a reasonable creatures and this fact changes the whole situation. It means that animal lived in a permanent fear of their lifes. Is it normal to behave oneself in such a way?! I can compare him only with a terrorist, and the fact that Noah killed some animals without any efficient purposes only confirms my idea.
All in all, this chapter was rather interesting for me. I have not read the Holy Bible and this chapter hasn't touched me as some of my groupmates, that's why I can't say that it aroused some negative feelings, but it also didn't arouse positive ones.
Chapter 2.
ОтветитьУдалитьThis story is about a cruise. We have already “seen” something like this, but here we have people, who are fully-fledged members of our society. They’ve paid money to find themselves on the deck of the ship, and nobody has pulled them here in order to eat them later. We see quite ordinary people of middle age, and they took part in the cruise to relax and learn some new information, broaden their horizons and get pleasure of art and history. So they are absolutely politically neutral and maybe some of them have never taken part in elections, but anyhow they become hostages. (Again we see some similarity with the first story, there animals went to the ark in order to safe their lives, but we already know what happened then). Terrorists captured the liner.
So these peaceful people are guilty just in the place where they have been born, because their motherlands were implicated in some hostilities with the country of the terrorists. Is it justly? The conflict is between the “tops” but guiltless citizens suffer.
One man had little bit more rights than others. But more rights mean more responsibility. One moment he had to settle on safe his own life and spot his reputation or be with the others and safe his conscience clear. This dilemma has a very good analog in the text. I mean an experiment with the monkey. All of us (almost all of us, I hope the bigger part) try to be altruists, but frankly speaking, the natural altruist, who will do something even with prejudice to his own interests is a real rarity. Anyhow every living creature appreciates his own interest (and life of course) more than anyone else’s.
In such a way, we can see that political “tops” appreciate their interest more than lives of the citizens, otherwise I can’t explain why they haven’t complied with the terms of the terrorist, and finally there were sacrifices.
This chapter has some similarities with the previous one. The action is on the water; there is someone deciding who will live, and who won’t; people go on board by twos; different types of animals – people from different countries.
Chapter 7. Three simple stories
ОтветитьУдалитьThe chapter turned out to be extremely interesting because some true facts were mentioned in all three stories, and the author gives his interpretation of these facts. The tone is sometimes witty, even sarcastic, and pathetic as well. As for the three stories, they are very different but we can draw some parallels. For example, one can notice than the first two stories are developed in similar ways: history – its repetition in the 1st story, a myth – its embodiment in the 2nd. Actually, these stories end with the same thoughts. In the third story there is no repetition, but there are the following words “their wanderings at sea lasted precisely forty days and forty nights”. It rings a bell. According to the Bible, it rained for forty days and forty nights when the Ark was at sea. Maybe, the author shows kind of repetition this way.
So, on the one hand, the stories are informative and on the other hand, they abound in the author’s personal opinion. For example, why many people believed in myths, why collective memory bears them for ages. So, the author suggestion is that “myth will become reality”. Does the author hint at the myth he started with, i.e. the Flood? Thus, he warns the reader of the possible catastrophe. And it would happen not according to God’s instructions, but according to our faults.
As for the connection to the previous chapters, some allusions can be found, for example, “clean and unclean” (about Jewish refugees), “the Ark” (about the liner St. Louis), a repeated idea that only the most cunning can survive (the idea can be observed in chapter 1):
“And on a wider scale, theorists maintained that life amounted to the survival of the fittest: did not the Beesley hypothesis prove that the `fittest' were merely the most cunning? Was this not deft proof of how the human gene-pool was constantly deteriorating, how bad blood drove out good?”
And also catastrophe is turned to art (the film about the Titanic) in the 2nd story.
The expressions I like : “top dog”, “fly a flag”, “to have a grip on”, “as much as pawn as”, “emotionally blurting”
Chapter 8. Upstream!
ОтветитьУдалитьThe chapter 8 seems to repeat the idea of the previous chapter. That is “history repeats itself”.
The story shows how environment can change man. We don’t think much about the way we live in our usual routine, but should we change it we adapt to it and think what our life would be like if it happened to develop another way. Charlie compares his state of mind with the American astronauts.
Charlie claims that the Indians’ drawbacks are signs of maturity. They don’t have technologies, names for their tribe and language, they even don’t understand acting, and they never lie. Charlie finds high connection with nature in their lifestyle. And it appeals to him. A similar idea is met in the Chapter 4:
“How do tribes in the jungle measure the days? It's not too late to learn from them. People like that have the key to living with nature.”
The author probably means that what seem primitive can be useful and wise enough to live happily.
I also liked the thought about the constant conflict, the dynamics of any process:
“…but it's about the sort of conflict running through human life in every time and every civilization. Discipline v.permissiveness. Sticking to the letter of the law v. sticking to its spirit. Means and ends. Doing the right thing for the wrong reason v. doing the wrong thing for the right reason. How great ideas like the Church get bogged down in bureaucracy. How Christianity starts off as the religion of peace but ends up violent like other religions.”
The chapter is easy to read because it’s composed of 15 letters and the author used colloquial style.
The expressions I like:
• hairpin bend
• wild goose chase
• save face
• walk tall
• up to scratch
• fight tooth and nail
• Never over egg the pudding
• Feel like a chill wind
• If you’re on a roll you’d better go with the flow
Chapter 1.
ОтветитьУдалитьTo tell the truth, the whole story seemed to me smth like ' Dairy of a Madman'. As for me it is an awful story, in which the author shows us his contempt to believers. this story disfigures the Bible story in such unpleasant way, that it was really hard to read it. Not because of the language, I dare say that it was relly good, but bcs of ideas. we can't say what was exactly happened on Noah's Ark, like as we can't say if Noah was a saint, also we don't know the details ofthat disaster, but describing these events in such a way, as for me, doesn't show professionalism of the author
chapter 2.
ОтветитьУдалитьAs for this one it was rather interesting and exciting. The beginnng is similar to the first chapter, first of all in words "the animals came in two by two". The plot of this story is really thoughtprovoking. For example, the situation with the monkey, really make you think about what would you do in such situation, what would be your behavior like? it's really interesting. and the whole situation on the ship was similar to the situation in the cage. the main character was to make really important decisions during the whole trip. in comparison with the first chapter, I can say that it was more and more interesting. the language wasn't difficult and the author could pick up necessary words to describe this situation not in tedious manner, as others do.
Words: fake-charming, attract one's attention
And also I've forgotten about description of the people at the very beginning. there are a lot of details in thei manners and clothes. I think the author is very attentive to not so much important details, which then can become an essential part of narration
Chapter 1.2
ОтветитьУдалитьThe 1st chapter "The Stowaway" is an alternative account of the story of Noah's Ark from the point of view of the woodworm, who were not allowed on board and were stowaways during the journey. To tell the truth, this chapter was strange for me. Noah was always drunk, rude and very cruel.Noah was a jealous man that did not like to be questioned, let alone confronted. Noah did not take into consideration the feelings and habitats of the animals. Instead, Noah chose to congratulate himself on his accomplishments, particularly after the ark landed at Arghuri. The man made up several titles to commend himself on a job well done as well as being one of those chosen by God. Of cause, I think religious people would't like it , they would be against of such an interpretation of God’s follower. From our childhood we know this story in other intepretation. We can see a lot of satire. And all this satire is sent to God.
The quote that I like:
"Noah-or Noah's God-had decreed that there were two classes of beast:the clean and the unclean. Clean animals got into the Ark by sevens; the unclean by twos...though being 'clean' , as they rapidly realized, was a mixed blessing. Being 'clean' meant that they could be eaten."
As for the second chapter, it was very emotional. For me it was difficult to read, because of cruelity of terrorist. Arab terrorists killed most of the international group of tourists on the hour, two by two. And there, as in chapter 1, we can see that these tourists were divided into “clean and unclean” too.
What I like the most in this chapter is the discription of the experiment with the monkeyand then we understand that all of us can face with such a coice between altruism and self-interest. As for the experiment - the self-interest is won whe n we speak about monkey, but in our story, we see that there win altruism. May be this make us People!
The quotes I like:
"In every case, sooner or later self-interest had triumphed over altruism"," humans were capable of altruism", "to bear an obvious stamp of nationality".
Chapter 3
ОтветитьУдалитьThe name of this chapter is "The wars of religion".
It looks like proceedings judicial case. The inhabitants of Mamirolle asked the Court to expel woodworm from the village , and departed from the Holy Church. These woodworm had devoured the Bishop's throne that's why he struck his head. For me,all this chapter is written in humorous manner. This story is wonderful fight between the Prosecutor and the Defender of "bugs". It begins with an appeal to the Bible and ironic appeals to common sense the enemy, and ends accusations of heresy. We can see how God's laws use to worms. And in that case for me it is a mistake of author. Again we see his satire direct to God. As it was in chapter 1.
But thanks this chapter we understand that medieval people try to understand the Nature, applying to it the same categories and concepts as to human society. For us it looks funny. It is wrong way to understand Nature and what is more, we can see that as in first chapter people want to be the main in our world. I dont think that it is right. All of us, nature, animals, people should live in peace.
Only then we can achieve harmony.
As we see one of the main argument of the prosecution was that woodworms hadn’t been at Noah’s Ark but the secret of the emergence of woodworms was opened in first chapter.
I like most of all the proverb :'Cast out the beam from your own eye before you seek to extract the mote from the eye of another'.
7. The chapter “ Three simple stories”
ОтветитьУдалитьFrom the very beginning we see that this chapter is subdivided into three stories. The first one is about one old man Lawrence Besley. We’ve learnt that he had some deference, cheek and anger against his life. He was a second-class passenger on the voyage of the Titanic. But what is the idea the author wanted us to learn? I think it is that life is for strong liars. No matter how honorable and noble you are. That wouldn’t help you to survive. You should be similar to a ret and to care only for yourself. Like this very man was. Noone saw his name in the list of dead or survived persons. Lawrence changed his personality, his appearance to muddle up the rescuers. And I think that the author introduces the scene when Lawrence met the Titanic again on purpose. He tried to prove his theory of a liar, who will be always the same. And may be Beesly wanted to tell everyone that he ‘d made and awful thing, but won. He appeared as the winner.
The next story is connected with the Bible. It tells us about Jonan who went to Nineveh to accomplish God’s will. Actually he disobeyed. And God punished him to show his Lord’s power. We see Jonan inside the whale. And after he understood his mistake God rescued him. So the wicked city wasn’t annihilated. Here we see that the Jonan is opposed to Noah. The first one was afraid of God, but tried to escape his will. In this story author illustrates God as a powerful monster who likes to play with people. That’s not good idea. God had a special plan to save a race of human beings in that wicked city. And Jonan was his instrument to do that. That shows great love to people. I dislike the author’s try to depicts impossibility of existence of that bible story. It’s not a legend. That was a piece of history line. Again I stand for blame of such author’s ideas.
The third story is the reflection of some previous chapters. We see that people (in two by two) are represented on the ship (the Ark). Again the people have how power or will to live their own life. And no one of powerful persons od governments wanted to greet and accept them. This “animals” spent a lot of time in the open sea. They faced many troubles und much pain. In this story appeared two persons who wanted to lynch jewish. We saw one similar scene in the 2 chapter. The author showed the crucial desire of people to be the first., to be stronger that others. Some people are to be like God, saying who can live and who cant. And some people are like animals. They exist only for being killed or used like a product. The line of clean and unclean groups. The author suggested no new ideas.
Expressions I liked : “Life’s a cheat and all things shew it”. And “ Life amounted to the survival of the fittest”. Both of them are full of the ancient philosophy. They teach us that life is still valuable but also cunning.
Chapter 4
ОтветитьУдалитьThis story is called "The survivor". It's tells us about one woman,who couldn't make up her mind to cruelty of people with nature and enviroment.We see some remarks aboout atomic war.Again we see that people want to be the main in our world and can vote verdict to animals. It was shown in dialogues between Katheleen and her bloke, Greg, when he wanted to get her cat fixed. And when we see how people tortured and killed reindeers.
Then she left her house with her cat. In her way to the boat she saw friendly cat. She took it with her too. So they sailed on a small boat and didn't attend their direction. But then she began to see nightmare and we understood she became mad. I think this woman just tried to escape from the world and from the disaster.
This story is based on the story about an old philosopher who dreamt and saw butterfly: he could't understand if he was a butterfly who dreamt that it was a philosopher or he was a philosopher who dreamt he was a butterfly.
that's why a lot of questions appered in my heard:
Will the end of the world come or not?
How to save our world?
So, we don't know a lot, we have no confidence in our future and we spoil nature.
Expressions I like:
"to have a reply ready";
"to argue smd out of";
"to sit around".
Chapter 10. The Dream
ОтветитьУдалитьI think the caption of the chapter can be interpreted in two ways. The narrator described what he saw in his dream, but on the other side, the chapter is about the desire to be in Heaven. The story makes a mockery of our dream to be there.
“Why do we have these dreams of Heaven? – “… Because you can’t get by without dreams”. I think this idea represents an integral feature of human nature. Dreams help us to cope with our usual routine, with difficulties. But if the dreams come true, what’s the next step? The life in Heaven resembles a squirrel cage.
The comparison between Old Heaven and New Heaven can be also traced. It’s about the changes in people’s lifestyle and ambitions. Though, the people in Old Heaven are dying off, they have been living more than the people of New Heaven. In the latter they get what they want, not what they deserve. People there get sated and tired:
“After a while, getting what you want all the time is very close to not getting what you want all the time”
Also I think, the author wanted to show that such everlasting dreams as immortality and a chic life full of entertainment are really not for us. These dreams are tiresome.
Some words are repeated: Noah, Noah’s Ark, woodworm. He meets Noah in New Heaven, so we can reckon that Old Heaven id really older than Noah.
The expressions I liked:
• take a squint
• turn smb down
• look down one’s nose at
• to pass on to other hands
• out-of-work
• throw in the towel
Chapter 5
ОтветитьУдалитьThe name of this story is Shipwreck. "Shipwreck" is an analysis of Géricault's painting, The Raft of the Medusa. The first half narrates the historical events of the shipwreck and the survival of the crew members. The second half of the chapter analyses the painting itself. It describes Géricault's "softening" the impact of reality in order to preserve the aestheticism of the work, or to make the story of what happened more palatable.
To tell the truth,for me it was hard to read this chapter. It was too cruel for me. Here we see a definite amount of people, who were trying to survive in the sea. Some of them didn't have even hope to survive. Some became mad. A lot of them became mad. People didn't have food.
Again we see how author divides people on "clean" and "unclean". Also I think that the Ark for Barnes is a model of society,all our world smth like the Ark. In the 5 chapter we understand that devouring fabulous animals on the Ark of Noah resonates with cannibalism on the raft of the Medusa ". Also we find here such problem as Altruism, but as for me, I think we can't judge people for theit desire to survive. Nobody of us know his behaviour in such difficult situation.
As for the second part,in my opinion,it's really hard to turn catastrophe into art.That's why picture of this catastrophe doesn't look true to life. 'Catastrophe has become art; but this is no reducing process. It is freeing, enlarging, explaining. Catastrophe has become art: that is, after all, what it is for'.
As for the words that are repeated: ”the flotilla”, “the Flood”, “Noah”, “woodworm”, “egotism”.
Expressions:
“reimagine one’s eye into ignorance”;
“spring to mind”;
“crazed with hunger”.
Chapter 6.
ОтветитьУдалитьThe 6 story is called "The Mountain". This chapter describes the journey of a religious woman to a monastery where she wants to save her father's soul. Here we see obvious opposition of two characters : Amanda Fergusson and her father Colonel Fergusson. Amanda was fond of religion, but as for her father he did not believe in God, he believed only in science.The episode with the painting “The Raft of Medusa” by Théodore Géricault shows us the difference of perception of the world. But despite their difference in views they deeply love each other. After death of her father she decided to go to the mountain, where Noah’s Ark stopped his adventure, to save her father's soul. We see her as a fanatic woman. Her justice was to destroy an entire village with all the inhabitants of the monastery, and in addition only because they dared to drink wine from the forbidden vineyards Noah. She went to the mountain because she believe that sach way she could to purge sins with water. But there she injured her leg and then found her death.
In this chapter we understand that J. Barnes does not encourage Amanda's behaviour. A person who is under the influence of religion with its justice and oder should be merciful and kind. But instead of it Amande is malevolent and sometimes cruel. I think it's suit to use such proverb to this chapter: "Why do you see the speck in your brother's (neighbor's) eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?"
Expressions that I like: to make enquiries,on ords deathbed, to sit at smb's bedside, to play smb a trick.
The survivor
ОтветитьУдалитьThis story is interesting and useful for me. It shows, that to be indifferent in our world does not always save you. In this story the main character, Kathleen Ferris is very anxious of everything that happens around her. She compassionates the animals, which are killed by people or treated badly, she thinks of the future of the planet and the bad condition of the Earth. She wants to save from the end of the world and goes to the sea. But, as the result, the girl has a psychosomatic symptom, she hardly survives, while the other people, who don't care of all the global problems continue living as usual. It's unjust, but a fact remains to be a fact.
The mountain
This story can seem a little boring, because here not many things happen. Miss Fergusson is going to climb the Ararat to pray for her father's sins. The story is full of monotonous movement of two ladies. But closer to the end of the chapter we can see many changes in the character of Miss Fergusson, she becomes more cruel and arrogant. She disapproves of people who lives on the mountain even for small sins. A the end of the chapter she stays in the cafe and nobody returns to save her. Here we can guess that it's her own will. I consider it as the punishment of God for her behavior. She was right when she said to Miss Logan: "This is a holy mountain. A small sin is a great sin in this place." It seems to me Mis Fergusson is mad a little, because she is glad to be left in the cafe and die in the saint place. It's not a faith, it's a fanaticism. It's not always necessary to go to the church to make God to hear you, to say nothing of the holy mountain Ararat.
Chapter 8.
ОтветитьУдалитьThis chapter is called "Upstream!" and it consists of several letters, which were written by a young man Charlie, who was a famous actor. He traveled to a remote jungle for a film project, described as similar to The Mission (1986). His colleague was drowned in an accident with a raft.
The idea of this chapter that “history repeats itself”.
Also we see how Charlie could changed. He was delighted with the Indians. He liked their openness, directness. They did what they wanted, ate when they were hungry, made love as if it was the most natural thing. He was sure that these their actions tought him something and he began to see things more in perspective.
.....then we can see a discriptions of his girlfriend and their relationship. And also we find their thoughts about love, about its important role in art. The autor says how beautiful the phrase "I love you" sounds in different languages and how important it is. He asks us not to use it often because these words are too expensive.
"And I'm not saying love will make you happy-above all, I'm not saying that. If anything, I tend to believe that it make you unhappy:either immediately unhappy,as you are impaled by incompatibility, or unhappy later, when the woodworms has quietly been gnawing away for years and the bishop's throne collapses. But you can believe this and still insist that love is our only hope".
Expressions:
to take to heart
carve out
fight tooth and nail
Chapter 9.
ОтветитьУдалитьThis story is called "Project Ararat". It tells the story of an astronaut Spike Tiggler.
For me this story shows us how can change thoughts of one man depend on one event. Thanks this event, Spike begins to believe in God. He begins to find divine intend in everything. He wants to find the Noah's Ark. And when he finds the mountain, he finds a skeleton there. He believes it is Noah's skeleton, but then it becomes clear,that it is woman's bones. And we can guess that it is Amanda Fergusson's bones. But Spike does't lose heart. He wants to organise a new expedition.
For me, this chapter proves that people can change their mind. And what's more, we understand that we shouldn't give up when something is going wrong. We shouldn't become disheartened we should fight for our dream and never give up.
Of course, again we see that this chapter, as all others, connects with God, Noah and Noah's Ark.
Expressions:
in remembrance of
by the side of the road
underestimate
divine intent
to be subjected
This chapter is about a judicial proceeding. Inhabitants blame woodworms in a flagrant crime. One day the Bishop came to a small town with an annual pilgrimage. There was a humble church of Saint-Michel. The Bishop’s throne was inside. It was lowered by rope from the rafters only for the day of the Bishop’s pilgrimage, lest any child or stranger might by chance sit on it and thereby profane it. But when the Bishop lowered himself upon his throne he felt down, striking his head upon the altar step and was hurled into a state of imbecility. So the inhabitants wanted the court to excommunicate woodworms. But to make such a serious judgment they needed serious arguments, because anathema is a terrible sentence.
ОтветитьУдалитьI have found this chapter quite funny. It’s absurd to judge woodworms. Following such a logic we should judge birds which soil our cars and monuments, rats which carry different diseases and so on. They can’t control such things. It’s their nature, they live following their instincts. They don’t have much sense to behave themselves according to the human rules. Every living creature has 3 main instincts: food, sex and safety. Why don’t people judge other people for killing animals in order to eat them? Author wants to shop that man has much more rights over other world. Is this fair? I don’t think so.
Chapter 4.
ОтветитьУдалитьThe chapter is called “the Survivor”. It tells us about one woman, whose name was Kathleen Ferris. Author describes a family where woman is suffering, while her husband works and entertains with his friends and doesn’t pay much attention to her. It’s terrible because such families could be met more often than we can imagine. From her childhood Kathleen loved animals and maybe that’s why she had a cat. But also we can suppose that she needed somebody to give her warmth and love. From the childhood she had a fear of nuclear war, it appeared after an accident on the power station in Chernobyl. And through the years this fear grew and grew, and Kathleen practically became a fanatic.
When she left her house she took her cat, again we see that she appreciate it, and on her way to the boat she took another one (love to animals from childhood). She thought that she will safe them, but in fact it was just madness. Kathleen was found with burns and skinny cats. It’s rather poor, she had noble purposes.
In the hospital we don’t see her husband, sitting near her bed and waiting for her awakening. It’s a direct proof that he didn’t love her.
Author wanted to show our world, world of fear and everyday’s danger, to show our helplessness and dependence on the world peaceful coexistence.
Chapter 9. Project Ararat
ОтветитьУдалитьThe main character of the story has the prototype, a real astronaut James Irwin.
The chapter is connected with Chapter 6. The essence of the characters are alike, both Amanda Fergusson and Spike Tigler are religious zealots. Their belief was blind I think. They didn’t want to notice rational and evident things such as a halo around the mountain in the 6th chapter or Amanda’s skeleton found by Spike.
The story is directly connected with the 1st chapter. Spike was looking for Noah’s Ark and pretended to find Noah.
The expression that caught my eye and is repeated throughout the story:
“The movement of a man’s life is marked by escape and return.” Also the structure of the story reflects this idea.
Another idea of the chapter is that once you experience something new you’re not the same person you’ve been before. This idea is reflected in the chapter “Upstream!” as well. Charlie mentioned that he had changed in the jungle as astronauts had done so after being on the Moon.
The expressions I liked:
• to do the trick
• big-league
• to make smb into
• to be minus some buttons
• fruitcake
• get-together
• to do a number
8. The chapter “Upstream”
ОтветитьУдалитьWhat can I say about this chapter? It was rather interesting and informative. The original form of narration made the effect of a private talk between two people. Letters were written by the main character. We have managed to observe the way of his life and changes which had happened in it. Charlie faced the group of Indians. And he was actually mistaken about their entity. They wanted to kill him, but he was the only one who survived. He lived through those difficulties in jungles. That made him revise his old values. WE see that he understood the value of life. It’s nor so long and easy. And we should always apply efforts to make it better.
This chapter is full of philosophical and vital ideas. What is life? And what is love? How are they interconnected? The character got a new soul, new vies. But at the end he was alone. He had nothing to do. Love committed him. Life lost all its aims for Charlie. And who is to blame? I think people who have no chance to change their mind, rebuild their lives. To cope with all problems in the society we should go upstream. We should fight for our values and ideas. We have no right to stop, but we must create. NO matter how awful this time is, you can build a new perception of it. And then you will have something to live for.
Expressions I liked : “Go into the jungles and you really find out what people are”. There will be always someone who will try to ruin you. But you can see him from the inside. People are different and like to wear masks. However their souls have only one appearance. And it can never be confused.
Again author attracted our attention to the Ark and animals to remind us of the punishment and the nature of people.
9. The chapter “Project “Ararat””
ОтветитьУдалитьThis chapter impressed me most. It was a story very similar to me. The main character saw that life is not so restricted. It appeared that life was even more that he could imagine. He met God, and He spoke to him. And that was the very point for changes. The man of science faced something he couldn’t explain or understand. But he saw that people surrounding him reacted to that. His wife considered him a fruitcake, and others turned aside him as he lost his population and wealth. How was it possible? What did they love him for? He was in the war, he worked as a flier on a fighter. He deserved their best treatment but it hadn’t appeared.
I think this is the first chapter where the author showed all the abomination of people. They are like snakes. The are so false, dodger. Whenever you do something, you it for yourself as the deal of your own life. It’s your aim and you should reach it. No matter what people say. They will always think that you are crazy. People are the group of creatures which are too smart to condemn somebody’s actions. But it’s only when somebody’s actions do not coincide with their wishes.
I’m really proud of the main character. He was strong enough to carry his duty and reach his aims. He saved his belief. He saved his position. He was himself truly.
Expressions I liked: “Nothing as big-league as this”, “ Go ahead and get your medal”, “Blessed grace”. The author really likes expressions which have double meaning, I suppose.
And again the author used the image of Noah’s Ark. But in this chapter it appeared as a type of a church.
10. The chapter “The dream”
ОтветитьУдалитьThis chapter is about people desires, wishes, properties in life. But what do we want and expect from our lives? How can we spend it? The main character of this chapter chose to spend his life on valueless things such as golf. That’s why he lost interest in everything. He was near to lost himself. Here I see the idea that when we are not in the process, when we have nothing to do, when there is no any progress – we are dead inside. And we are practically dead physically. The senseless living is not the basis of a good human life. Every human being is reasonable creature. It can’t exist in suspense.
We noticed the example when a person had a plenty of time. There was eternity in his disposal. He thought it was his Haven, his chance to do everything he could do and improve it. But this Haven appeared as the real hell. And there was no way out.
The author shows that people are too primitive in their desires. And this kills them. A man should develop. Right now. As for us we have an opportunity not to ruin our lives as that character. But in this chapter we see the distortion of imagination. It’s ill. I understand that such an end is impossible. And I suppose there is some other way of illustration of people’s ill nature.
I liked the expression “They even make the bad things good there”. Sometimes we dream about such a place where everything is perfect. But we can make it ourselves. We can even try to do that. I think that is the very sense of our life.
Chapter 10
ОтветитьУдалитьThis story is called "The dream". To tell the truth this, story is one of my favorite. I think it's up to date. This story tells us about Heaven and people's life there. I think this Heaven depicts all dreams of people nowadays. There are no problems, you have a lot of money, you can do everything what you want. Of course, it sounds attractive. But we understand then it is really boring. Of course, it's hard to believe how it can be boring because all of us dream about all this worldly goods.
But when there are no problems, when you have everything you want, and when it is too simple to get all these, you stop your development. You stop fighting with yourself. I think without troubles we can't feel the taste of our life. We shoudn't be afraid of troubles, of course there will be a lot of them during our life. Thanks all hardships we can develop our capabilities and comprehend what we are worth.
Expressions:look down one's nose, settle down, use up, get things/facts straight.
Chapter 1
ОтветитьУдалитьThe Stowaway is the first chapter of the novel by Julian Barnes. This story pictured us the Worldwide Flood, Noah’s ark and about the life on the Ark. Only by the end we can understand that the narrator was a woodworm. He told us another version of the legend which had numbers of discrepancy with the usual one. In this story Noah was a bad-tempered, a pretty bad man, at times he was nearly at the edge. He was smelly and cowardly. He was not a good man and that’s why when I was reading I had a question why God chose him. Then the author wrote that God chose him only because of his piety and obedience. So, to tell the truth I don’t like this story because I can’t accept the fact that Noah was a very bad man! We used to think that Noah is the first man without any sin and any guilt, but on the contrary he is an ordinary man with a lot of faults like all people.
I like the expression: the man is a very unevolved species compared to the animals.
Chapter 2
ОтветитьУдалитьThis chapter is called “The visitors”. This story is closely connected with the first one. The main character of the story stood on the rail and watched the passengers climb the gangway then he divided them into ‘clear’ and ‘unclear’ but here according their nationality, the style of dressing. He commented them: ‘the animals came in two by two’. So, like Noah choosing the animals to his ark and dividing them into ‘clear’ and ‘unclear’ the man invited the guests to the ship. This story is very cruel because of the terrorists. They attacked the ship and at the end of the story there were a lot of people who were killed. But the main idea of the story, I think, the rotten-hearted of the people; in every moment you can be betrayed by your “friends”, as it happened in the ship, the man betrayed his guests and agreed to connive with terrorists because he wanted to save his own life but not lives of hundred people. He just thought of himself, he was an egoist. Nowadays there are a lot of egoistic people who live only for yourself and worry about yourself. To my mind the author wanted to show us the psychological side of a man (a bad one).
Chapter 4
ОтветитьУдалитьTo tell the truth it was very difficult to follow to the thoughts of the writer, and even at the end of the story I understood that the main character was mad. In this chapter the reader meets a woman. She had a lot of problems: the problems with her man (he always slapped her and didn’t understand her at all), the war and other live problems. ”People said she was silly, she was running away, if she felt strongly about things she ought to stay and argue against them. But it depressed her too much…” Kath was of very seek character that’s why she had such problems with her mind. In her real life she denied a lot of things and it leaded to the severe stress, this stress coupled with a political crisis in the world outside. It was fabulation. She was really afraid of her problems and everyday life that her mind couldn’t “survive”. It is a wide-spread problem nowadays because everybody in our world has thousands of problems of different sorts that’s why people can’t outstay all of these and we hear about suicide and people going mad.
Chapter 6
ОтветитьУдалитьThis story is about the girl who was a fanatic of religion. Her father died and she decided to organize an expedition to the mountain Arghuri. Amanda wanted to intercede for the soul of her father in the monastery upon the mountain where Noah’s ark rested. On the way to the mountain Mrs Furgusson became more cruel and strong. She thought that everybody surrounding her were sinful and even on the sacred territory where the ark rested. Her behavior becomes impossible and when she needed the help nobody wanted to save her. To my mind Amanda wanted to achieve the mountain and even to stay there, and she did what she wanted. She sent the girl and their guide to the village to stay along on the mountain. But it was written that the roads were safe and she couldn’t slip, maybe she was punished for her condemnation of other people, she always blame people but she herself had sins. I like this story because it was interesting to read and the main idea was more or less clear.
The expressions I like: mumbo-jumbo, fossil, more novelty is no proof of value, sarcastically, take aback, blasphemy, hard-boiled eggs take from their shells and halved, arbutus, foresee.
Chapter 7
ОтветитьУдалитьThis chapter consists of three parts, three little stories. Every short story is an accident which had happened in history and then in real life. The first story was about the man who was the passenger of the Titanic and escaped in the underpopulated lifeboat. One day he happened to be a consult of one film about Titanic. He wanted to be at the Titanic one more times (as an actor), but he was noticed and he had to leave the ship again. So, history repeated itself, the first time as tragesy, the second time as farse.
The second story told us the myth about Jonah who was swallowed by whale and was in the whale for three days and three nights, then he was vomited and after this accident he survived. After centures the story repeated itself, but scientists said that a man couldn’t survive and stay in it more than a few minutes.
The third story was about the liner full of emigtants from Germany. They crossed the ocean but neither of the contries wanted to intercede them. But then some contries agreed to put up refugees but people were entirely depend on their country. Here we can see the repetition of Noah’s ark. People like animals travelling about the ocean, having a lot of problems and fears wanted to be accepted anywhere.
So, in this chapter we can see that history repeated in our everyday life, we cannot notice this fact because of our usual routine and it seems to as very habitual. This chapter was very interesting to read, there were three interesting story. I think that there are more than three stories which repeated in real life. I would like to add that through the chapters author tried to get across the same ideas that were in previous chapters.
Chapter 8
ОтветитьУдалитьI like this chapter more than others. It’s my favorite chapter especially parenthesis. This chapter full of feelings and emotions. So, this story is about the man who was in Jungles and wrote letters to his love. He pictured even every minute of his day in the letter, but unfortunately, his love didn’t answer him for unknown reason. In Jungles he liked Indians and their tribe, he felt the great comradeship with these people, but one day they killed his partner and Charlie felt disappointment because he believed them but they stayed only primitive. So, when he reached the civilization he decided to connect with his girlfriend, but there was no answer. So, he decided to get her out of his life. The name of the chapter is ”Upstream” and the story reflected this name. In the chapter we see that something happened and the man disappointed in people whom he trusted. But nevertheless we must go upstream and overpass all problems on our way.
In the parenthesis Charlie describes his girl and his feelings, his love to her. I’ve read a lot of different thoughts about love, it’s important part in the art, in the literature. The narrator said that love makes you happy and makes the person you love happy, and on the contrary.
The expression I like: we must love one another or die\ we must love one another and die.
Chapter 9
ОтветитьУдалитьThe story deals with the biography of an American Astronaut who was on the moon. He found a way to snuck the football into the capsule. His life changed when he heard a voice in his earphones. The voice said “find Noah’s ark”. When he returned to the earth his life changed, he began to read the Bible and his wife thought that he was a fruitcake. But then he decided to organize the expedition to the Ararat to find Noah’s ark. He foud the mountain and the cave and saw the skelleton. Spike was sure that it was Noah’s bones and smuggled the bones out of Turkey. But then it was known the bones to be 150 years old of one woman. So, Spike decided not to stop and continued his expedition. In this chapter we see the connection with the chapter “the mountain”, the bones belonged to Mrs Furgesson.
I like Spike for his eager to find what God asked him to find. He just fulfil the request maybe in his own purposes, because I don’t believe that he even wanted to do it but he wanted to become reach and famous with the help of Noah’s bones.
Chapter 10
ОтветитьУдалитьThe last chapter of the novel is called “The dream”. It told us about the man who had a perfect life. He did what he wanted to do, he ate what he wanted to eat and do whatever he wanted. But one day he got boring and this perfect life annoyed him to death. He was used up. He asked his stewardess how he could change his life. But he couldn’t do it. The stewardess explained that there were two Heavens, and in old Heaven people could die by his own will, they could pray and pray and then they might die. But in New Heaven people couldn’t die and it was known as Hell.
I like this story because it provokes a lot of different thoughts. Earlier I don’t think that problems make our life more interesting, more emotional, but now when I’ve read this story I understood that we can’t live perfectly with all we need, it’s boring, very boring. The main highlight of our life is problem which we must overpass and become stronger and stronger. "What does not kill me makes me stronger"
So, the third chapter is really philosophical one. Here we can see the issue about our sins. In this chapter we face with the desire of people to judge others, to judge those who can not answer smth even bcs of that fact that he doesn't know that he is judged. The situation in the court tells us about the judgement on woodworms, while there was nobody of them there. I thhink that the problem lies in the fact of "people's main role in the world". People think just of themselves and never of nature. This is so trifling. In our modern society the most of animals show their humanity more often than people themselves do it. To my mind the main idea of this chapter is to show people that they are not the higher level if chain of nature, they are just the part of it
ОтветитьУдалитьЭтот комментарий был удален автором.
ОтветитьУдалитьThe fourth chapter is called "the survivour". It seemed to me that in this whole chapter we see the story about the mad woman who lives in her own world. This story was difficult for me to read and understand. Having read it twice I decided that the whole story is the main character's inner world. All life described is just her own immagination and creation. also in this chapter we see the issue about people's cruelty to each other and again to animals. We notice it in Greg's attitude to cat, in killing raindeers. And just Kath's inner world is calm. Everything is just and easy. and she doesn't want to return to this cruel reality
ОтветитьУдалитьThe fifth chapter is called "Shipwreck". Firstly we see the story about a real shipwreck, which happened during the expedition to Senegal. Again we see the men's cruelty here. We can see the people's unpredictable behavior in such a difficult situation. Here we face the situation when people even eat each other to live 5 minutes more. It's the most cruel part of the book, I should say,
ОтветитьУдалитьThe second part of this chapter is easier to read but it has its own problems, the problems of people's apathy to problems, thoughts and feelings of other people. it's perfectly showed in the situation of painting the picture
The sixth chapter is called "The Mountain". It tells us about the trial of a young woman ( religious fanatic) to save her father's soul. For this purpose she went to an "expedition" to a monastery upon the mounain, where Noah's ark rested. In this chapter, unfortunately, we also meet cruelty. firstly, Amanda had become cruel to people, who didn't want anything bad for her. She tried to find sins in every man, situation, word and moment. And then we face with cruelty of those men who didn't help her when she really needed it. But her dream came truth: she visited this place and even stayed there for a long time
ОтветитьУдалитьThe next one is " Three simple stories". It was really hard to understand the idea of these three stories, bcs they are really short. But at the end the idea becomes more evident. these stories are connected with each other by the "repetition" of the similar actions and situations. So, the main idea lies in the fact that history always repeats itself. In this chapter all the stories had happened firstly in history ( something like legends) and then in real life. To tell the truth I really believe in such legends and stories and afraid of it. Bcs in our historythere were a lot of terrible events, which can repeat and destroy our society
ОтветитьУдалитьChapter 7.
ОтветитьУдалитьThis story is called "Three simple stories". As we can see it really consists of three different stories. The 1st story is about one old man Lawrence Besley. As we understand he was a second-class passenger on the voyage of the Titanic. Hу could have survived as his relatives thought just thanked woman's dress. But soon he was invited to take part in a film but just as a consultant. He wanted to take part as an actor but again he "found himself leaving the Titanic just before it was due to go down".
"History repeats itself, the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce".
The next story is connected with the Bible. It tells us about Jonah who was swallowed by whalу and had been there during three days.But then he repent and God ordered the fish to vomit up him. Then again the history repeated itself. But the scientists thought that men couldn't survive in such situation.
Finally, the last story is an example of how practical considerations prevent politicians to be people. The whole nation is under the threat of genocide, people were thrown out of their native country and they didn't know where they should go. But all governments only thought about the benefits and savings, and if it was profitable - easily sent the Jews back toward the concentration camps and gas chambers.The story seems like a nightmare, however, such a history is the reality of world politics today.
In this story we can see some similarities with Noah’s ark. People like animals travelled across the ocean. Also again all people were divided on "clean and unclean".
The main idea of all these stories that the history repeats itself.
Expressions: "Life's a cheat and all things shew it", view of the world, to fall into despair.
The next chapter is called "Upstream" and its name, to tell the truth, make me think about my life, first of all. Even the title shows us the way we should live. We should never give up and always be in progress.
ОтветитьУдалитьAlso this story shows us the beautiful love story. These feelings described in the letters and parenthesis touched me so much. " Love makes you happy and makes the person you love happy". But sometimes it happens in other way, as in this chapter. So, I think this story teaches us not to give up in ane difficalt situation and just go upstream!
In the next chapter " Project Ararat" we deal with the astronaut, whose life changed after his being on the Moon. He was a man of purpose and always achieved his aims. So, during this visit he heard the voice which wanted him to find Noah's ark. It becomes the aim of his life, I should say. So, he with his friend desided organize the project "Ararat" during which they found a skeleton (they thought it was Noah's skelleton).
ОтветитьУдалитьThis chapter is connected with the 8th one. this skelleton was Mrs. Furgesson.
this chapter also teaches the reader not to give up and go upstream in spite of other opinions and life views
The last chapter is my favourite one. It's really thoughtprovoking. I thought a lot of this issue of HEAVEN and HELL after reading it. I can't say that I'm that sort of people who pray a lot and who live godly life, but this chapter made me think a lot about this. I think all of us want to live a perfect life, do nothing and have everything. But it's boring. Problems make us stronger, they make us to solve them, to do smth, to live! It's like a legend of beautiful life which says us that to do nothing in your life is a bliss. But I think to have a good rest people should work hard. Our life is symmetric. Good and bad should go together throughoutour lives, to make us happy
ОтветитьУдалитьUpstream
ОтветитьУдалитьThis story impressed me most. It's about the problems of love and the desire of people to repeat the history. There are many moments which make us think over and guess why the heroes behaved strange. Author gives us some clues to understand the behaviour of the tribe. But as for the Charlie's girlfriend's actions it is still mystery for me. In my opinion it should take not one effort to understand some ideas which author wanted to get across to us. The most favourite part is parenthesis. It contains a lot of deep thoughts about love most of which I agree with.
3 simple stories
This story is difficult for judging as the stories are rather short but in all of them the history repeats itself. That idea binds them. I like the thoughts which author wanted to convey and the facts which were taken from real life. It helps us to see the real events not in variant that the history proposes to but in details, which the author tries to predict helping us to understand feelings of the characters.
Project Ararat
In this story the main idea is not in the question whether Soike was mad or not (though it's also disputable question) but in the fact that often we try to find something sacret in usual things. Many priests presume to say that the relic of some saint people really belong to them. But we can't be absolutely sure in it. It was luck that the sceleton which was found in the cafe was female one. If it was male people could believe that it was really Noah. This story is just an example how easy we can be mistaken.
The dream
I like this story because it is full of philosophical issues, interesting descriptions and images. The author shows us the heaven from his point of view. Firstly I found it an ideal place to live. But it's not a good idea to stay there for externity. People need to fill their lives with some meaning, to live for some purposes. When people have everything their life becomes boring. That's why I realize that the in which the main character finds himself can't be considered as the heaven but as the hell.