American Lit Mid Term Flashcards
Types of Subversion
-Political
-Social
-Technological
Characteristics of Subversion
-Secretive
-Gradual
-A form of resistance
Goals of Subversive Literature
-Challenge dominant ideologies
-Expose social injustices
-Promote alternative perspectives
-Subvert traditional literary forms
Characteristics of Subversive Literature
-Controversial
-Employs satire, irony, and humor
-Focus on marginalized voices
-Thrives on sensationalism
-Urges people to think, review their surroundings, and stand up for what is right.
Message of Subversive Writers
Rules need to be scrutinized before being accepted.
Melville’s writing experiences that led him to proclaim “I’d prefer not to.”
The failure of Moby Dick and his other large novel, and him not conforming to the consumers desires.
Metonymy
A figure of speech in which a word is substituted for another word closely associated.
Synecdoche
Literary device in which a part of something is substituted for the whole.
Allegory
Story that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning.
Passive Resistance
A form of nonviolent protest or opposition where an individual or group refuses to cooperate with a particular system, authority, or expectation.
Anti-hero
A figure who embodies qualities of detachment, passivity, and resistance. (Bartleby)
Characters in Bartleby, The Scrivener
-The Narrator, a lawyer
-Turkey, afternoon temper
-Nipper, morning indigestion
-Ginger Nut, office gopher
-Bartleby
Plot of Bartleby, The Scrivener
In Bartleby, the Scrivener, an unnamed lawyer narrates his experience with a scrivener named Bartleby, who initially works diligently but gradually begins refusing tasks with the phrase, “I would prefer not to.” As his refusal escalates, Bartleby withdraws completely, stopping work altogether and eventually living in the office building. The lawyer, despite attempts to help, is unable to reach Bartleby, who is later arrested for vagrancy and dies in jail. The story explores themes of passive resistance, isolation, and the dehumanizing effects of modern work life.
Symbols in Bartleby, The Scrivener
-Walls: Physical and emotional barriers
-Bartleby: The disillusionment with modern life, where individuals often feel like mere cogs in a machine.
-Narrator: The capitalist system that emphasizes efficiency and productivity.
-Dead Letters Office: The ultimate expression of isolation—where messages and lives are lost.
“I’d prefer not to.”
Bartleby
“The easiest way of life is the best.”
Narrator
“Happiness courts the light, so we deem the world is gay, but misery hides aloof, so we deem that misery there is none.”
Narrator
“Self interest, if no better motive, should especially with high-tempered men, prompt all beings to charity and philanthropy.”
Narrator
The role of external pressures in the Narrator’s final removal of Bartleby
The narrator’s removal of Bartleby is driven by external pressures like workplace efficiency, societal expectations, and personal discomfort. As a businessman, the narrator feels compelled to maintain productivity, and Bartleby’s passive resistance disrupts the office. Social norms and the pressure to conform make Bartleby’s behavior unacceptable in the eyes of society. The narrator, unable to resolve the situation emotionally or practically, ultimately removes Bartleby to escape the strain. This reflects a critique of society’s inability to accommodate those who refuse to conform, highlighting the tension between compassion and societal expectations.
Limits to charity/compassion
-Practical Limitations: Despite his desire to help Bartleby, the narrator can not ultimately provide the support needed because Bartleby’s behavior disrupts the office’s functionality.
-Emotional and Social Boundaries: The narrator feels sympathy for Bartleby, but a lack of understanding limits his compassion.
-Societal Expectations: The pressure to conform and maintain order in the workplace prevents the narrator from fully embracing a more empathetic or radical form of compassion.
Subversive Qualities of Bartleby, the Scrivener
-Rejection of Capitalism and Work Ethic
-Non-conformity and Individualism
-Passive Resistance as Subversion
-Critique of Authority and Power Structures
Look at Negatives and Positives of UTC
Themes of UTC
-Morality/Immorality of Slavery
-Motherhood/Parenting
-Feminism
-Religious hypocrisy
UTC Characters
-Eliza Harris, Elise Cassy’s daughter
-George Harris
-Harry Harris
-Uncle Tom
-Eva St. Clare, daughter
-Augustine St. Clare, father
Marie St. Clare, mother
-Ophelia St. Clare, cousin
-Stuart, Cassy’s lover
-Arthur Shelby, Eliza’s owner
-George Shelby
- Look at UTC Quiz
Plot of UTC
The novel centers on Uncle Tom, a devout and kind slave sold to pay his owner’s debts. He is sold to a cruel trader, Mr. Haley, and later to Augustine St. Clare, a kind plantation owner in Louisiana. Tom forms a bond with St. Clare’s daughter, Eva, who dies young, asking for the freedom of slaves. After St. Clare’s death, Tom is sold to the sadistic Simon Legree, who brutally tries to break him. Tom remains steadfast in his faith and dies a martyr.
Meanwhile, Eliza, another slave, escapes to the North with her son to avoid being sold. She evades capture and finds freedom. The novel highlights the cruelty of slavery, urging its abolition and moral redemption.
Subversive Qualities of UTC
-Critique of Slavery’s Dehumanizing Effects
-Moral and Religious Resistance
-Empathy Across Racial Lines
-Call for Immediate Abolition
-Depiction of Female Empowerment
Characters in The Awakening
-Edna
-Leonce
-Robert
-Adele Ratignolle, foil to Edna
-Mademoiselle Reisz, foil to Edna
-Alcée Arobin
-The Pontellier Children (Étienne and Raoul)
-Dr. Mandelet
Plot of The Awakening
Edna Pontellier, a wife and mother, experiences an emotional and sexual awakening while at Grand Isle. She forms a bond with Robert Lebrun, then has an affair with Alcée Arobin. Rejecting her traditional role, she moves out and seeks independence. Unable to reconcile her desires with societal expectations, Edna ultimately drowns herself in the sea.
Controversy surrounding The Awakening
-Female dissatisfaction with their limited assigned roles
-Sexual objectification of males
-Rejection of religion
-Suicide
-Artistic dedication
“I would give my life for my children; but I wouldn’t give myself.”
Edna
Symbolism in The Awakening
-The ocean
-Lady in Black
-Young lovers
-Learning to swim
-Grand Isle vs. Esplanade Street
-The “pigeon house”
-Nakedness
Subversive Qualities in The Awakening
-Rejection of Traditional Gender Roles
-Critique of Marriage
-Sexual Awakening
-Rejection of Motherhood
Anderson’s Themes
-The individual quest for self and social betterment.
-The small-town environment
-Distrust of modern industry society
-Interest in human psychology
-A sense of conflict between inner and outer world
Grotesque
Gross, warped, distorted
Anderson Writing Style
Brief uncomplex sentences and unsophisticated vocabulary.
Hands
Characters: Wing Biddlebaum/Adolf Myers, George Willard
Plot: Ran out of Pennsylvania bc boy accused of sexual assault, society will persecute what it doesn’t understand.
Mother
Characters: Elizabeth, George Willard, Tom Willard
Plot: Elizabeth is unhappy, lonely, and ruined by marriage.
Adventure
Characters: Alice, Ned Currie
Plot: Waits for her one love, strips naked to defy convention
Epiphany
A moment of archon
Themes of Andreson’s stories
-Small-town life
-Repressed sexuality
-Dreams denied
-The cruelty of males
Roman-a-clef
A novel that portrays real people and events disguised as fiction.
Zeitgeist Book
A widely read much talked about and highly influential book that captures the spirit of the times and the imagination of a large swath of society.
Spontaneous Prose
A high-speed writing method in which the writer does not pause to craft or edit the prose that gushes from their brain.
Beat
Beatific, beautiful
Influences on Kerouac
-Fashion (levi jeans)
-Cigs, booze, drugs, coffee
-Hitchhiking
-Road trips
-Dropping out
Themes of On The Road
-Freedom
-Rebellion/nonconformity as subversion
-Westering
-The search for meaning (“IT”)
-America
Iconoclast
A person who challenges or rejects established beliefs, customs, or institutions, particularly those considered to be authoritative or sacred.
