Changing Attitudes - Science/Religion/Culture Flashcards
How does HG Wells compare man to the Aliens invading earth in War of The Worlds?
“as narrowly as a man with a microscope might scrutinise the transient creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water” - links new science to mankind and provides an insight into a new way of thinking about significance in the universe. It also shows that new science is an invasion of belief and happiness
“The immediate pressure of necessity had brightened their intellects, enlarged their powers and hardened their hearts” - this implies what may lie in our future - science is necessary for survival
Curate: “What are these martians?” to which protagonist replies “what are we?” - another implicit comparison
How does HG wells imply science is much more prominent in the new society he is writing to?
“I scarcely need remind the reader” - firstly the writer is self conscious which is a modern way of writing, also it implies the reader is already aware of new science
Where does HG Wells express his opinion that science is important to our safety?
“Yet so vein is man, and so blinded by his vanity, that no writer up to the very end of the 19th century, expressed any idea that intelligent life might have developed there so far”
What elements of the description of the curate represent HG Wells’ view of religion?
‘fair weakness’, ‘thin white hand’, ‘blankly staring’
The Curate says “What sins have we done?” which is a naive question regarding the explanation of the invasion at the beginning of the novel.
Uses excessive vocabulary and exaggeration in contrast to the rational talk of the protagonist “the smoke of her burning goeth up for ever and ever!”
Narrator notes that the event “had driven him to the very verge of his reason”
How does the curate demonstrate religious refusal to accept science?
“Interest dawning in his eyes gave place to their former stare”
How does HG wells convey his opinion through the protagonist?
The Protagonist is the voice of HG Wells who notes “what good is religion if it collapses under calamity?” which is implicit of what may come in the future for humanity. It is the moral of the story - to accept science for it may save our lives
What elements of the sea of faith metaphor demonstrate that science is slowly replacing religion?
‘long line of spray’
‘long withdrawing roar’
‘with tremulous cadence slow, and bring the eternal note of sadness in’
stanza 3, consideration of sophocles, greek tragedy and the pre christian world
How does Matthew Arnold show that he thinks the result of this will be bad?
‘lay like the folds of a bright girdle furled’ suggests that the sea of faith is holding the world together and when it leaves there will be chaos
‘naked shingles of the world’ show that either the world will become broken and lifeless or the truth will be exposed
predictions of conflict such as ‘darkling plain’ ‘where ignorant armies clash by night’ - this shows futility and violence
How does the structure of the poem demonstrate Arnold’s views?
the stanzas start and end long, short in the middle which represents the tide and the varying trust in faith. There is no solidity in faith.
Where does Lord Illingworth dismiss religion and discourage Gerald from believing in it?
Lord Illingworth: I suppose your mother is very religious and that sort of thing, G.A: oh yes, she’s always going to church
L.I: Ah! she is not modern and to be modern is the only thing worth being nowadays. You want to be modern don’t you Gerald? Yout want to know life as it really is . Not to be put off with old fashioned theories about life
- Discussing the religious and regular churchgoer Mrs Arbuthnot , L.I is amoral, forward thinking and more in tune with the times
How does Lord Illingworth represent new ideas as that of the upper class and something which is superior to the lower classes?
Lady Hunstanton asks if the world is all the same (on the subject of ‘savages’) and in an epigram, L.I exclaims his belief that one should do improbable things rather than believe in them - perhaps a comment on science and religion?
L.I: “The world is simply divided into two classes - those who believe the incredible, like the public - and those who do the improbable.”
What is the relevance of Dr Daubeny in the representation of religious people?
Doctor Daubeny (a pastor) is deceived by his wife and his character is old, weak and confused.
He often repeats himself ‘But she has many resources in herself, many resources’, ‘But she’s never morbid, never morbid’
