Wednesday, March 6, 2013

BNW 7-8


Active Reading Notes

Ch.7
·         Simile: “The MESA was like ship becalmed in a strait of lion-coloured dust.” Gives us a bright visual of the ship.
·         Direct Characterization: “His face was profoundly wrinkled and black, like a mask of obsidian.” We are able to imagine this character’s physical characteristics and imagine how disturbing this must be for Lenina and Bernard.
·         Juxtaposition: “soft repeated thunder” Thunder creates very deep and strong vibrations which would not be related to a soft sound.
·         Irony: “A most unhappy gentleman...I ought to have been there,” the young man went on.” John is unhappy here not because of the ritual (wiping) that took place but because he was not allowed to be wiped.
·         Indirect Characterization: “… the creature was crying.” Lenina doesn't think of the crying woman as another human being but as some insane savage that she has no reason to be with her.

Ch.8

·         Indirect Characterization: “… if he thought hard enough about the reading, to pretend that he didn't mind when they made fun of him.” John is developing a very insecure character because he is not only unloved at home but in his village.
·         Inference: “Nay, but to live, In the rank sweat of an esteemed bed, Stew’d in corruption, honeying and making love, Over the nasty sty…”  This “random” Shakespeare reference is almost entirely describing Linda’s life.
·         Simile: “like a black snake trying to strangle her.” John thinks Pope is a “villain” and this simile creates a dark image of him.
·         Flashback: This whole chapter is a flashback into John’s childhood.
·         Allusion: “O brave new world,” he repeated. “O brave new world that has such people in it.” This is referring to the tempest play. One of the characters came to this state of amazement about humanity.
·         Foil: Both Bernard and John are separated from their society. 
They are alone in their thoughts for the most part. Both share some physical defect (for their society) and they both think differently than other members of their community. 

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