Welcome to the AP Junior English literature blog! Here you will share insights and engage in interesting conversation about Wuthering Heights and Pride and Prejudice as you read them this summer. The summer reading blog will consist of ten "posts" to which you are expected to respond before the first day of school - Wednesday, August 13.
I hope that you'll post your thoughts to the blog--your questions, ideas, what you love about the novels, what you hate, things you learn about Austen and Bronte, etc... Although how involved you are with the blog is ultimately up to you, you must comment at least twice for each of the first nine posts; the last post will consist of your 250-word response to my prompt.
When commenting on a post you should be thoughtful, scholarly, and creative - please feel free to link to websites and/or reference other research material that you feel is appropriate for the topic being discussed. Please note that there will be several articles referenced in my postings; these can be found as links on the right of the blog, and you are expected to read the entire article before responding. Your comments must *add* to the overall understanding of the topic: must add something new, challenge something, etc. Much of this material will find its way onto the test over these novels, so it will benefit you in the classroom to take this seriously and to help one another dig deeper in your exploration of these novels. If you would like to read and post along with me, I will be reading Wuthering Heights during the month of June and Pride and Prejudice during the month of July. I will check posts regularly and respond along with you. If you cannot read along with me then you should simply plan on having all of your comments - there will be eighteen (18) total - completed before the first half-day of school; the last question asks you to create a new post, not a comment. This will be graded.
Here are links to all ten posts to which you are required to respond:
I. Wuthering Heights pre-reading Check out the WH Family Tree
II. Pride and Prejudice pre-reading Check out the PandP Family Tree
III. Literary criticism and content discussion
IV. Final novel argument
August 15, 2008
August 13, 2008
K. Smith's Final Argument
Pride and Prejudice, rather than Wuthering Heights, has more value as a teaching tool. Austen’s use of irony to critique the social customs of her society is genius. Although Wuthering Heights is narrated from a creative and sometimes hard to understand viewpoint, the importance of learning about Jane Austen’s writing style is critical. Any uneducated person would read her works for all the wrong reasons. It is imperative to learn how to read Austen’s novels, not only for one’s enjoyment, but also for one’s education. Wuthering Heights is a well-written, interesting novel with an unusual hero, but the style or writing itself is overall not as beneficial to have a core understanding of. Contrary to the criticism of Charlotte Bronte, Austen is not “only shrewd and observant;” She is much more than that. Her observances of the society around her are truly a witty criticism. Obviously Bronte did not understand this. Austen’s social critique does not only cover one aspect of her society, but several, including the need for an advantageous marriage, the treatment of women, and the obsession with money and social power. Ralph Waldo Emerson states that Austen’s novels are “imprisoned in their wretched conventions of English society,” but that is exactly what Austen wants. She wants the reader to realize and understand the flaws of the society of her time and conveys them through a dry irony.
Word count: 231
Word count: 231
A. Fishman Final Argument
We are asked to choose which novel we would rather discuss in class. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is a very appetizing novel with its satire and dramatics, but I believe that Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte is a much better choice because it explores human relationships and emotions more efficiently than Pride and Prejudice does. Austen’s novel has a very singular point to make clear, and that is about marriage. While her critique of this particular institution and the acts that come before, are interesting, it makes a lesser argument. Bronte’s novel, on the other hand, explores more than just one idea. There are many elements to her story, such as the frame narration which she uses; it is a unique style and her effective execution of it brings the story a sense of reality which cannot be seen through just third person. Also, the characters Bronte creates, such as Heathcliff, explore a vast number of things such as devotion, obsessive love, and human nature in general. A third thing to consider when discussing this novel is the genre in which it falls: gothic romance. Wuthering Heights is perhaps one of the best examples of something so intense, like the love between Catherine and Heathcliff, that it becomes deadly. It brings to mind the question whether love is the ultimate redemption of ones actions, or whether it is a punishment. Wuthering Heights is, all in all, more argumentative, and presents more aspects to discuss than Pride and Prejudice does.
August 12, 2008
a. haney's citation!!!!!!!
Goldstone, Herbert. "Wuthering Heights Revisited." The English Journal XLVIII (1949): 4.
Hannahs Final Argument
Although both Wuthering Heights and Pride and Prejudice have the potential to be excellent novels for the classroom Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte is the novel from which we could extract greater knowledge through the study of its symbolism, social relationships, and themes the storyline has to offer. The symbolism in Wuthering Heights without a doubt creates the feelings and the emotions the characters convey. The use of the “stormy” Wuthering Heights mirrors its “stormy” and dark, wild inhabitants including not only Heathcliff but also the rest of household. Pride and Prejudice does not convey any kind of comparable symbolism, for where symbolism takes place in Wuthering Heights, irony takes place in Pride and Prejudice. Knowledge of symbolism can be utilized within any novel, and adds immensely to the storyline. Social relationships in Wuthering Heights stem from a physiological platform, which opens an entire field of lessons to learn about the novel. Whereas, social relationships in Pride and Prejudice is one of a self-assured woman following her intuition. Heathcliff and Catherine’s social relationship is forbidden. However they are so very connected that the love and obsession between them leads to Catherine’s death. The themes that can be found in Wuthering Heights are similar to those found in Pride and Prejudice which is what makes the two novels comparable in the classroom. The glaring theme of course, is “follow your heart, your intuition, it will lead you in the right direction”. Catherine does not and in turn sets an example of what results from betraying your own heart. Elizabeth Bennett does follow her heart and she lives happily ever after with Mr. Darcy. Both Wuthering Heights and Pride and Prejudice wonderful novels for the classroom however Wuthing Heights has more lessons to offer.
Hannahs Final Argument!
Although both Wuthering Heights and Pride and Prejudice have the potential to be excellent novels for the classroom Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte is the novel from which we could extract greater knowledge through the study of its symbolism, social relationships, and themes the storyline has to offer. The symbolism in Wuthering Heights without a doubt creates the feelings and the emotions the characters convey. The use of the “stormy” Wuthering Heights mirrors its “stormy” and dark, wild inhabitants including not only Heathcliff but also the rest of household. Pride and Prejudice does not convey any kind of comparable symbolism, for where symbolism takes place in Wuthering Heights, irony takes place in Pride and Prejudice. Knowledge of symbolism can be utilized within any novel, and adds immensely to the storyline. Social relationships in Wuthering Heights stem from a physiological platform, which opens an entire field of lessons to learn about the novel. Whereas, social relationships in Pride and Prejudice is one of a self-assured woman following her intuition. Heathcliff and Catherine’s social relationship is forbidden. However they are so very connected that the love and obsession between them leads to Catherine’s death. The themes that can be found in Wuthering Heights are similar to those found in Pride and Prejudice which is what makes the two novels comparable in the classroom. The glaring theme of course, is “follow your heart, your intuition, it will lead you in the right direction”. Catherine does not and in turn sets an example of what results from betraying your own heart. Elizabeth Bennett does follow her heart and she lives happily ever after with Mr. Darcy. Both Wuthering Heights and Pride and Prejudice wonderful novels for the classroom however Wuthing Heights has more lessons to offer.
a. haney final argument
Pride and Prejudice and Wuthering Heights are two very different novels. While Pride and Prejudice is more of a feminists’ hit towards society mixed with romance, Wuthering Heights is a unique story of very dynamical characters with many deep relations and strong symbolism. Pride and Prejudice is an example of a common love story where they live happily ever after. Most high school students read this because of its classic qualities, but it definitely does not compare with the originality of Wuthering Heights. Though Wuthering Heights is not as happy go lucky, it has much more to offer. Wuthering Heights’, Heathcliff is such a powerful character because he affects the worlds of many around him. The point of view from which it is written is also very interesting. Bronte’s writes using a “number of persons’ eyes” to understand the full significance of her story (Goldstone). Her combination of using Mrs. Dean and Mr. Lockwood to tell the story contribute to the great way in which the novel is delivered to the reader. Bronte also uses an “ordinariness of the language” but the emotions behind it are beyond powerful when it is “presented as an argument” (Goldstone). Finally, she gives love a “great range and depth.” This is a diversion from the ordinary love that is used in Pride and Prejudice. Bronte treats love as a rare gift. Using it sparingly gives it more meaning. Furthermore, we should study this novel because it is a story like no other.
word count:248
word count:248
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
