1. The Elements of Fiction 2. Reference Answers to Fiction Analysis Questions

1. 1. The Elements of Fiction 2. Reference Answers to Fiction Analysis Questions

2. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 Lecture Outline Introduction: the elements of fiction Review: reference answer to the subjective questions

3. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 The Elements of Fiction In the same way that a painter uses shape, color, perspective, and other aspects of visual art to create a painting, a fiction writer uses character, setting, plot, point of view, theme, and various kinds of symbolism and language to create artistic effect in fiction. These aspects of fiction are known as the formal elements. An understanding of the formal elements will enhance the reader�s appreciation of any piece of fiction, as well as his or her ability to share perceptions with others.

4. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 The Elements of Fiction While the list of formal elements encourages us to divide a story into parts, in the story itself these elements blend to create a whole. At some level, or perhaps in the first reading of a piece, readers should read without applying these divisions in order to experience the story's unique effect. Nevertheless, knowledge of the formal elements is necessary for most critical discussions of fiction. These elements provide a basic vocabulary and set of critical tools that can be used in conjunction with many other critical approaches.

5. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 PLOT Plot refers to the series of events that give a story its meaning and effect. In most stories, these events arise out of conflict experienced by the main character. The conflict may come from something external, like a dragon or an overbearing mother, or it may stem from an internal issue, such as jealousy, loss of identity, or overconfidence. As the character makes choices and tries to resolve the problem, the story's action is shaped and plot is generated. In some stories, the author structures the entire plot chronologically, with the first event followed by the second, third, and so on, like beads on a string. However, many other stories are told with flashback techniques in which plot events from earlier times interrupt the story's �current� events.

6. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 PLOT All stories are unique, and in one sense there are as many plots as there are stories. In one general view of plot, however � and one that describes many works of fiction � the story begins with rising action as the character experiences conflict through a series of plot complications that entangle him or her more deeply in the problem. This conflict reaches a climax, after which the conflict is resolved, and the falling action leads quickly to the story's end. Things have generally changed at the end of a story, either in the character or the situation; drama subsides, and a new status quo is achieved. It is often instructive to apply this three-part structure even to stories that don't seem to fit the pattern neatly. entangle, v. ?...??,??,?...?? subside, v. ?,?? drama, an episode that is turbulent or highly emotional; ???:dramatic event the quality of being arresting or highly emotional. status quo, ?? entangle, v. ?...??,??,?...?? subside, v. ?,?? drama, an episode that is turbulent or highly emotional; ???:dramatic event the quality of being arresting or highly emotional. status quo, ??

7. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 PLOT conflict: The basic tension, predicament, or challenge that propels a story's plot complications: Plot events that plunge the protagonist further into conflict rising action: The part of a plot in which the drama intensifies, rising toward the climax climax: The plot's most dramatic and revealing moment, usually the turning point of the story falling action: The part of the plot after the climax, when the drama subsides and the conflict is resolved Predicament, n. ??,??,?? a situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant or trying one ???:quandary, plight Propel, v. ??,?? Protagonist, n. ??,??,??? Predicament, n. ??,??,?? a situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant or trying one ???:quandary, plight Propel, v. ??,?? Protagonist, n. ??,??,???

8. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 CHARACTER In fiction, character refers to a textual representation of a human being (or occasionally another creature). Most fiction writers agree that character development is the key element in a story's creation, and in most pieces of fiction a close identification with the characters is crucial to understanding the story. The story's protagonist is the central agent in generating its plot, and this individual can embody the story's theme. Characters can be either round or flat, depending on their level of development and the extent to which they change. A round character is usually shown his or her complex feelings, and the character develops as the story moves on. Identification, n. ????,????,?? 1. the act of designating or identifying something ???:designation 2. the attribution to yourself (consciously or unconsciously) of the characteristics of another person (or group of persons) 3. the process of recognizing something or someone by remembering Identification, n. ????,????,?? 1. the act of designating or identifying something ???:designation 2. the attribution to yourself (consciously or unconsciously) of the characteristics of another person (or group of persons) 3. the process of recognizing something or someone by remembering

9. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 CHARACTER protagonist: A story�s main character (see also antagonist) antagonist: The character or force in conflict with the protagonist round character: A complex, fully developed character, often prone to change flat character: A one-dimensional character, typically not central to the story characterization: The process by which an author presents and develops a fictional character

10. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 CHARACTER Authors achieve characterization with a variety of techniques: by using the narrative voice to describe the character, by showing the actions of the character and of those reacting to her, by revealing the thoughts or dialogue of the character, or by showing the thoughts and dialogue of others in relation to the character.

11. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 SETTING Setting, quite simply, is the story�s time and place. While setting includes simple attributes such as climate or wall d�cor, it can also include complex dimensions such as the historical moment the story occupies or its social context. Because particular places and times have their own personality or emotional essence (such as the stark feel of a desert or the grim, wary resolve in the United States after the September 11th attacks), setting is also one of the primary ways that a fiction writer establishes mood.

12. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 SETTING Typically, short stories occur in limited locations and time frames, whereas novels may involve many different settings in widely varying landscapes. Even in short stories, however, readers should become sensitive to subtle shifts in setting. If you are careful enough when you are reading, you�ll see that some details about the setting help reveal a turn in the plot. Setting is often developed with narrative description, but it may also be shown with action, dialogue, or a character�s thoughts. Subtle, a. ???,???,???Subtle, a. ???,???,???

13. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 SETTING social context: The significant cultural issues affecting a story�s setting or authorship. mood: The underlying feeling or atmosphere produced by a story .

14. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 POINT OF VIEW Point of view in fiction refers to the source and scope of the narrative voice. In the first-person point of view, usually identifiable by the use of the pronoun �I�, a character in the story does the narration. A first-person narrator may be a major character and is often its protagonist. A first-person narrator may also be a minor character, someone within the story but not centrally involved, as in William Faulkner's �A Rose for Emily�, which is told by a member of the town who is not active in the plot but has observed the events. The author's choice of point of view has a significant effect on the story's voice and on the type of information given to the reader.

15. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 POINT OF VIEW In first-person narration, what can be shown is limited to the character's observation and thoughts, and any skewed perceptions in the narrator will be passed on to the reader. Third-person point of view occurs when the narrator does not take part in the story. There are three types of third-person point of view. In third-person omniscient, the narrative voice can render information from anywhere, including the thoughts and feelings of any of the characters. This all-knowing perspective allows the narrator to roam freely in the story's setting and even beyond. Skew, a. ???(????,???) Skew, a. ???(????,???)

16. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 POINT OF VIEW In third-person limited, sometimes called third-person sympathetic, the narrative voice can relate what is in the minds of only a select few characters (often only one, the point-of-view character). In third-person objective, the narrator renders explicit, observable details and does not have access to the internal thoughts of characters or background information about the setting or situation. A character's thoughts, for example, are inferred only by what is expressed openly, in actions or in words. This point of view is also known as third-person dramatic because it is generally the way drama is developed.

17. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 POINT OF VIEW While the second-person point of view exists, it is not used very often because making the reader part of the story can be awkward: �You walk to the end of the road and pause before heading towards the river�. narrative voice: The voice of the narrator telling the story. point-of-view character: The character focused on most closely by the narrator; in first-person point of view, the narrator himself.

18. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 POINT OF VIEW EXERCISE Consider the following versions of part of a well-known fairy tale: Third-person omniscient: Goldilocks was a proud and defiant little girl who�d been told many times by her mother to stay out of the woods, but she paid little attention to others, especially her elders, giving lots of attention instead to herself and her own desires. One day, just to show that she could, she wandered deep into the center of the forest, farther from home than ever before. In a clearing she noticed a small cottage, smoke issuing from the chimney. She thought it was quite an ugly little cottage, but she also thought it might be a place where she could get a little something to eat and drink. The front door swung open when she touched it. �Hello,� she said. �Is anyone home?� No one answered, but she stepped inside anyway. Immediately the smell of fresh-cooked porridge drew her toward the kitchen, where she saw three steaming bowls sitting on the counter.

19. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 POINT OF VIEW EXERCISE First person: Make your bed, she says. Read your lessons. Fold your clothes. Stay out of the woods. Blah blah blah. Ha! I'm in the woods now, dear mother, and going deeper. As if anything out here would dare to harm a girl like me. I've followed the weaving trail through the trees farther than ever before, and what can she do about it? I'm deep in the woods now, and there's a cottage in a clearing, a muddy-looking wooden thing so small I almost miss it. What a hovel! Who could stand to live there? I want to get inside and see. Besides, I'm thirsty, and a little bit hungry after the long walk, and these country folk do so love to share. They don't use locks out here, of course, and as soon as I touch the door it swings wide open for me. I say hello, but no one answers. Even if they catch me here, who would care? A proper little girl like me can't harm a thing. I step inside. They must have known I was coming, because someone�s made a tasty-smelling porridge. When I see the brown bowls steaming on the plain wooden counter, I feel so hungry I could eat all three. Hovel, n. ??,???,????Hovel, n. ??,???,????

20. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 STYLE, TONE, and LANGUAGE Style in fiction refers to the language conventions used to construct the story. A fiction writer can manipulate diction, sentence structure, phrasing, dialogue, and other aspects of language to create style. Thus a story's style could be described as richly detailed, flowing, and barely controlled, to reflect the simple sentence structures and low range of vocabulary. Predominant styles change through time; therefore the time period in which fiction was written often influences its style. For example, Nathaniel Hawthorne�s �Young Goodman Brown�, written in the nineteenth century, uses diction and sentence structure that might seem somewhat crisp and formal to contemporary readers. Convention, n. ?? something regarded as a normative example ???:normal, pattern, rule, formula Manipulate, v. ??,??Convention, n. ?? something regarded as a normative example ???:normal, pattern, rule, formula Manipulate, v. ??,??

21. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 STYLE, TONE, and LANGUAGE The communicative effect created by the author's style can be referred to as the story's voice. To identify a story's voice, ask yourself, �What kind of person does the narrator sound like?� A story's voice may be serious and straightforward, rambunctiously comic, or dramatically tense. In "Girl� (by Jamaica Kincaid), the voice of the mother, as narrated in the daughter's first-person point of view, is harsh and judgmental, exposing an urgent and weathered concern for the daughter's development as she becomes a woman. Rambunctiously, ad. ??? Weathered, a. ????? Rambunctiously, ad. ??? Weathered, a. ?????

22. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 STYLE, TONE, and LANGUAGE A story's style and voice contribute to its tone. Tone refers to the attitude that the story creates toward its subject matter. For example, a story may convey an earnest and sincere tone toward its characters and events, signaling to the reader that the material is to be taken in a serious, dramatic way. On the other hand, an attitude of humor or sarcasm may be created through subtle language and content manipulation. diction: The author's choice of words

23. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 STYLE, TONE, and LANGUAGE EXERCISE The English language offers a vast array of choices in sentence structure, phrasing, vocabulary, verb tense, and voice. Fiction writers use this variety to their advantage in crafting a thought, description, or action. Different language choices can create a huge range of styles and tones for any given expression. These different styles and tones give the story its unique meaning. In most cases, a story�s way of being told is at least as significant as its content. Let�s take, for example, the somewhat common experience of getting a parking ticket. Here are several ways the parking ticket experience might be expressed by the recipient. Array, n. ??,??,??,??,??? Craft, v. make by hand and with much skill.Array, n. ??,??,??,??,??? Craft, v. make by hand and with much skill.

24. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 STYLE, TONE, and LANGUAGE EXERCISE The policeman gave me a parking ticket. Some bored cop tagged me with another ticket. Someone had slipped the ticket under my windshield wiper like a blade slipped under a rib. A citation for violation of parking regulations had been affixed to my car. I got another &*%@# ticket! Another week goes by, another parking ticket stuck to the car � what else is new? These various expressions create different emotional and conceptual stances relative to the ticketing experience. In other words, the language style of each expression adds its unique spin to the basic information. Tag, v. ????,?? Windshield, n. ???? Citation, n. ??,??,???Stance, n. ??????,???,?? Spin, a distinctive interpretation (especially as used by politicians to sway public opinion).Tag, v. ????,?? Windshield, n. ???? Citation, n. ??,??,???Stance, n. ??????,???,?? Spin, a distinctive interpretation (especially as used by politicians to sway public opinion).

25. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 THEME Theme is the meaning or concept we are left with after reading a piece of fiction. Theme is an answer to the question, "What did you learn from this?" In some cases a story's theme is a prominent element and somewhat unmistakable. In some pieces of fiction, however, the theme is more elusive. What thought do we come away with after reading Jamaica Kincaid's "Girl" ? That mothers can try too hard? That oppression leads to oppression? That a parent's repeated dire predictions have a way of becoming truth? Elusive, a. ???,???,???? Dire, a. ???,???,??? 1. fraught with extreme danger; nearly hopeless ???:desperate 2. causing fear or dread or terror???:awful, direful, dread, dreaded, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, frightening, horrendous, horrific, terrible Elusive, a. ???,???,???? Dire, a. ???,???,??? 1. fraught with extreme danger; nearly hopeless ???:desperate 2. causing fear or dread or terror???:awful, direful, dread, dreaded, dreadful, fearful, fearsome, frightening, horrendous, horrific, terrible

26. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 THEME Too much focus on pinning down a story's theme can obscure the accompanying emotional context or the story's intentional ambiguity (especially for contemporary fiction). In fact, the function of some contemporary short stories, such as Donald Barthelme�s �In the Tolstoy Museum� is in part to make us confront the limitations of traditional processes of establishing meaning and coherence. In most cases, though, theme is still an important element of story construction (even in its absence), providing the basis for many valuable discussions. pinning down, vt. ??,???ambiguity, n. ???,??,??,???? coherence, n. ??,??,??,??,???,??,???pinning down, vt. ??,???ambiguity, n. ???,??,??,???? coherence, n. ??,??,??,??,???,??,???

27. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 THEME EXERCISE The Hare and the Tortoise One day the speedy hare was bragging among his fellow animals. �I have never been beaten in a race,� he said. �When I use my amazing speed, the race is over almost instantly. Would any of you like to take me on?� �I�ll challenge you,� said the tortoise. �You against me?� said the hare, laughing. He turned to the other animals. �Hurry. Set us up a course. This will be quick work for me. I�ll teach this plodder a lesson in speed.� Plodder, n. 1. someone who walks in a laborious heavy-footed manner ???:trudger, slogger 2. someone who works slowly and monotonously for long hours ???:slogger 3. someone who moves slowly ???:slowpoke, stick-in-the-mud, slowcoach Plodder, n. 1. someone who walks in a laborious heavy-footed manner ???:trudger, slogger 2. someone who works slowly and monotonously for long hours ???:slogger 3. someone who moves slowly ???:slowpoke, stick-in-the-mud, slowcoach

28. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 The Hare and the Tortoise The animals set up a course, and the race began. The fast hare sped so far ahead that he looked back and couldn�t even see the tortoise. To show his contempt, he decided to lie down and rest, and he soon fell asleep. Meanwhile, the tortoise kept going at a slow, steady pace. He finally crawled past the sleeping hare, and took the lead. In fact, the tortoise was just inches short of the finish line when the hare woke up and saw what had happened. The stunned hare sped to the finish line, but he couldn�t catch up, and the tortoise won. �Slow and steady wins the race,� said the smiling tortoise.

29. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 THEME EXERCISE In this well-known fable of Aesop, the final lesson emanating from the smiling tortoise is somewhat evident. This �moral to the story� is a good way to begin understanding the concept of theme. Although the theme in a short story or novel is almost never stated this explicitly, most works of fiction do teach us lessons. A story is typically a series of events in which a character resolves an important problem or conflict, often in a life-changing way, and typically such breakthroughs can reveal important guidelines about life. We might learn, for example, that it is important to take risks, or that wealth doesn�t bring happiness, or that a little bit of hope and persistence can change a bad situation. Not all events teach lessons, but the ones that do often make good stories. Emanate, v. ??,?? 1. proceed or issue forth, as from a source 2. give out (breath or an odor) Emanate, v. ??,?? 1. proceed or issue forth, as from a source 2. give out (breath or an odor)

30. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 IMAGE, SYMBOLISM, and ALLEGORY An image is a sensory impression used to create meaning in a story. For example, near the beginning of �Young Goodman Brown�, we see Faith, Brown's wife, �thrust her own pretty head into the street, letting the wind play with the pink ribbons of her cap.� While visual imagery such as this is typically the most prominent in a story, good fiction also includes imagery based on the other senses: sound, smell, touch, and taste. Sensory, a. ???,???,????? involving or derived from the senses Sensory, a. ???,???,????? involving or derived from the senses

31. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 IMAGE, SYMBOLISM, and ALLEGORY If an image in a story is used repeatedly and begins to carry multiple layers of meaning, it may be significant enough to call a symbol. Symbols are often objects, like a toy windmill or a rose, or they may be parts of a landscape, like a river. While a normal image is generally used once, to complete a scene or passage, a symbol is often referred to repeatedly and carries meanings essential to the story.

32. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 IMAGE, SYMBOLISM, and ALLEGORY Some symbols are universal, like water for cleansing, but others are more culturally based. In some African societies, for example, a black cat is seen as good luck. Fiction writers use pre-existing cultural associations as well as meanings drawn from the context of the story to create multiple levels of meaning. Faith's pink ribbons in "Young Goodman Brown" carry cultural connotations of innocence and purity, but the fact that the wind plays with the ribbons in one key image also brings to mind temptation, alluring chaos, the struggle with natural forces.

33. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 IMAGE, SYMBOLISM, and ALLEGORY An allegory is a work of fiction in which the symbols, characters, and events come to represent, in a somewhat point-by-point fashion, a different metaphysical, political, or social situation. In Western culture, allegories have often been used for instructive purposes around Christian themes. For example, in John Bunyan�s Pilgrim�s Progress, a protagonist named Christian goes on a journey in which he encounters complicating characters and situations such as Mr. Worldly Wiseman, Vanity Fair, and the Slough of Despair, thus depicting the struggles of a Christian trying to stay pure. In some ways Nathaniel Hawthorne's �Young Goodman Brown� is structured as an allegory, as is evident in the character Faith, the Devil offering his snakelike staff, the temptation scene, and so on. Hawthorne skillfully manipulates the conventions of allegory, however, to resist a fixed meaning and create an ending that is open to interpretation. Metaphysical, a. ????? highly abstract and overly theoretical Slough, n. (??)??,?? Metaphysical, a. ????? highly abstract and overly theoretical Slough, n. (??)??,??

34. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 IMAGERY visual imagery: Imagery of sight aural imagery: Imagery of sound (e.g., the soft hiss of skis) olfactory imagery: Imagery of smell (e.g., the smell of spilled beer) tactile imagery: Imagery of touch (e.g., bare feet on a hot sidewalk) gustatory imagery: Imagery of taste (e.g., the bland taste of starchy bananas) Ski, n. ??,??? Olfactory, a. ??? Tactile, a. ???,????,???? Gustatory, a. ??? Bland, a. ??? 1. smoothly agreeable 2. lacking taste or flavor or tang???:flat, flavorless, flavourless, insipid, savorless, savourless, vapid Starchy, a. ????Ski, n. ??,??? Olfactory, a. ??? Tactile, a. ???,????,???? Gustatory, a. ??? Bland, a. ??? 1. smoothly agreeable 2. lacking taste or flavor or tang???:flat, flavorless, flavourless, insipid, savorless, savourless, vapid Starchy, a. ????

35. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 Resources The Elements of Fiction Elements of Fiction - A Brief Introduction VirtuaLit: Elements of Fiction

36. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 Analyses: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow In the short story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, there is the memorable event of an apparently headless horseman throwing his head at his rival in love, and the memorable character of Ichabod Crane with his mixture of shrewdness, credulity, self-assertiveness and cowardice. No one, who has ever read the story of the clumsy, ungainly schoolmaster scared off by his rival in love who disguises himself as aghost, is likely to forget it again.

37. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 Analyses: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow The creation of archetypes is a particularly subtle feat of Irving' s consummate craftsmanship. We may see in Ichabod Crane a precocious, effete New Englander, shrewd, commercial, a city-slicker, who is rather an interloper, a somewhat destructive force, and who comes along to swindle the villagers. His book learning turns on him, and he is driven away from where he does not belong, so that the serene village remains permanently good and happy. Brom Bones, on the other hand, is of a Huck Finn-type of country bumpkin, rough, vigorous, boisterous but inwardly very good, a frontier type put out there to shift for himself.

38. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 Analyses: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Thus the rivalry in love between Ichabod and Brom, viewed in this way, suddenly assumes the dimensions of two ethical groups locked in a kind of historic contest. As to the style of the piece, it represents Irving at his best.The association between a certain local and the inward movement of a character, the emotional loading of almost every line of the story, their effect on the five senses of the reader whose attention is so fully engaged and who feels so much involved in what is happening all these have placed this and other Irving stories among the best of American short stories.

39. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 Analyses: Moby Dick Moby Dick may be read on several levels. It is a thrilling adventure story, �the world's greatest sea novel�, compounded of search, pursuit, conflict, and catastrophe. It is the plot of unceasing search for revenge, the �Americanized Gothic� of mystery and terror, crowded with omens and forebodings from the cracked Etigah' s warnings to the prophecies of Fedallah, which are reminiscent of the witch's croakings in Macbeth. Clear throughout is a mastery of suspense and horror, of both subtle and broad humor, of exciting narrative in vigorous prose. Readers for the story' s sake are dismayed by the numerous chapters on whales and whaling, but they provide verisimilitude. The chapters on whaling prepare the reader for the unfamiliar events, skillfully retard the swift action, and present an authentic, full way of life. Gothic, a. ???? as if belonging to the Middle Ages; old-fashioned and unenlightened ???:medieval, mediaeval characterized by gloom and mystery and the grotesque Omen, n. ??,?? Foreboding, n. ????? Reminiscent, a. ???,???,????? serving to bring to mind ???:evocative, redolent, remindful Croaking, a hoarse sound, like a raven complaining remarks or noises under one's breath ???:murmuring, muttering, grumbling, gnarling Humor, n. ??,??,?? 1. the trait of appreciating (and being able to express) the humorous ???:sense of humor 2. a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling ???:temper, mood 3. the quality of being funny  4. (Middle Ages) one of the four fluids in the body whose balance was believed to determine your emotional and physical state 5. the liquid parts of the body ???:liquid body substance, bodily fluid, body fluid Verisimilitude, n. ??,??? Retard, n. ??,?? Gothic, a. ???? as if belonging to the Middle Ages; old-fashioned and unenlightened ???:medieval, mediaeval characterized by gloom and mystery and the grotesque Omen, n. ??,?? Foreboding, n. ????? Reminiscent, a. ???,???,????? serving to bring to mind ???:evocative, redolent, remindful Croaking, a hoarse sound, like a raven complaining remarks or noises under one's breath ???:murmuring, muttering, grumbling, gnarling Humor, n. ??,??,?? 1. the trait of appreciating (and being able to express) the humorous ???:sense of humor 2. a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling ???:temper, mood 3. the quality of being funny 4. (Middle Ages) one of the four fluids in the body whose balance was believed to determine your emotional and physical state 5. the liquid parts of the body ???:liquid body substance, bodily fluid, body fluid Verisimilitude, n. ??,??? Retard, n. ??,??

40. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 Analyses: Moby Dick The more important levels, of course, are these of characterization and meaning.A gallery of unique portraits emerges.In spite of their few, brief appearances, Peter Coffin, Captains Bildad and Peleg, and the officers of passing vessels are vividly described.Melville most convincingly individualizes Starbuck, Stubb, and Flask.Starbuck� s wary courage and �right-mindedness� are fully developed to make him a foil to Ahab.The three harpooners are also individualized -- the American Tashtego; the physically admirable African, Daggoo, so unlike the minstrel show Negroes in the literature of Melville� s day; and Queequeg, the Polynesian �heathen� who �must help these Christians�, whose characterization is a masterpiece of understanding.The characterizations of the semi-autobiographical Ishmael and of Ahab are the most important and they are inextricably tied up with the book�s meaning. Wary, a. ???,???,??? Foil, n. ??,?? Harpooner, someone who launches harpoons [n. (???)??] Minstrel, n. ????(???) Heathen, n. ??? Inextricably, ad. ???? Wary, a. ???,???,??? Foil, n. ??,?? Harpooner, someone who launches harpoons [n. (???)??] Minstrel, n. ????(???) Heathen, n. ??? Inextricably, ad. ????

41. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 Analyses: Moby Dick Ishmael�s name connotes the wanderer and outcast.He shares the illness and restlessness of the romantic hero, but he rises above them.He is no mere escapist.Himself inclined to melancholy, he recognizes that Ahab' s concentration on woe is madness.Midway of the book, Ishmael, the participant and narrator, merges with the omniscient author.At first caught by the fever of the oath on the quarter-deck to hunt Moby Dick to the kill, he alone has the intelligence and will to recognize and oppose the madness.Repudiating society and those in power, he grows in deep respect for and insight into the secrets of human life. Regarding both believer and infidel with an equal and critical eye, he is a believer in the dignity of man and the need of fellowship. And he alone of the Pequod is saved. Ishmael, n. ????,?????,???? 1. (Old Testament) the son of Abraham who was cast out after the birth of Isaac; considered the forebear of 12 Arabian tribes2. a person who is rejected (from society or home) ???:outcast, castaway, pariah Connote, vt. ??,?? express or state indirectly ???:imply  Outcast, n. ?????,???,?? Restlessness, n. ????,????,???,????,???? 1. the quality of being ceaselessly moving or active 2. a lack of patience; irritation with anything that causes delay ???:impatience 3. a feeling of agitation expressed in continual motion ???:fidget, fidgetiness 4. inability to rest or relax or be still ???:uneasiness, queasiness  Melancholy, n. ??,??,?? 1. a feeling of thoughtful sadness 2. a constitutional tendency to be gloomy and depressed Woe, n. ??,??,??,??,?? 1. misery resulting from affliction ???:suffering 2. intense mournfulness ???:woefulness Quarter-deck, n. ??? Repudiate, v. ??,??,???? 1. cast off or disown ???:renounce 2. refuse to acknowledge, ratify, or recognize as valid 3. refuse to recognize or pay 4. reject as untrue, unfounded, or unjust Infidel, n. ????,??? a person who does not acknowledge god ???:heathen, pagan, gentile Ishmael, n. ????,?????,???? 1. (Old Testament) the son of Abraham who was cast out after the birth of Isaac; considered the forebear of 12 Arabian tribes2. a person who is rejected (from society or home) ???:outcast, castaway, pariah Connote, vt. ??,?? express or state indirectly ???:imply Outcast, n. ?????,???,?? Restlessness, n. ????,????,???,????,???? 1. the quality of being ceaselessly moving or active 2. a lack of patience; irritation with anything that causes delay ???:impatience 3. a feeling of agitation expressed in continual motion ???:fidget, fidgetiness 4. inability to rest or relax or be still ???:uneasiness, queasiness Melancholy, n. ??,??,?? 1. a feeling of thoughtful sadness 2. a constitutional tendency to be gloomy and depressed Woe, n. ??,??,??,??,?? 1. misery resulting from affliction ???:suffering 2. intense mournfulness ???:woefulness Quarter-deck, n. ??? Repudiate, v. ??,??,???? 1. cast off or disown ???:renounce 2. refuse to acknowledge, ratify, or recognize as valid 3. refuse to recognize or pay 4. reject as untrue, unfounded, or unjust Infidel, n. ????,??? a person who does not acknowledge god ???:heathen, pagan, gentile

42. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 Analyses: Moby Dick The biblical Ahab worshipped false gods; he was slain in battle and the dogs licked up his blood. On his long prepare-for entrance, �reality outran apprehension�. Branded like Milton's Satan, sturdy, erect on his bone leg, but �with a crucification in his face�, Ahab has all the �overbearing dignity of some mighty woe�. His actions are of one piece, for he is driven by a force stronger than himself, though of his own creation -- right after Moby Dick has sheared off his leg on a previous voyage, his �torn body and gashed soul bled into one another�, and the final monomania seizes him. With cunning he does his best to conceal the madness, but from the frenzied oath on the quarter-deck the steps to destruction are sure: Apprehension, n. ??,?? Sturdy, a. ???,??? Shear, v. ??,?,?? Gash, v. ?????,???? Monomania, n. ??????,??? Frenzied, a. ???,???Apprehension, n. ??,?? Sturdy, a. ???,??? Shear, v. ??,?,?? Gash, v. ?????,???? Monomania, n. ??????,??? Frenzied, a. ???,???

43. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 Analyses: Moby Dick a man never known to kneel swears he would strike the sun if it insulted him; he throws overboard his pipe ( symbol of serenity) ; smashes the quadrant ( symbol of scientific aid) ; defies the lightening, breathing the kindred fire of his spirit back at it, and, tempering a forged harpoon in the blood of his pagan harpooners, baptizes it, as mentioned earlier, in the name of the devil. Isolation, pride, obsession with revenge, reliance on the unaided self, and blasphemy make up his tragic flaw. But as his old friend Peleg says: �Ahab has his humanities.� But the �humanities� are short lived. Captain Boomer, who lost an arm, to Moby Dick, wants no more of the monster, and such common sense shocks Ahab as idiocy. Serenity, n. ??,?? Quadrant, n. ?? a measuring instrument for measuring altitude of heavenly bodies Kindred, a. ???,???,??? Forge, v. ??,??,?? Obsession, n.[U]??;??,?? Blasphemy, n. ????,??????? Flaw, n. ??,??,?? Serenity, n. ??,?? Quadrant, n. ?? a measuring instrument for measuring altitude of heavenly bodies Kindred, a. ???,???,??? Forge, v. ??,??,?? Obsession, n.[U]??;??,?? Blasphemy, n. ????,??????? Flaw, n. ??,??,??

44. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 Analyses: Moby Dick Various scholars have interpreted the whale in various ways.To Ahab, the whale represents all evil, visibly personified against which he piled �all the rage and hate felt by his whole race from Adam down�. But to Ishmael, Ahab is insane.Less bluntly and plainly, Ishmael states what the whale means to him: he is appalled chiefly by the hideous whiteness, which suggests the demonism in the world. Starbuck, at sea to hunt whales, not his commander�s vengeance, considers the whale a dumb beast, smiting from blindest instinct. Other seamen believe in the malice behind the tremendous strength, but assume no self-appointed mission to destroy it. In the last chase Starbuck calls to Ahab that it is not too late, that Moby Dick seeks him not: �It is thou that madly seekest him.� But bound by more than oaths on the quarter-deck. Ahab is forever Ahab, the �Face�s lieutenant�, acting under orders, he has fell impelled to follow. Bluntly, ad. ?,???,??? Hideous, a. ???,??? Demonism, n. ????, ?????? the worship of devils (especially Satan) ???:diabolism, Satanism Smite, v. ????,?? Malice, n. ??,?? Bluntly, ad. ?,???,??? Hideous, a. ???,??? Demonism, n. ????, ?????? the worship of devils (especially Satan) ???:diabolism, Satanism Smite, v. ????,?? Malice, n. ??,??

45. American Literature(I), Autumn 2007 Analyses: Moby Dick In the final analysis, Moby Dick has a richness which has had enduring value for generations. Its symbolism is vast, its language graphic and powerful. It is romance of moral inquiry. Each of the main characters struggles with good and evil, with fate, with the conflict they see between God and nature. In Ahab, Melville specifically molded a character which used his will to try to defy fate, a character of defiance. In Ishmael, he could stand by and allow reason to speculate on the events.Because he supplied no one formula of interpretation, Melville left his readers the same freedom he gained for himself -- the ability to move back and forth between fact and meaning on the bridge of symbolism. He had the fluidity of spirit to allow his book finally to write itself. Defy, v. ??,?? 1. resist or confront with resistance ???:withstand, hold, hold up 2. elude, especially in a baffling way ???:resist, refuse 3. challenge ???:dare Mold, v. ??,?? Speculate, v. ??,??,?? Fluidity, n. ???,??,?? the property of flowing easily ???:fluidness, liquidity, liquidness, runniness Defy, v. ??,?? 1. resist or confront with resistance ???:withstand, hold, hold up 2. elude, especially in a baffling way ???:resist, refuse 3. challenge ???:dare Mold, v. ??,?? Speculate, v. ??,??,?? Fluidity, n. ???,??,?? the property of flowing easily ???:fluidness, liquidity, liquidness, runniness