La Morte D'Arthur chapters 4-7

1. Can you think of any reason why pulling a sword from a stone but be a symbol of being worthy to rule?

OR

2. Arthur pulls the sword from the stone almost by accident, just trying to get a sword from his brother, and not bothering to read the inscription (if he could read). Any speculations or interpretations?

OR

3. Given the events of this reading, what inferences about or observations concerning Arthur's character can we make?

La Morte D'Arthur 3-6

Merlin and Vivien. In a later part of the story, Vivien gets from Merlin a spell for trapping a person inside of a tree, and then she uses it to trap Merlin himself inside a tree, where he remains to this day (according to the story).

Tonight's blog does not require a lot of thinking. Since we're getting used to this book, I wnat you just to figure out with each other just what is going on. The last people to blog might just have to write "I agree with so and so's answer, " or "I think classmate A is partly right, but classmate B is partly right too, because . . . ."

1. Put into your own words what Merlin wants from Uther Pendragon in exchange for getting Uther what he wants.

2. Put into your own words what Merlin's plan (to get Uther what he wants) --his plan so far--is.

3. Explain how the Duke, Igraine's husband, dies.

4. What in this reading causes Igraine to be puzzled?

5. What causes Igraine to feel joyful?

"She Unnames Them"

1. Can you see anything Buddhist about this story? Explain.

OR

2. Can you see how Adam is, in a way, clueless? Explain.

OR

3. Can you see how Eve's not using the names of animals anymore at the end, and her going to join them, is a good thing? Explain.

The Smile of the Buddha

1. What does this final chapter accomplish? How does it take aspects of the text and develop them further?

OR

2. Do you think it is possible to love the world (as Siddhartha says he does on p. 125 and 128) and yet not be attached to it?

OR

3. Siddhartha says he values things more than he does thoughts or words. What is ther eto value about things (from Siddhartha's perspective)? He soesn't exactly say; just do your best.

4. Assume for a moment that when Govinda kisses Siddhartha on the forehead and "sees" what om means we are at the climax of the book. Can you say why the climax of the book might involve this particular act--a kiss on the forehead?

Siddhartha 113-120

the "word" aum or om.

This is due Thursday morning.

1. The protagonist of a piece of literature is the main character in the work. The antagonist is a "neutral term for a character who opposes the leading character." Does this book have an antagonist, and if so, who is it?

OR

2. Can you identify something in Siddhartha that functions as a symbol--something that "stands for" something else? (A symbol is often a concrete, particular thing that stands for a more abstract, general, or supernatural thing.) Explain.

OR

3. In your Humanities Dept. handbook, it describes the structure of a piece of fiction, including the "rising action" and the "climax." What do you think the rising action of Siddhartha consists of? Has there been a climax?

OR

4. Can you think of examples of imagery from Siddhartha?

Siddhartha 103-112

1. Try to put into words how Siddhartha's love for his son is different from the other loves he has had.
OR
2. Do you agree with Vasudeva's advice to Siddhartha--that Siddhartha should separate himself from his son?
OR
3. Can you think of a way any of the items included in the "eight-fold path" list apply to Siddhartha's behavior in this reading?
OPTIONAL:
Do not answer this question on this blog, just think about it: are their aspects of Siddhartha's parenting of his son that are like your parents' parenting of you?

Siddhartha 89-101

Answer one or two, but not three.

1. "Without a word from Vasudeva, the speaker felt that the ferryman took in hhis words, silent, open, waiting, missing none, impatient for none, neither praising nor blaming, but only listening."

Is listening in this way a good thing, in your opinion, or not?

OR

2. Try to put into your own words what the river teachers Siddhartha about time on p. 94.

OR

3. Try to put into your own words what the river teaches Siddhartha about the river's many voices on p 95.

Siddhartha 77-88

An image of the Buddha.

Respond to one or two of these three prompts please (not three) and then, in addition, only if you want to, respond to number 4. But do number 4 only after you've done or or two of the previous questions.

1. Does the development in Siddhartha's life described in this chapter seem different from the earlier developments, or does it seem to be just another phase? Explain.
AND/OR
2. Discuss the role of the river in this chapter.
AND/OR
3. Siddhartha's long sleep played a role in his development, and earlier, he had, in his sleep, dreamed about the dead bird. Why might sleep play an important role in Siddhartha's spiritual journey?

4. Does sleep play an important role in your own spiritual/psychological/artistic journey?

portrait of a boy

Please continue to look at this image and to build your chart of observations and inferences until you have at least three inferences, with two observations for each inference, AND until you have two inferences that are sufficiently different from each other for you to juxtapose them in a helpful way when it comes time to make a claim.

Here is a link to a version of the picture that will let you get up closer: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ho/05/afe/ho_18.9.2.htm.

If this doesn't work, search for Metropolitan Museum of Art, then go to Works of Art, then go to Curatorial Departments, then go to Greek and Roman Art, than type in "Portrait of a Boy" in the search box.

Don't forget your reading assignment--see previous post. Thank you! ALSO please bring Siddhartha tomorrow

Siddhartha 67-76

Above, a depiction of samsara, sometimes translated as "the Wheel of Suffering."

1. Describe Kamala's role in this chapter. Is she helpful to Siddhartha, or not helpful? How so?

AND/OR

2. Siddhartha in this chapter grows weary of his worldly life, of living as the "child people" live. Did he start to live his worldly life as soon as he leaves Gautama and meets the girl at the river side, or does he only really start living the samsara life, the "child people" life, when he starts to care about money and gambling?

PLEASE BRING SIDDHARTHA TO CLASS TOMORROW

Siddhartha 57-65

Please answer one or two of the following (not more). Thank you!

1. How would you describe the difference between a "child [person]" and someone like Siddhartha or Kamaswami (see pp. 64-65)?

2. In your opinion, is it better to be a "child [person]," or someone like Siddhartha or Kamaswami? Or do you have reason for objecting to having to make a choice between the two? Explain.

3. The fact that Siddhartha treats business (being a merchant) like a game--does it make him a better or a worse merchant, do you think?

4. What is the role of Siddhartha's inner voice in this chapter?

Siddhartha 43-56

Do the developments/events that occur in this reading seem like positive develoments/events for Siddhartha, or not? Why?

AND/OR

"Anyone can work magic, anyone can reach his goals if he can think, if he can wait, if he can fast," says Siddhartha. What do you think of this idea?