Notice that Lavinia jumps ahead in time to a time when she is married to her husband and they are looking together at his armor, hanging on the wall, especially his shield. As Lavinia looks at the shield, it allows her to see into the future.
1. Come up with a list of three adjectives to describe Lavinia as we know her so far, and give a brief explanation for each adjective. OR
2. "Could she not see that? . . . Could my father not see it?" (33) What is this "it" that her parents not seem to be able to see? Drances the advisor can see it: "Sometimes he would glance at my father, or even at me, as if to say, Do you see? He [Drances] knew what I knew . . ." What is this thing that Drances and Lavinia herself can see? It's not stated directly; can you guess? If someone has taken your guess, answer a different question.
3. Latinus, Lavinia's father, interprets the dream she has at Albunea about her grandfather (29). Explain in your onw words her father's interpretation of the dream. What about the dream has led to this interpretation, do you think? If someone has taken your guess, answer a different question.
4. Try to summarize what Lavinia is saying about the god Mars on p. 23 and pp. 30 and 31. It won't be easy.
5. When Lavinia looks at her husband's shield she sees many things. What does she see that has a connection to the part about Mars?
14 comments:
Sang Eun
2. "Could she not see that? . . . Could my father not see it?" (33) What is this "it" that her parents not seem to be able to see? Drances the advisor can see it: "Sometimes he would glance at my father, or even at me, as if to say, Do you see? He [Drances] knew what I knew . . ." What is this thing that Drances and Lavinia herself can see? It's not stated directly; can you guess?
The thing that Drances and Lavinia can see and her parents can't see probably is the truth of Turnus. Even though Turnus seems to be very polite to Lavinia's parents and a righteous man, the real truth about him might be different. The fact that Turnus wants Lavinia so much could be not because he truely loves her but because he is an ambitious man who wants to break peace that Lavinia's father had settled. Also he might be longing to take over her father's land and his authorities. While Lavinia's parents are fond of him and are blind to see Turnus' truth, Drances and Lavinia are feeling that. Therefore, Drances is glancing at the father and Lavinia to ask whether Lavinia's father and Lavinia know the fact that he knows.
Latinus, Lavinia's father, interprets the dream she has at Albunea about her grandfather (29). Explain in your onw words her father's interpretation of the dream. What about the dream has led to this interpretation, do you think?
I think that what Lavinia's father interprets the dream as is: "Grandfather Picus has given you the gift to see the truth of a place, of your home, in any situation. You can now see what the rest of us won't, or will let pass us by easily." I also think that this is why Lavina can see the way that Turnus looks at her, while her father and mother cannot. She can see the truth, can see what he is really after.
Lavinia's father interprets Lavina's dream in this way because the bird, the Picus, "drew his wings across" her eyes in the dream twice. Before he did this, she was looking at a bog and 'the stinking, bluish mist hovered over the water and the ground," and there are shadows everywhere. The bog is a dark place. After the Picus "draws his wings across" Lavinia's eyes, she is still looking at the same bog, but "it was not dark under the trees; the forest was full of still light without shadows, and the water and mist of the spring were luminous."
Before Lavinia was given the gift of seeing the truth, she saw the bog as a dark and dreary place that smelled bad and had eery, blue mist hanging over the water. How many times have we seen that bog right before the murder comes out and stabs the girl into the water? It's scarey!
Then, after Lavinia sees the truth, she sees the beauty and the light and life. The bog is not a dangerous place. It is spiritual and full of good. There is no danger there, and the terrible parts of it aren't really that bad. This is a bog filled with spirits that never seem to hurt Lavinia--only help her.
I think that her father interprets her dream to mean that she can see the truth after Grandfather Picus rubs his wings over her eyes because after he does so, Lavinia is no longer afraid or disliking of the bog. She sees that it is a good place, without the evil of others.
Yeena Sung
5. When Lavinia looks at her husband's shield she sees many things. What does she see that has a connection to the part about Mars?
Lavinia sees a lot of things in her husband’s shield. Some of the things that she sees are related to war and some of them are related to sacrifice. It is written in page 28 about a lamb getting sacrificed and she sees the whole process of it. Then it continues on by Lavinia going to her house at Albunea. She says she goes to the forest of Albunea and she mentions that she is afraid. I think these part has a connection with Mars because it is said that the Mars came out of the room when the October Horse had been sacrificed. Also, the part where she gets afraid has a connection with Mars because she says that she was not afraid of Mars when she was little however now as she got older, she is.
#1
Lavinia is forgiving. when Lavinia's mother strikes her and dosen't even feal bad afterward she carries no ill wishes towards her mother only shock. If my mother had acted like that I would have told my father and had her punished. Lavinia is also very inocent when the prince looked at her in that way most girls would have been pleased at least that a handsome rich and strong prince found them atractive but instead she was just uncertain of how to approache the matter.Lastly Lavinia is very humble she discribes herself as a skinny sunburned girl and although a princess, she sees no trouble in being friends with people of lower status.
Ka Yeon Nam
Latinus, Lavinia's father, interprets the dream she has at Albunea about her grandfather (29). Explain in your onw words her father's interpretation of the dream. What about the dream has led to this interpretation, do you think?
Lavinia has a dream where she was in a forest that she was afraid. The forest was dark and there was a cave that she couldn't go near. She heard the woodpecker tapping on a tree. The woodpecker flew towards her, drewing his wings across her eyes twice. When the woodpecker left, she didn't see the forest as before. There was light coming through the trees and shaw the luminous water and spring. She tells her father her dream and he tells her that "That is a powerful grandfather." He also said "Albunea is in his gift. He and the other powers of the woods. He has given you the freedom of it, daughter. He has opened your eyes to see."
I think her father gets this idea because Lavinia had had a dream before where there was woodpecker and it struck her head when she had the fever. I think that her father is true that her grandfather has the power to help Lavinia to see what others can not see.
1. Come up with a list of three adjectives to describe Lavinia as we know her so far, and give a brief explanation for each adjective.
I'd say three adjectives to describe Lavinia are:
1. Courageous
2. Interesting
3. Intellectual
She is very courageous for turning away all her admirers and she's not afraid to do it, along with standing up to her parents, despite the consequences. Lavinia has an interesting mind that works in interesting ways. Lavinia always explains everything to the fullest and always includes every needed detail to the smallest details that are not needed but are helpful to include. She is also intellectual because Lavinia words everything poetically and she is very clever when it comes to different situations.
2. "Could she not see that? . . . Could my father not see it?" (33) What is this "it" that her parents not seem to be able to see? Drances the advisor can see it: "Sometimes he would glance at my father, or even at me, as if to say, Do you see? He [Drances] knew what I knew . . ." What is this thing that Drances and Lavinia herself can see? It's not stated directly; can you guess?
I agree with Sang Eun that this thing that everyone accept Lavinia and Drances regards Turnus.
"He did not snub her or spurn her, never, of course not, he smiled, he murmured, he lowered his eyelashes and lifted them again smiling and look right through her to what he wanted."pg 33
This quote describes Turnus and his actions towards Amata. Turnus always seems to act perfect infront of Amata and is almost "fake" as Lavinia sees it. The real truth to Lavinia and what Drances is catching onto, is that Turnus wants something something greater than just Lavinia's hand in marriage. The book does not tell us exactly but this quote, describes his fake personality and his wanting for something, "....and look right through her to what he wanted." This could literally mean Lavinia or it could possibly mean anything else with murder, or conquering, or destroying.
What Drances and Lavinia might also be noticing is Amata's behavior towards Turnus versus other people surrounding her. She seems to treat him and like him much more than anyone else including her own family members. This might just be because she likes his personality compared to others or maybe even because he might remind her of her sons who passed away. Another possibility, is his royalty. She seems to like that concept of him very much to the point where if he were to marry Lavinia, it might be an advantage to her in some way.
The reason that Lavinia's parent's or anyone else might not see it is because they are so blinded bye his perfection with his looks and royalty and so on....that they don't really pay attention to the key details of Turnus and his tricks.
2. "Could she not see that? . . . Could my father not see it?" (33) What is this "it" that her parents not seem to be able to see? Drances the advisor can see it: "Sometimes he would glance at my father, or even at me, as if to say, Do you see? He [Drances] knew what I knew . . ." What is this thing that Drances and Lavinia herself can see? It's not stated directly; can you guess?
I'm going to have to agree with Sang Eun in that Turnus is very two-faced. When Lavinia's parents see a sweet, innocent man with no ill intentions, Lavinia sees an ambitious man whose sole intention is power, and if marrying Lavinia will gain him approval and influence, then it is what he will do. Turnus always appears to have an alterior motive to something: this is something Lavinia and Drances notice clearly, yet what Lavinia's parents appear compeletely oblivious to.
1. Courageous-
"I held it while my father cut its throat..."
2. Interesting
"Albunea is in his gift. He and the other powers of the woods. He has give you the freedom of it, daughter. He has opened your eyes."
Heather Rhee
Q1.
A.
1. unnoticeable
I thought that this adjective was the best word to describe Lavinia because when I was reading the book, Lavinia was an unnoticeable character even though she was the main character in this book. Usually, in every book, the main character has a strong personality and a unique characteristic. However, Lavinia is a normal girl who has a very plain personality.
2. afraid
Lavinia's mother became very mean to Lavinia after the death of her sons. Because of her mother, Lavinia always studies her mother's face to see if her mother is angry or not.
3. warmhearted
Even though she is a princess, she is a girl who loves to play with her best friend. Usually, princesses are coldhearted in most of the stories because they don't have a lot of chance to meet people and have a relationship with others. However, Lavinia was different.
5. When Lavinia looks at her husband's shield she sees many things. What does she see that has a connection to the part about Mars?
When Lavinia is looking at her husband's shield, she sees sacrificing and war mostly. The book says Lavinia is going into Albunea. Then the story goes on to Lavinia going into the forest of Albunea. She is very afraid. This is related to the Mars, because the mars came out of the room when the October Horse had been sacrificed. She is also afraid of Mars but she was not when she was younger.
2. "Could she not see that? . . . Could my father not see it?" (33) What is this "it" that her parents not seem to be able to see? Drances the advisor can see it: "Sometimes he would glance at my father, or even at me, as if to say, Do you see? He [Drances] knew what I knew . . ." What is this thing that Drances and Lavinia herself can see?
- Lavinia notices that she and Drances sees what Turnus wants when her parents could not. Turnus seems that he doesn't love Lavinia and wants to marry her because something else. I think that his objective is what Lavinia's dad, who is the most powerful king in this area, has established by marrying Lavinia. Also, he seems to be wanting to achieve Lavinia because she is a virgin. As a man, he could be just wanting her because of that. Lavinia and Drances notices these Turnus' objectives when her parents don't.
1. Come up with a list of three adjectives to describe Lavinia as we know her so far, and give a brief explanation for each adjective.
Innocent - When Lavinia has diner with Turnus and he is looking at her in a reference that he is interested in her, Lavinia blushes and feels embarrassed because that has never happened to her before and it is hard to imagine her having a relationship at a young age because she is so pure and childlike.
Brave - Also when Lavinia has diner with Turnus, it took a lot of courage for her to do that. Most young girls could not take the pressure of someone looking at them in a romantic type way when they have not even met the person before.
Loving - Lavinia and her father have a special bond like nothing you have ever heard of. Even though the king had lost his two sons, he loves Lavania with the same passion as still having those sons. He would anything for her. And Lavinia loves him back, he is her favorite person to talk to and to share her feelings with.
Answer to #5:
Describing Mars:
"Of all the great powers the one I fear most is the one I cannot worship... Mars the sword, the spears, the shields... Men worship him."
Describing Lavinia's vision:
"There a few women here and there in the pictures, but mostly it is men, men fighting, endless battle scenes, men torn apart, men disemboweled, bridges torn down, walls torn down... I see a mass rape, women screaming and fighting as they are dragged off by warriors... Now an immense round cloud of destruction rises up over the sea at the end of the world. I know it is the end of the world."
Mars, or Ares, in Roman and Greek mythology is the god of war, in a nutshell. Both these vivid descriptions deal mostly with the destruction of cities, the death of men and women, and the violation of women. To me, it almost seems that Mars is a sort of taboo god. Although it is probably true that he is feared by men and women alike, Lavinia seems to have a general fear of anything associated with his aspects. This is similar to the way in which Christians avoid the cardinal sins through any means possible.
Post a Comment