Our first meeting with miles, is slightly different real note we hear of him is regarding his dismissal from the school:
"They absolutely decline."
"They go into no particulars. They simply express their regret that it should be impossible to keep him. That can have only one meaning." Mrs. Grose listened with dumb emotion; she forbore to ask me what this meaning might be; so that, presently, to put the thing with some coherence and with the mere aid of her presence to my own mind, I went on: "That he's an injury to the others."
At this, with one of the quick turns of simple folk, she suddenly flamed up. "Master Miles! HIM an injury?"
" Why, he's scarce ten years old."
With this conversation between Mrs. Grose and the governess, the reader gets two opposing sides of Miles.
The first is that he is a rather nasty child. They dismissed him, as in expelled. However, the gentlemen at the school went into no detail. So for what reasons he could be getting dismissed for that is still a mystery. However, the governess buts it as, "that he's an injury to the others." Though i dont know exactly what that might mean, it seems probable that it results from the idea of the student in class that is always a distraction. Especially in a school that is private, and for the upper class, any student that may pose as a "bad example" will probably not be tolerated for very long. So just based off this the reader's impression of Miles is not good, rather it seems that he is spoiled and obnoxious the opposite of what his sister is. It would seem like he has no manners and is being sent home because he can not behave himself.
The other view is that of Mrs. Grose's- first she is all disbelief. Its as if this could simply not be true because it is contradictory to his character. Then she invokes the idea of how young he is, to show that whatever the problem is its probably not his fault. She quickly displaces the blame from him onto the headmasters at the school. She later on invokes his appearance, demanding that the governess see him first and then judge him. But even if his appearance is angelic that shouldn't dictate what his actions maybe. With looking at Miles through Mrs. Grose's view, readers would get a very different sense one that is more consistent of a grandmother. That Miles is naturally sweet and just generally misunderstood. Like with Flora readers are too masked and uncertain at this point to be able to make any real assumptions about her.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Flora
here's the first description of the little girl, Flora.
The little girl who accompanied Mrs. Grose appeared to me on the spot a creature so charming as to make it a great fortune to have to do with her. She was the most beautiful child I had ever seen, and I afterward wondered that my employer had not told me more of her. I slept little that night
This particular description followed just after the description of the house being so beautiful. It definitely seems as if the governess is simply being blown away by all that she has seen. With the little girl's description/appearance, she adds on to the feeling that all this is otherworldly, almost too good to be true. She is the little doll she is holding in her hand.
She is first described as a "creature" as if her beauty goes so far beyond normality that she can not even begin to be compared to other humans. She also comments on her surprise that her employer has not talked more frequently, or rather, bragged more frequently about the girl. It's as if for the governess this girl is such a gift that the whole world should know of her perfections.
This also goes along with what we've learned of the governess so far. Again she says it was "on the spot" as if she is so caught up with what's going on she doesn't stop to wonder about it all. The perfect horror hero would have already been suspicious, but this governess is not, rather she is the classic naive female who never suspects deception until it occurs.
With this opener passage of the girl, depending if as a reader, one is generally hero/naive. Anyway if the later, like the governess, you will be very caught up in the description of the girl and house, and will not be able to wait and see what the rest of the story leads to.
If the former, then you will automatically know that you should be watching the little girl for anything suspicious. Like the old saying goes if it sounds too good to be true it probably is.
The little girl who accompanied Mrs. Grose appeared to me on the spot a creature so charming as to make it a great fortune to have to do with her. She was the most beautiful child I had ever seen, and I afterward wondered that my employer had not told me more of her. I slept little that night
This particular description followed just after the description of the house being so beautiful. It definitely seems as if the governess is simply being blown away by all that she has seen. With the little girl's description/appearance, she adds on to the feeling that all this is otherworldly, almost too good to be true. She is the little doll she is holding in her hand.
She is first described as a "creature" as if her beauty goes so far beyond normality that she can not even begin to be compared to other humans. She also comments on her surprise that her employer has not talked more frequently, or rather, bragged more frequently about the girl. It's as if for the governess this girl is such a gift that the whole world should know of her perfections.
This also goes along with what we've learned of the governess so far. Again she says it was "on the spot" as if she is so caught up with what's going on she doesn't stop to wonder about it all. The perfect horror hero would have already been suspicious, but this governess is not, rather she is the classic naive female who never suspects deception until it occurs.
With this opener passage of the girl, depending if as a reader, one is generally hero/naive. Anyway if the later, like the governess, you will be very caught up in the description of the girl and house, and will not be able to wait and see what the rest of the story leads to.
If the former, then you will automatically know that you should be watching the little girl for anything suspicious. Like the old saying goes if it sounds too good to be true it probably is.
I remember as a most pleasant impression the broad, clear front, its open windows and fresh curtains and the pair of maids looking out; I remember the lawn and the bright flowers and the crunch of my wheels on the gravel and the clustered treetops over which the rooks circled and cawed in the golden sky. The scene had a greatness that made it a different affair from my own scant home, and there immediately appeared at the door, with a little girl in her hand, a civil person who dropped me as decent a curtsy as if I had been the mistress or a distinguished visitor
So that's from the text, and it's the narrator's first view of the manor house where she will be living for the next few months/years, however long. Like Jane Eyre, the governess (for she never has a name) is actually treating the experience of the new job as in its a new type of liberty and that she is truly privileged for being there. Everything she sees there is exciting and fantastic to her.
Especially with this scene when the governess first comes up to the house she is astounded by what shes found. the image presented here is idyllic, a little doll house. The immediate reason she likes it so much is because of the difference between it and her own "scant home" the people are "civil" and "distinguished" and she feels important there as if she is some "visitor" or "mistress" who deserves the utmost respect. At this point in the story line of her adventure, even though the readers know its supposed to be a scary book they are almost as taken away as the scene as the governess is because they weren't expecting something so nice. She even describes the curtains and the air in the most splendid way. They re not just trees but rather "clusters of trees" they are not just curtains but "fresh" ones. As if everything in the house is untouched just as it should be. The windows are open, showing that the weather outside is also pleasing.
The readers also get a good look at how the voice of the narrator/speaker might go. he seems sweet and non judgemental, but most importantly she also seems to be naive. She becomes that classic horror story character. going into a place you think is going to be just ideal but in the end you pay for your inability to expect a surprise or something suspicious
So that's from the text, and it's the narrator's first view of the manor house where she will be living for the next few months/years, however long. Like Jane Eyre, the governess (for she never has a name) is actually treating the experience of the new job as in its a new type of liberty and that she is truly privileged for being there. Everything she sees there is exciting and fantastic to her.
Especially with this scene when the governess first comes up to the house she is astounded by what shes found. the image presented here is idyllic, a little doll house. The immediate reason she likes it so much is because of the difference between it and her own "scant home" the people are "civil" and "distinguished" and she feels important there as if she is some "visitor" or "mistress" who deserves the utmost respect. At this point in the story line of her adventure, even though the readers know its supposed to be a scary book they are almost as taken away as the scene as the governess is because they weren't expecting something so nice. She even describes the curtains and the air in the most splendid way. They re not just trees but rather "clusters of trees" they are not just curtains but "fresh" ones. As if everything in the house is untouched just as it should be. The windows are open, showing that the weather outside is also pleasing.
The readers also get a good look at how the voice of the narrator/speaker might go. he seems sweet and non judgemental, but most importantly she also seems to be naive. She becomes that classic horror story character. going into a place you think is going to be just ideal but in the end you pay for your inability to expect a surprise or something suspicious
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Opening Line
Okay, so I couldn't get over that opening line, I was going to stop posting and wait for you to catch up, but I can't I'm on like an English over load today!
Okay so anyway, this is the last one for tongiht *i didn't make the 30 marker, but I'll live, I don't want to cram on my reader* So I promise to not make this one too lengthy at all.
Here is the first line of the story: "The story had held us, round the fire, sufficiently breathless, but except the obvious remark it was gruesome, as, on Christmas Eve in an old house, a strange tale should essentially be. I remember no comment uttered till someone happened to say that it was the only case he had mention which such a visitation had fallen on a child." (1)
Being honest, I have NO idea what the subject of this sentence is, it might be about the story "the turn of the screw" one with the governess, or it could be one that had been delivered earlier on, no idea. However, not the point. I mean his style is crazy amazing!I mean after listening to Ms. clapp the other day on overuse of commas, i was like dang look at them all, but they work! all of them! But getting down to some actual business. His syntax is kind of flippy and it doesn't make sense to me at all, but i think its very flowy and pretty. His descriptions like "sufficiently breathless" and "gruesome" and "should essentially be." are very vivid for a reader, the create an image of a creepy haunted house, and even in the first line I feel tensed up and ready for something to jump out at me.
The Scene is set, "Christmas eve in an old house" and a big group of people can be inferred to be there, and the are around a fire all listening to each other talk. The scene is strangely chilling, and yet comforting. They are among friends and yet they are also "breathless" clearly startled into silence. As a reader, I don't even know what is going on, but I'm just as tense and jumpy as they seem to be.
Okay so anyway, this is the last one for tongiht *i didn't make the 30 marker, but I'll live, I don't want to cram on my reader* So I promise to not make this one too lengthy at all.
Here is the first line of the story: "The story had held us, round the fire, sufficiently breathless, but except the obvious remark it was gruesome, as, on Christmas Eve in an old house, a strange tale should essentially be. I remember no comment uttered till someone happened to say that it was the only case he had mention which such a visitation had fallen on a child." (1)
Being honest, I have NO idea what the subject of this sentence is, it might be about the story "the turn of the screw" one with the governess, or it could be one that had been delivered earlier on, no idea. However, not the point. I mean his style is crazy amazing!I mean after listening to Ms. clapp the other day on overuse of commas, i was like dang look at them all, but they work! all of them! But getting down to some actual business. His syntax is kind of flippy and it doesn't make sense to me at all, but i think its very flowy and pretty. His descriptions like "sufficiently breathless" and "gruesome" and "should essentially be." are very vivid for a reader, the create an image of a creepy haunted house, and even in the first line I feel tensed up and ready for something to jump out at me.
The Scene is set, "Christmas eve in an old house" and a big group of people can be inferred to be there, and the are around a fire all listening to each other talk. The scene is strangely chilling, and yet comforting. They are among friends and yet they are also "breathless" clearly startled into silence. As a reader, I don't even know what is going on, but I'm just as tense and jumpy as they seem to be.
Opener Note
So, this kind of goes along with the last brief post I made. On the inside of the cover it says the following on James and the novel:
"The American Novelist and short story writer, younger brother of William James, lived in England for the greater part of his last forty years. The "Turn of the Screw" (1898) is on e of the most celebrated ghost stories of all time, is an excellent example of his narrative skills...[about] who is to be believed, who is to be trusted what is actually occurring?"
There is some more, but it is of little importance. So anyway, I thought this was great to get a little bit of background on the author. Especially that he is the sibling of William James! As Christina you know, he was hailed in our psy. book as the creator of being a tabula rasa- or blank slate. This theory holds that when we are born we know very little and that knowledge and what we see ourselves as arises from experience and observation. He also in the1870's developed the first psychology lab in the U.S at Harvard and developed the approach called functionalism- this is the idea that our consciousness is what helps us to make decisions, solve problems, etc. He felt that this experience changes for every person and how we view and process the world is unique to each of us, and how we adapt to the world around us. So why did I waste all that time and nerdiness being excited about that? A psychological approach to horror. I never even thought of it in that way before. I thought the author simply understood a deeper part of the human nature, but now I'm seeing that maybe they are just using psy. tricks on us. Que intersante, i love it! Anyway, it'll be super important for me to keep the James' in mind and see how that unfolds.
And finally, the last bit, i talked about this a little bit before in my earlier posts on the turn of the screw. "who can be trusted? what is actually occurring?" how can one begin to predict the story, which we all do, to relieve some of our fear, by thinking we know what to expect, if the people in the story don't even understand what's going on?! I think I'm starting to see why this book is acclaimed as one of the best horrors. It takes on the human nature in a completely different spin, in that it takes the idea of ultimate helplessness to the next level. yAH, I'm geekishly excited for this now. :)
"The American Novelist and short story writer, younger brother of William James, lived in England for the greater part of his last forty years. The "Turn of the Screw" (1898) is on e of the most celebrated ghost stories of all time, is an excellent example of his narrative skills...[about] who is to be believed, who is to be trusted what is actually occurring?"
There is some more, but it is of little importance. So anyway, I thought this was great to get a little bit of background on the author. Especially that he is the sibling of William James! As Christina you know, he was hailed in our psy. book as the creator of being a tabula rasa- or blank slate. This theory holds that when we are born we know very little and that knowledge and what we see ourselves as arises from experience and observation. He also in the1870's developed the first psychology lab in the U.S at Harvard and developed the approach called functionalism- this is the idea that our consciousness is what helps us to make decisions, solve problems, etc. He felt that this experience changes for every person and how we view and process the world is unique to each of us, and how we adapt to the world around us. So why did I waste all that time and nerdiness being excited about that? A psychological approach to horror. I never even thought of it in that way before. I thought the author simply understood a deeper part of the human nature, but now I'm seeing that maybe they are just using psy. tricks on us. Que intersante, i love it! Anyway, it'll be super important for me to keep the James' in mind and see how that unfolds.
And finally, the last bit, i talked about this a little bit before in my earlier posts on the turn of the screw. "who can be trusted? what is actually occurring?" how can one begin to predict the story, which we all do, to relieve some of our fear, by thinking we know what to expect, if the people in the story don't even understand what's going on?! I think I'm starting to see why this book is acclaimed as one of the best horrors. It takes on the human nature in a completely different spin, in that it takes the idea of ultimate helplessness to the next level. yAH, I'm geekishly excited for this now. :)
Again
Okay, so I'm finally going back to my reading of Turn of The Screw, took out of the library again, and hopefully it goes better this time.
So for now I want to look at this, this is a criticism of the book:
"In this blood-curdling story, that imagination weaves the lives of two children, a governess in love with her employer, and a sprawling country house into a flawless story, still unsurpassed as the prototype of modern horror fiction."
that was from Google books-reviews. so anyway, I loved this one because it describes it as "blood-curling" but i guess I'll judge that for you. also the talk of imagination, this hints to be that it explores the caverns of our minds and plucks out the scariest images and delivers them and creates a universal fear we can share with the characters. It's also the marker for the "modern horror fiction" so I'll have to look at how it might have influenced the two books I've read. and finally they praised his style, though i didn't copy that part. So hopefully I'll get some good passages to explicate and truly dissect how he creates the fear.
So yah, those are my goals for this book. Leave a comment if you think i should focus on anything else. Thanks.
So for now I want to look at this, this is a criticism of the book:
"In this blood-curdling story, that imagination weaves the lives of two children, a governess in love with her employer, and a sprawling country house into a flawless story, still unsurpassed as the prototype of modern horror fiction."
that was from Google books-reviews. so anyway, I loved this one because it describes it as "blood-curling" but i guess I'll judge that for you. also the talk of imagination, this hints to be that it explores the caverns of our minds and plucks out the scariest images and delivers them and creates a universal fear we can share with the characters. It's also the marker for the "modern horror fiction" so I'll have to look at how it might have influenced the two books I've read. and finally they praised his style, though i didn't copy that part. So hopefully I'll get some good passages to explicate and truly dissect how he creates the fear.
So yah, those are my goals for this book. Leave a comment if you think i should focus on anything else. Thanks.
overalls
Okay, so now, since I've finished analyzing a good amount, I'm going to sum this book up and then move on (or really back) to turn of the screw.
So overall "All That Lives" wasn't the scariest book I've ever read, however, it helped me a lot i looking at the genre. With this novel, we see the classic ghost story and how it affects the human family in turn. Though it lagged a bit in excitement, and the end was very unsatisfactory, i would never say it was a bad book. Overall Sanders has a concise style and handles the scary scenes pretty well. She however, fell into a trap most of us do-inexperience. unlike King who knows how to moderate his scariness, she seemed to go a bit over the top with it in order to impress me as a reader. It was as if King knew his book was going to be scary, he didn't need you to tell him, and in that confidence he made it scarier because of its simpleness. whereas hers began to become to fictional and thus losing its effect, as stated in prior posts.
Also in comparison to King, this book is basically the same theme, scary being. You can't define what that being is but it's scary and mean- in one case it was a hotel, this time just a voice, still same idea though. So why did she flounder? Again i think it's the same idea, experience and skill. With Sanders the voice was equally as sophisticated as the madness behind the hotel, but hers was much more on the surface and it lacked the fear power because it became predictable and unimaginable. In the beginning, and in all of the Shining, i never knew what was coming and when it did i was shocked because i could totally see that happening in real life-thus scary.
So in terms of comparison, this horror can not compete with the last one, even though they deal with the same idea.
So overall "All That Lives" wasn't the scariest book I've ever read, however, it helped me a lot i looking at the genre. With this novel, we see the classic ghost story and how it affects the human family in turn. Though it lagged a bit in excitement, and the end was very unsatisfactory, i would never say it was a bad book. Overall Sanders has a concise style and handles the scary scenes pretty well. She however, fell into a trap most of us do-inexperience. unlike King who knows how to moderate his scariness, she seemed to go a bit over the top with it in order to impress me as a reader. It was as if King knew his book was going to be scary, he didn't need you to tell him, and in that confidence he made it scarier because of its simpleness. whereas hers began to become to fictional and thus losing its effect, as stated in prior posts.
Also in comparison to King, this book is basically the same theme, scary being. You can't define what that being is but it's scary and mean- in one case it was a hotel, this time just a voice, still same idea though. So why did she flounder? Again i think it's the same idea, experience and skill. With Sanders the voice was equally as sophisticated as the madness behind the hotel, but hers was much more on the surface and it lacked the fear power because it became predictable and unimaginable. In the beginning, and in all of the Shining, i never knew what was coming and when it did i was shocked because i could totally see that happening in real life-thus scary.
So in terms of comparison, this horror can not compete with the last one, even though they deal with the same idea.
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