Louis MacNeice Modern

Info
- subdued melancholy pessimism (Horton 715)

- tolerance for diverse viewpoints along with distrust of all beliefs fervently held (715)

- worldly-wise observer of life, wary of idealism, and resigned to what seems the tragic insignificance of life (715)

Works

- "The Truisms"

Citation

Horton, Ronald A. British Literature for Christian Schools. Greenville, SC: Bob Jones University Press, 1992.

Journal Entry (Please grade)

Katherine Mansfield

Info

- one of the founders of the modern short story (Horton 708)

- atmosphere takes precedence over plot (708)

- "Feuille D'Album"

- "Miss Brill"

Analysis - "Feuille D'Album"

The structure of "Feuille D'Album" symbolizes the development of Ian French's character.  The first half of the story consists of mostly description, reflecting Ian's complacent, uninteresting manner.  The story begins to come alive when he sees the girl while eating prunes; to see him performing a normal human action is a change from his usual quiet behavior.  The story's flow increasingly picks up speed as he thinks about and follows the girl, climaxing when he addresses her with an egg.  For now, the chase stops as he waits for her reaction.  This ending is abrupt, yet effective, as it leaves the audience wondering what happens next.  Ian either is slightly mad with infatuation or is truly dim in the head.  Either way, he has finally succeeded in being interesting.

Application

Perhaps Ian wouldn't have had such a difficult time if he had been more sociable from the beginning.  He would've had the confidence to introduce himself to the girl earlier instead of timidly hanging back and wasting time.  His experience reminds me to never hesitate, to take hold of every opportunity.  If he ends up being embarrassed by his hurried "introduction," he would probably regret not developing his social skills before talking to her.  But he can learn from his mistakes, as can I.

Citation

Horton, Ronald A. British Literature for Christian Schools. Greenville, SC: Bob Jones University Press, 1992.

Katherine Mansfield  Modern

Info

- one of the founders/masters of modern short story (Horton 708)

- atmosphere takes precedence over plot (708)

Works

- "Miss Brill"

- "Feuille D'Album"

- "His heart fell out of the side window of his studio..." (711)

Terms

- atmosphere - emotion pervading a work (723)

Citation

Horton, Ronald A. British Literature for Christian Schools. Greenville, SC: Bob Jones University Press, 1992.

James Joyce  Modern

Info

- Irish

- one of the giants of modern literature (Horton 696)

- portrayed modern man's alienation from society and from his fellow-beings (697)

- flouted conventional morality and religion (697)

- social alienation inseparable from artistic freedom (697)

Works

- "Araby"

- Evelyn

Terms

- stream of consciousness - narrative method designed to reproduce mental process of a character

Citation

Horton, Ronald A. British Literature for Christian Schools. Greenville, SC: Bob Jones University Press, 1992.

Journal Entry (Please grade)

William Butler Yeats

Info

- widely regarded as greatest modern poet in English language (Horton 694)

- "Adam's Curse" - work, labor

- Where Nothing Is, There is God

Analysis - "Adam's Curse"

In "Adam's Curse," Yeats and Maud Gonne engage in a conversation about the difficulty of writing poetry.  Yeats claims that although many people scorn it as an idle waste of time, crafting beautiful poetry is harder than enduring physical labor.  He compares it with stitching, scrubbing kitchens, and breaking stones to show the extent of its difficulty.  Maud Gonne then comments that women must work at being beautiful, implying that they, in a sense, know how difficult it is to create beauty.  Yeats replies that since sin came into the world, all worthy, beautiful endeavors require labor and commitment.  Both Yeats and Gonne seem preoccupied with their own opinions since each replies to the other about a slightly different subject, resulting in a somewhat disconnected flow of ideas.  Each topic is loosely connected by the "beautiful" theme, yet the transition between each is natural.

Application

"There have been lovers who thought love should be

So much compounded of high courtesy

That they would sigh and quote with learned looks

Precedents out of beautiful old books;"   (qtd. in Horton 696)

So many people today have twisted ideas about love.  To the world, "love" is another word for lust or sex, whereas, to God, it involves doing good to others.  The four lines of "Adam's Curse" above remind me not to become caught up in the world's expectations of me.  Today's society pushes me towards actions that God wouldn't approve of; the phrase "Everyone is doing it" is one of today's "precedents out of beautiful old books."  Instead of giving in, I need to remember to be myself and to care only about God's opinion, since it is the only opinion that really matters in this universe.

Citation

Horton, Ronald A. British Literature for Christian Schools. Greenville, SC: Bob Jones University Press, 1992.

D. H. Lawrence  Modern

Info

- romantic radicalism at its fiercest since Blake and Shelley (Horton 703)

- sexual revolution; commitment to sexual freedom (703)

- against all artificial restraints on creative spirit (703)

Works

- "How Beastly the Bourgeois Is"

Citation

Horton, Ronald A. British Literature for Christian Schools. Greenville, SC: Bob Jones University Press, 1992.

William Butler Yeats  Modern

Info

- widely regarded as greatest modern poet in English language (Horton 694)

Works

- "Adam's Curse" - work, labor

- Where Nothing Is, There is God

Citation

Horton, Ronald A. British Literature for Christian Schools. Greenville, SC: Bob Jones University Press, 1992.

Modern Introduction  1914 - Present

Info

- "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few" - Winston Churchill

- Sigmund Freud - founder of modern psychology

- T.S. Eliot - leading influence on modern literature but also one of severest critics

Terms

- pluralism - favors a multiplicity of viewpoints and assumes that no one of them may be considered universally valid

- existentialism - intellectual position most characteristic of modern period; romantic pessimism as expressed in philosophy, religion, and ethics; man can be certain only of his own existence and can be sure of that only by asserting his will in making choices

- nihilism - morose denial of all meaning and values, including those generated by the self

Citation

Horton, Ronald A. British Literature for Christian Schools. Greenville, SC: Bob Jones University Press, 1992.

Journal Entry (Please grade)

Rudyard Kipling

Info

- British writer most highly regarded during the last decade of Victoria's reign (Horton 682)

- last British writer of fiction and poetry to appeal to all levels of society (682)

Analysis - "The Conversion of Aurelian McGoggin"

This short story illustrates the danger, not just of reckless "witnessing", but even more so of pride.  McGoggin is pedantic and obnoxious, consistently showing off his knowledge by shoving his religious convictions down the throats of anyone around him.  By doing so, he seems to care more about his intellectual image than his religion itself.  For example, he launches into an atheistic explanation of the weather simply because his colleague said, "Thank God!"  The man perhaps uttered it as an expression, yet McGoggin--ever nitpicking-- jumped at the chance to attack it (Horton 684).  Kipling ties the work together with frequent references to McGoggin and his behavior, such as "beany" and "Blastoderm" (the latter having special irony as it is reminiscent of the term "blasphemy").  He effectively conveys the suspense and final shock of McGoggin's breakdown by comparing it to the lightning storm.

Application

Witnessing requires a delicate balance.  As a Christian, I need to be firm and bold, yet still respectful and humble, when sharing my beliefs with others or when defending my faith.  McGoggin is a poor example to follow, yet a good example to learn from.  His failure is largely a result of his attitude, which is perhaps a product of his beliefs.  His experiences are a reminder to me to be conscious of who I am reflecting with my actions.

"Don't blame me if he throws a glass at your head." - Rudyard Kipling, The Conversion of Aurelian McGoggin"

Citation

Horton, Ronald A. British Literature for Christian Schools. Greenville, SC: Bob Jones University Press, 1992.

Charles Dickens  Victorian

Rudyard Kipling  Victorian

Info

- British writer most highly regarded during last decade of Victoria's reign (Horton 682)

- overvalued in his time (682)

- last British writer of fiction and poetry to appeal to all levels of society (682)

Works

- The Jungle Book

- "If"

Citation

Horton, Ronald A. British Literature for Christian Schools. Greenville, SC: Bob Jones University Press, 1992.

A. E. Housman  Victorian

Info

- one of the most gifted of late-Victorian and early modern poets; a leading classical scholar (Horton 677)

- caustic perfectionism (677)

- theme - carpe diem ("seize the day"), edged with late-Victorian cynicism (677)

Works

- "To an Athlete Dying Young"

Citation

Horton, Ronald A. British Literature for Christian Schools. Greenville, SC: Bob Jones University Press, 1992.

Journal Entry (Please grade)

Lewis Carroll

Info

- aka Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (Horton 647)

- reserved academic professional whose personality came to life when telling stories to children (647)

- poems in books are almost all parodies of Victorian parlor songs and didactic verses (647)

Analysis - "The Walrus and the Carpenter"

This poem, whose humorous tone is meant for children, leaves a cynical aftertaste.  The Walrus and the Carpenter lure a crowd of young, fat oysters away from the safety of the sea in order to eat them.  Carroll uses foreshadowing several times to hint at this outcome.  In lines 37 through 42, the eldest Oyster refuses to follow the Walrus and the Carpenter (Horton 653).  Age is often associated with wisdom, making the young oysters' eagerness seem foolish.  In line 79, the Walrus wants to begin eating, to which the oysters reply, "But not on us!" (Horton 654).  This puts into the audience's mind the notion that the Walrus and the Carpenter wish to eat the oysters.  The two tricksters then conveniently ignore the oysters' cries, talking between themselves, until "they'd eaten every one" (Horton 655).

Application

Since Carroll wrote much of his work for children and humor, this poem probably doesn't have an intended philosophical purpose or a deeper meaning.  But the suddenness of the young oysters' fate still shocks me.  It reminds me of how certain sins can seem harmless at first.  We, as young, unwise human beings, often blindly follow after them, away from the ocean of God's love and protection into a pit of suffering.  The Walrus and the Carpenter ignore the oysters' cries; like Satan, they don't care about the ones they trick.  The eldest Oyster's reasons for staying behind are unknown, but I can follow his example and remember to think my decisions through carefully.

Citation

Horton, Ronald A. British Literature for Christian Schools. Greenville, SC: Bob Jones University Press, 1992.