Pathetic Fallacy - Lesson 21/10/2010

Before this lesson we all had a rough idea about what Pathetic Fallacy is and how it is used. Our starter was to write a facebook status on our current thoughts on the definition of this term; for example, Charlotte thinks that pathetic fallacy is when you use the weater or inanimate objects to represent the mood in a text.

John Ruskin (1856) defined Pathetic Fallacy as: "to signify any description of inanimate natural objects that ascribes to them human capabilities, sensations and emotions". In other words it is a form of personification. Interestingly it has been said that the use of this method is derogatory as it does not describe the true appearence of things to us. The term itself comes from the Greek word "pathos" which means suffering/experience and is linked with the capability of feeling empathy.

In order for us to get a better picture of how pathetic fallacy can be used, we watched a short clip from the Lord of the Rings and we made note on the sound, light, colour amd weather features that we could see. From this we could think about the affect that these features had on the mood that was reflected to the audience. All of the colours in the clip were bright and vibrant (blue, yellow and green) and the weather was clear and sunny which made us feel as if the characters were quite happy, joyous and hopeful. Also we could hear birds tweeting in the background as representation of the hope of the characters.

After we had a visual example of how pathetic fallacy is used, we were able to look closer at literature to see how the author can create similar effects (feeling the mood through the inanimate) through the use of words. In groups of 2/3 we were given a scenario and asked to compose a short passage incorpoarating elements of sound, light, weather and colour to give our desired effect. For example; me and Chris had to write about about a man in a carriage on his way to the "strange and mysterious castle of count dracula" so we sed sounds such as the wheels of the carriage "crashing off the ground rhythmically alongside the constant rumble of thunder" to add suspence and represent his anticipation to reach his destination. There was mist and rain to show that there is something bad to come and also how he is blind to what he will have to face. The only light in the forest is a "sudden flash of lightning which represents that what he will see is going to be dangerous.

Finally we drew all our knowledge of pathetic fallacy together to see how it is used in Wuthering Heights. We analsed two different extracts A and B (on sheet). Extract A presented us with the night that Heathcliff has run away after hearing that Cathy will marry Edgar; they are all waiting for him to return to the Heights. In this passage ther was a clear representation of both Cathy's and Heathcliff''s feelings. "The clouds apperared inclined to thunder" just as Cathy wanted to go an get him back and the "approaching rain" was personified to be "certain to bring him home", again reflecting Cathys longing to get him back safely. In contarst to this, the "growling thunder" can be seen as Heathcliffs threatening and anger-filled reply to Cathy - blocking out her chances of him returning soon.

Extract B shows Nelly in the garden the night that Heathcliff returns. This extract had relected Nellys very calm and laid back mood as she walks through the garden. This is shown through the description of the "mellow evening" and "the sweet,soft air". However there is an ominous and eery feeling in the background caused by the "undefined shadows" representing Heathcliff that "lurk in the corners"; a description which shows how unknown and sectretive Heathcliff is. Also, "the moon looked over the high wall of the court" showing that Nelly is not alone and reflecting how Heathcliff is watching her and creeping up.

At the end of the lesson we created a staus update based on our new, deeper understanding of pathetic fallacy and how it is used.

Homework:

1. Analyse the use of pathetic fallacy in extract C and D(see sheet) and the impression it gives us about the places that are described.
2. Write 4 timed assays over the half term holiday
3. Read the rest of volume 1 and complete chapter summaries