Historical Context (AO4) 22/11/10

In this lesson we analysed many aspects of historical context for Wuthering Heights that we can include within future essays. These aspects included:

- The fear of otherness/all things foreign, this was due to the expansion of the British Empire and the fear of 'other' coming into society.

- The Victorian idea of order such as; Social order, there was a clear distinction between the higher and lower classes, something which Bronte exploits through Heathcliff. Also, the gap between men and women, women were seen in the role of 'The Angel of The House' (Coventry Patmore). The Great Exhibiton of 1851 is an example of the Victorian's order. (shown below)

- The Victorians were also fearful or cautious of the effects of the Industrial Revolution and scientific advances.

- Wuthering Heights belonging to the Gothic mode and acts as a 'cultural parasite' as Bronte uses most or all of the above.

We then read the 'Homely Gothic' article, and were asked to highlight this sheet and then note some important details of the article. Here are some of my notes;

- Victorians came disaffected with the present, which led to a 'cultural sense of spiritual desolation and aimlessness'.

- These fears and disaffection were perhaps down to advances in technology and the development of theories, due to the Industrial Revolution and scientific advances.

- The Victorian Gothic texts act/serve as an escape from society.

- 'The extravagant effects of the Gothic and Romantic elements tended, in 19th century fiction, to refracted through the domestic world central to realism'.

- The home however could also be considered a 'prison' aswell as a refuge. Something which Bronte uses, 'Uncanny movement between past and present are Gothic elements signalling an untamed and wild invasion of the home rather than comfortable domestification'.

We were then set an essay question and started by writing our own thesis statements, which we then revised into one class statement;

'Wuthering Heights' challenges ideas central to Victorian society- home/gender, class, an escape from capitalism and modernity. It also acts as a mirror/parasite playing on societies fears, as such it belongs to the Gothic mode.

Our homework was to then write this essay question which was 'how far do you agree that 'Wuthering Heights' challenges social norms and is as a result a Gothic text?'

Lesson: 19/11/2010

Analysing the Language and Style of ‘Wuthering Heights’:


This lesson, our starter encouraged us to think about the language features that we could use in an essay about ‘Wuthering Heights.’ All of the ideas we came up with as a class were big, grand, “Hollywood features” (to quote Mr Sadgrove) – features that always stand out and are generally the first things we write about in an essay.
We chose things like:
• Josephs Yorkshire dialect
• Names (Heath – cliff vs. Lock – wood)
• Pathetic Fallacy
• Semantic fields/lexical clusters

We were then given a grid of linguistic features that are much more hidden within the text, and are perhaps not noticed by us at first glance, but still have a huge impact on the way we read the novel. We also looked at a passage from the novel and tried to identify some of the features used in it.

Here are some examples of the features we looked at in detail:
• Pronoun use --> Use of different types of pronouns (e.g. personal, inclusive, removed) have a different effect on our reading and interpretation of the characters and text as a whole – For example; when Nelly is talking about Catherine she repeatedly uses “I” and “She” to separate both of them and remind us that she is the narrator.
• Dynamic verbs --> These are verbs that express action. They give the text a more energetic and realistic/tangible effect. For example; Cathy’s actions are often described using dynamic verbs such as “bounding” which shows she is at the centre of the action and is an energetic character, whilst Nelly describes herself using verbs like “watching” and “listening” which shows that she takes a step back from the action.
• Modification --> This is when adjectives, adverbs or verbs are added before or after a noun to make the text richer – it used for descriptive passages or phrases. For example; “sweet, warm, sunshine”
• Nouns --> Nouns used on their own (without modification) tend to make the text seem more real and less exaggerated.
• Sentence length --> Writers will use a combination of short, simple sentences and long, complex sentences. Sentences of a shorter length are commonly used to deliver powerful messages or ideas or increase the pace of the text whilst sentences of a longer length are good for descriptions and can reflect a characters disorganised state of mind (e.g. Lockwood and Heathcliff)
• Semantic fields --> We may find groups of words with similar meanings or connotations in a certain passage – Remember the exercise we did in a previous lesson to compare the semantic fields in the descriptions of Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange.
• Figurative Language --> This includes the use of metaphors, similes and personification which can make the text richer, poetic and romantic. They help the writer to get across a picture of how they imagine the character being or acting. They also exaggerate important characteristics in a character or place.
• Dialogue V narration --> Dialogue (reported conversation/speech) can make a text seem more realistic and also introduce the views or different characters apart from the narrator and the course of the narration.


To consolidate all of what we had learnt about language features we then split into groups/pairs to look at separate extracts from ‘Wuthering Heights’ and try to find language feature within these and the effect they have.


Homework:

“The language and style of ‘Wuthering Heights’ makes it a Gothic novel” Discuss this view...

Lesson: - Framing and Time shift: -

At first we were told to draw a picture to represent the following statement: - At one point in the novel, Bronte writes about Lockwood’s writing about Nelly Dean’s account of Isabella’s letter that tells of Joseph’s report of what Heathcliff is saying.

This is displayed above. Through out the book Bronte stays the same as the writer, Lockwood and Nelly stay the same, and however the rest of the people may differ according to the event.

Debating on the reason for the numerous narrators and framing, we reached a variety of results. Bronte uses this to make it more exciting. This is not a linear method of telling the story but it seems to be effective in presenting confusion, and providing a sense of ambiguity. If it were linear there would be positive and negative effects.

Positive effects

· Less ambiguity, thus the reader will be able to be more involved into the story. They will be able to feel what the characters feel and be able to sympathetic towards a number of characters.

· It will become easier to understand, this is as the readers will be able to understand the way characters view each other. Readers will have a clear understanding of the novel as a whole.

Negative effects

·Uncanny of the monumental would be lost.

·The lack of confusion will be present. This is because a decrease in the impact of the gothic elements on the reader, as the presence of multiple frames, and the time change is one of the key elements of the gothic features of the novel. Hence the novel can be seen to be more of a romantic novel rather than a gothic one without the presence of the narrative confusion.

·Heathcliff’s mysterious, the lack of timing and by having the events not in linier order we are unaware of Heathcliff as a victim until later on. This idea of Heathcliff as a victim of society’s judging eyes is not shown at first. If it was in linear order then the mystery related to Heathcliff’s actions would be revealed. Hence the main protagonist would have been an open book for readers to judge.

We then looked at the views of Paul Norgate, Jenny Oldfield and Hilda D. Spear.

Paul Norgate: -

·This is what the story actually is “itself be seen as part of the story”. He suggests that with out the confusing narrative structure the story would not be worth “bothering” at all. Hence the narrative structure is what the story is about. Giving it in a linear method would not do it justice as it would have lost its effect.

·He describes the content as to be “manageable” hence implying that the content of the plot in ordinary (intricate ordinariness) and it is only the narrative structure that gives the story a particular meaning and character.

Jenny Oldfield: -

·Time is shown to be very important in the purpose of validating the “structured experiences”. She states that it is a method of giving the past events of the character such as Heathcliff’s as “the past is central to the understanding of his final state of mind”.

·It is through this manipulation of time that we are able to witness Heathcliff’s suffering. “to beguile me the spectra of hope, through eighteen years”

Hilda . D. Spear: -

·The reader often forgets that they are reading the story from the eyes of a different observer; hence they during its chronological part get drawn in to the action present in the novel. Lockwood and Nelly often interrupt in order to reminding the reader that it is a story. This momentarily decreases the “tension” felt in the novel by the readers. “Each of these interruptions occurs at a point when there is a powerful build-up of emotions in the reader; they serve momentarily to lower the tension thus allowing the next build pup to begin from a slightly lower point.”

Homework:- What do the narrative structure and setting of the novel add to our reading of the Wuthering Heights as a whole?

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
   

MONDAY 17th October 2010
In today’s lesson our initial activity was to complete a task 1, 2, 3. With number we had to write down three things we knew about Heathcliff. Number 2 was to write to questions about Heathcliff and number 3 would be an analogy of him e.g. - Heathcliff is like marmite; you either love him or hate him (sir’s example).
Contrary to this we read an article about Heathcliff comparing him to Lord Byron and Frankenstein. The article talked about many things such as:

• Heathcliff being a parody to an aristocrat – The article stated that Heathcliff guarded himself with a mysterious required wealth but is unable to come across as anything other than a fake. For example he is “dirty”, “ragged” and “as black as t’chimbley” yet owns a large estate.

• Heathcliff’s fairy tale beginning. Heathcliff’s entrance to the world is intriguingly enigmatic. He is introduced as another world being, as a “gift from God”. He has no separate surname, and his name is inhuman. His name describes a natural phenomenon – Heath – Cliff and like his name his behaviour doesn’t replicate one of which fits the norms of society.
  
• The article also looked at Heathcliff being this underdog, causing us to secretly root for him. Because he represents the loser and the runner up we have a desire for him to get Catherine in the end.

• Also Heathcliff’s appeal comes from his inherent beastliness. There is something innately unnatural or if anything too natural. These animalistic associations cause Heathcliff to be attractive because of the dangerous passions in which he can provide.
  

The next activity done was in groups. We got into pairs and discussed certain comments made about Heathcliff. The comments were:

Heathcliff as a social outcast & misfit
Feedback- Heathcliff has no social and domestic status, yet still remained a threat to the upper class. Some argue that Heathcliff represents the threat in which the lower class poses on the upper class. He is a revolutionist as he jumps from being a servant of Wuthering Heights to owning it.

Heathcliff as a product of circumstance
Heathcliff’s rejection during his childhood justifies his actions now. He has been “hardened to ill treatment”. However there a various reference which would make us think that his devilish characteristics are innate. For example his black eyes- as apparently the eyes are the shadow to the soul.

Heathcliff as a Romantic/Gothic hero
Heathcliff because of his mysteriousness, ruthlessness and power is this romantic hero. His mysterious beginnings amplify his ambiguity even more. However it could be argued that Heathcliff doesn’t fit the role of a Byronic hero and in fact isn’t mysterious as it is easy to explain why he behaves in the manner which does-because of his past.


Towards the latter stages of the lesson we started to look at essay writing. We learnt about thesis statements. Thesis statements are SO important in our essay writing as it gives your essays base to hang your points off. Here is a plan of an essay done in class.

ESSAY QUESTION: What contribution does Heathcliff make to our reading of ‘Wuthering Heights’ as a ‘Gothic’ novel?
THESIS STATEMENT- Heathcliff is a mysterious and unknown character – gothic genre is also mysterious and unknown – no easy judgements
Intro – outline and explain your thesis statement (also consider other views (A03)
• Heathcliff as mysterious gothic figure – fairy tale origins etc
• Byronic Hero (A04 – ‘mad bad...)
• Narrative structure = uncertainty/ambiguity in judgements of everything (reported speech etc)
• HC = radical challenge to society
• Other elements apart from HC that make it gothic OR novel is not gothic at all – MORE ROMANTIC ETC (A03)

lesson 6- monday 4th october

Monday 4th October lesson
In this lesson we recapped on last lesson on illuminate and how we can see evidence of it in Wuthering heights (Wuthering heights and the gothic the sheet). We then moved on to the meaning of semantic fields with the help of the hand-out sheet (the semantic fields of Wuthering Heights). We learnt that semantic field as a definition was a group of words with similar meaning. We searched for evidence for this in both Wuthering Heights and Thursh Cross grange.

We found that in Wuthering Heights (chapter 1) that the semantic field fell under two themes, extreme weather “atmospheric”, “stormy weather" “north wind” and it also fell under the domestic setting theme “squealing puppies” silver jugs” “chatter of tongues” and “cluster of legs of beef”. Bronte creates a unexpected scene of domestic scene within Wuthering Heights making it more to the reader a normal household however whilst creating this theme of domestic setting she also reveals its more sinister side to the household “villainous old guns” and “horse pistols”, Bronte is grafting violence and the domestic setting with when another to show perhaps that Wuthering heights is not a place of simplicity but more a place of confusion, sinister, the unknown this again linking to one of the gothic elements of the unknown.
In Thrush Cross Grange the semantic field can be seen in Chapter 6 of Wuthering Heights. The semantic field fell under again 2 main themes, the first one being a conjured up image of a heavenly place. “beautiful-a splendid place.... crimson” “gold....... hanging in silver chains” all of these words scream to the reader that this is a place that anyone would enjoy being there however as we read on we see that was not that case as we are introduced a shocking change in the vocabulary and instead are introduced to the opposite of a heavenly place. “Screaming” “shrieking as if witches were running red-hot needles” the language betrays the second theme which is a violent imitation of hell. The children are “weeping” and bullying the dog. This is not what the reader would have expected to see at ThrushCross Grange, we expected it to be a place of joy not a place of violence. Bronte has yet again grafted on violence with the home setting but in this case i think personally she did this to create a sense of terror within the reader as we would expect the exterior of high status (ThrushCross grange) to be radiating wealth “gold” “crimson” but also we would expect interior wise for it to be a civilised place which instead Bronte chooses to the show opposite creating the gothic element of terror, that things aren’t what they seem.

Moving on we then looked at another sheet (life on the edge- opposition and fragmentation in Wuthering Heights) which explored opposition in more detail. We found that although opposition existed in the novel we realized that many of the characters fell in between the opposition e.g. Heathcliff is he evil or is he good, he falls in-between the opposition making him the obvious bionic character of the novel. By having these oppositions but then the reader witnessing it collapsing it creates a sense of unsettlement and anxiety within the reader.
We also looked at what a frequent motif in gothic novels. THE ‘DOUBLE’ OR ‘DOPPELGANGER’. The double suggesting exact repetition (twin), the doppelganger suggests the evil side to a character.

In Wuthering Heights, Bronte shows DOUBLE though Lockwood thinking him and HeathCliff as a double “Mr Heathcliff and I are such a suitable pair to divide the desolation between us’ however Lockwood soon notices along with the reader that Lockwood and Heathcliff are the opposite to one another. Bronte within this is showing opposition, Lockwood is sensitive, disillusioned bored with society, whereas HeathCliff is the real thing, fuelled by a burning hatred of society. The doppelganger is shown through Lockwood again in the sense that the characteristics of him show that he is a civilised calm sensitive man however this not this case when the reader see his brutal treatment of dogs “ejaculated’, ‘grasped’, ‘knocked’ are all betrayal of the language to reinforce the doppelganger lurks within Lockwood , what establishes it does lurk within Lockwood is his treatment to Catherine in chapter 3 “I pulled its wrist onto the broken pane and rubbed it to and fro till the blood ran down and soaked the bedclothes”. Lockwood expressed such vicious acts of violence that the reader was not expecting from a character like him. David Punter suggests that the gothic novel explores its themes through its structure and this is seen particularly clearly in the destabilising of conventional oppositions in this novel. We see the destabilising of convention when Catherine declares HeathCliff is more herself, by saying this she is destabilising the boundary between the self and the other.

Homework:
Wuthering heights is essentially a novel of oppositions, how far do you agree with this? Read up to chapter 11 and make summary. All of this bundle of work due in next lesson which is next Friday so we have plenty of time

Miss Knights lesson- 5th October

In this class, we reflected on the prologue of the pardoner. We were able to analyse chaucers language and evaluate the perception which Chaucer was reflecting about the pardoner’s and the church through his imagery and ironic language.
At first we identified the chronology of the prologue:

At first the pardoner talks of how he has returned from Rome. He also tales small anecdotes about the relics he has “juped” people about. From this he makes it clear that he has a target audeience thus revealing his conniving nature. Furthermore he plays on the fears of society- such as being a cuckhold thus further revealing his scheming character. He after talks of the theme of all his preachings- “Rodix malorum est cupiditas”

Secondly we began to look his oxymoronic potrayal of himself as a serpeant and a dove. The serpeant being a representation of the devil, and the dove being symbolic of the holy spirit are radical contradictory images and underlying the ironic insignia in which the pardoner represents. In class it was also discussed about how the pardoner presents the image in which he wants to be however inadvertly reveals his true motives. This was clear in the abrupt switch in tone and manner in line 166. He talks of having a “joly wenche” but then quickly refers to his fellow pilgrims as “lordings”.

After this he returns to his original point- “Rodix malorum est cupiditas”, however quickly diverts into another mini achacdote. He almost questions his audience why he should be poor when he has the skill and capabillity of speech to be rich.
After this sumeraising activity we looked at different parts of the text and looked at the imergery and irony used. Through this we were able to see the depraved nature of the pardoner. We saw how he played a paradoxical role to the role he was meant to see – e.g him spicing up preachings. – (pick up sheet from Miss Knight).
After this Miss set us homework –
How does Chaucer present the pardoner in the prologue?-You can go to the W drive and type in W:\Miss Knight\Year 13