Monday, March 21, 2011.


Recap I Had Seen Castles. Read p. 72-82.


Take notes on symbolism in I Had Seen Castles:

1) Explain motif of "birds flying" and symbolism of birds, castle, sheep, and empty room.

2) Explain symbolism and connection of first chapter empty room p. 4 to passage on pg. 76.

3) Explain TONE and attitude in novel.

Notes:

Motif: a recurring image, idea, or theme in a work of literature, film, etc.

Symbol: a symbol represents something larger/greater than itself.

Symbols in I Had Seen Castles:

Castle: symbol of John's childhood

pg. 25-26 The castle is a gift from father as a young child. He plays with it until he outgrows it and then sees it in the basement during his teen years growing up. John is growing up; he no longer plays with the toy castle, but he is still a growing teen.pg. 70-71: John sees a real castle far off in the distance. John becomes a grown man with childhood a great distance away.

sheep: soldiers, innocent and naive; following the government's instructions, they waited for the farmer (the government) to take them home, but many were killed in war (sheep lay bloody, half alive) like many of the soldiers, who died almost immediately after beginning to fight, alone and afraid.


Birds: symbolize freedom; the birds recur throughout the novel, first on pages 4, 59, and 70.

Empty room: symbolizes the trauma of war. See page 4 and page 76.



TONE IN I HAD SEEN CASTLES

TONE IS SERIOUS, SOMETIMES BITTER AND SARCASTIC.

JUXTAPOSITION* OF IMAGES, SCENES & EVENTS THAT ARE OPPOSITES:

*placed side by side to create contrast.



1) HAPPY SOLDIERS VS. DIRTY, BLOODY SOLDIERS



2) SHEEP IN BEAUTIFUL SUNNY MEADOW WITH FLOWERS

VS.

SLAUGHTERED, BLOODIED SHEEP WITH BOWELS SPILLED OVER THE

MEADOW FLOWERS.


3) PEOPLE DANCING & LIVING THE GOOD LIFE IN THE U.S.A. VS.

AN INJURED SOLDIER IN EUROPE “SEARCHING FOR HIS ARMS.”


IS THE VOICE PRO-WAR OR ANTI-WAR??