Again, choose a sentence or two from this chapter that you found interesting and comment on it. (Include the sentence and page number.) Why did it stand out? Do you agree with what he said? Why or why not?
Page 200-"Are deformities and scars therefore always significant? Perhaps not. Perhaps simetimes a scar is simply a scar, a short leg or a hunchback merely that. But more often than not physical markings by their very nature call attention to themselves and signify some psychological or thematic point the writer wants to make." This is interesting to me because it is something I have never noticed before. But, now that I think about it, I realize it even more. When Foster gave examples of older stories, I was still in doubt that people had markings to symbolize traits. But, when he mentioned Harry Potter, I saw what he meant. Harry can do things that no one else can. His scar is visible to everyone, showing that he is different and special.
"All characters who are as famous for their shape as for their behavior." and "Their shapes tell us something, and probably very different somethings, about them or other people." paragraph 1 pg 193. In every story I have read or seen, There is always a character who has something strange about them and the way people react to it tells you something about it. If "you have a mentally challenged child in a class of other kids considered "Normal", and they make fun of them or take advantage of their situation, the way they react to him or her shows you what kind of person they are.
page 200 last paragraph "After all, it's easier to introduce characters without imperfections. You give a guy a limp in chapter 2, he can't go sprinting after the train in chapter 24". I thought this was interesting because any time someone does make a character with a deficiency the deficiency just can't magically go away the author has to work around it which would require more thought and the idea of the deficiency actually having a meaning is more probable.
Page 194, third paragraph. "It has to do with being different, really. Sameness doesn't present us with metaphorical possibilities, whereas difference-from the average, the typical, the expected-is always rich with possibility." I definitely agree with this statement. If everyone is the same in a story, then you have nothing to work with. You can't make the story interesting because everyone has the same physical appearances. But if there is someone who is significantly different, you can use that difference to set that character apart. You can develop that character more and make them more interesting.
Page 193, "In real life, when people have any physical mark or imperfection it means nothing thematically, metaphorically, or spiritually." I agree with this sentence because when someone has an imperfection, it can't be made into a theme or metaphor. They could be used for a story, though. If someone got bitten my a dog, or got burned in a fire, or any other imperfection, there is always a story behind it.
page 204, it states " do you get all those musical jokes in mozart and hayden?" this to me seems like its saying that even in great literature, or music, you are not going to understand everything thats being said and not to get to frustrated about it. i agree with this statement because of the fact that your are not expected to be able to understand all of the jokes or statement in the novels and to look it up and keep reading along
Page 193, second paragraph, "in real life, when people have any physical mark or imperfection, it means nothing thematically, metaphorically, or spiritually." I agree with this statement, when I read a story and it talks about some girl having a break out I don't think anything about it. Of course she could be breaking out because of stress but that isn't anything metaphorical or have to do with the theme of the story.
Page 195 paragraph 2 line 14... "These character markings stand as indicators of the damage life inflicts." This sentence stood out because it made me think of the different physical marks and faults that characters have in stories and how it makes us view them and the overall story and how it plays out. i agree. Characters who have been through a violent or traumatic act, and have a marking to show it, evoke a different a motion or response form us (the readers)
Page 194 1st paragraph, 1st two sentences "But put that scoliosis on Richard the 3rd and, voila, you have something else entirely. Richard, as morally and spiritually twisted as his back, is one of the most completely repugnant figures in all of literature." This stood out to me because he's basically explaining the point to this whole chapter. The fact that authors put physical deformailites on people who are morally and spiritually deformed too.
"These character markings stand as indicators of the damage life inflicts." page 195. I really agree with this sentence because it relates to the real world. People that have gone through tramatic events normally have a scar or something to relate to it. Physical imperfections often grab the readers attention to show that something is different about that character.
On page 200, the last paragraph, he says, "After all, it's easier to introduce characters without imperfections. You give a guy a limp in chapter 2, he can't go sprinting after the train in Chapter 24. So if a writer brings up a physical problem or handicap or deficiency, he probably means something by it." I liked this because it is so true. It's definetly harder to write about an injured character than a perfectly fine one, because then it will change all your plans for your plot. Just like he said, if someone is hurt in the beginning they have to still be hurt throughout the rest of the story (unless it's an injury that heals quickly). This definetly shows that physical deformities are used for a purpose, they are significant.
i like the line on page 200 that zac used. "after all, it's easier to introduce characters without imperfections. you give a guy a limp in chapter 2, he can't go sprinting after the train in chapter 24." that really makes a story what it is though. my first thought is "a prayer for owen meany" where the dwarfed boy is constantly there but you cant forget that he has a imperfections as well. though he seems like he doesnt most the time.
Page 200, "Perhaps sometimes a scar is simply a scar, a short leg or a hunchback merely that. ... So if a writer brings up a physical problem or handicap or deficiency, he probably means something by it."
This is very interesting, something I've always thought about and tried to convey to people. It's true that someone can be malformed, but truly, seriously, why does it make you a monster if you're scarred or deformed? In most portrayals of a scarred or deformed character is often the innately good one and the one most revered, and usually unmarred, is the truly wicked one. It makes a lot of sense, and I love the way that works, the sweet gently one is the scarred or otherwise marred one, and the bad guy's a normal looking person.
Page 200-"Are deformities and scars therefore always significant? Perhaps not. Perhaps simetimes a scar is simply a scar, a short leg or a hunchback merely that. But more often than not physical markings by their very nature call attention to themselves and signify some psychological or thematic point the writer wants to make." This is interesting to me because it is something I have never noticed before. But, now that I think about it, I realize it even more. When Foster gave examples of older stories, I was still in doubt that people had markings to symbolize traits. But, when he mentioned Harry Potter, I saw what he meant. Harry can do things that no one else can. His scar is visible to everyone, showing that he is different and special.
ReplyDelete"All characters who are as famous for their shape as for their behavior." and "Their shapes tell us something, and probably very different somethings, about them or other people." paragraph 1 pg 193. In every story I have read or seen, There is always a character who has something strange about them and the way people react to it tells you something about it. If "you have a mentally challenged child in a class of other kids considered "Normal", and they make fun of them or take advantage of their situation, the way they react to him or her shows you what kind of person they are.
ReplyDeletepage 200 last paragraph "After all, it's easier to introduce characters without imperfections. You give a guy a limp in chapter 2, he can't go sprinting after the train in chapter 24". I thought this was interesting because any time someone does make a character with a deficiency the deficiency just can't magically go away the author has to work around it which would require more thought and the idea of the deficiency actually having a meaning is more probable.
ReplyDeletePage 194, third paragraph. "It has to do with being different, really. Sameness doesn't present us with metaphorical possibilities, whereas difference-from the average, the typical, the expected-is always rich with possibility." I definitely agree with this statement. If everyone is the same in a story, then you have nothing to work with. You can't make the story interesting because everyone has the same physical appearances. But if there is someone who is significantly different, you can use that difference to set that character apart. You can develop that character more and make them more interesting.
ReplyDeletePage 193, "In real life, when people have any physical mark or imperfection it means nothing thematically, metaphorically, or spiritually." I agree with this sentence because when someone has an imperfection, it can't be made into a theme or metaphor. They could be used for a story, though. If someone got bitten my a dog, or got burned in a fire, or any other imperfection, there is always a story behind it.
ReplyDeletepage 204, it states " do you get all those musical jokes in mozart and hayden?" this to me seems like its saying that even in great literature, or music, you are not going to understand everything thats being said and not to get to frustrated about it. i agree with this statement because of the fact that your are not expected to be able to understand all of the jokes or statement in the novels and to look it up and keep reading along
ReplyDeletePage 193, second paragraph, "in real life, when people have any physical mark or imperfection, it means nothing thematically, metaphorically, or spiritually." I agree with this statement, when I read a story and it talks about some girl having a break out I don't think anything about it. Of course she could be breaking out because of stress but that isn't anything metaphorical or have to do with the theme of the story.
ReplyDeletePage 195 paragraph 2 line 14... "These character markings stand as indicators of the damage life inflicts." This sentence stood out because it made me think of the different physical marks and faults that characters have in stories and how it makes us view them and the overall story and how it plays out. i agree. Characters who have been through a violent or traumatic act, and have a marking to show it, evoke a different a motion or response form us (the readers)
ReplyDeletePage 194 1st paragraph, 1st two sentences "But put that scoliosis on Richard the 3rd and, voila, you have something else entirely. Richard, as morally and spiritually twisted as his back, is one of the most completely repugnant figures in all of literature." This stood out to me because he's basically explaining the point to this whole chapter. The fact that authors put physical deformailites on people who are morally and spiritually deformed too.
ReplyDelete"These character markings stand as indicators of the damage life inflicts." page 195. I really agree with this sentence because it relates to the real world. People that have gone through tramatic events normally have a scar or something to relate to it. Physical imperfections often grab the readers attention to show that something is different about that character.
ReplyDeleteOn page 200, the last paragraph, he says, "After all, it's easier to introduce characters without imperfections. You give a guy a limp in chapter 2, he can't go sprinting after the train in Chapter 24. So if a writer brings up a physical problem or handicap or deficiency, he probably means something by it." I liked this because it is so true. It's definetly harder to write about an injured character than a perfectly fine one, because then it will change all your plans for your plot. Just like he said, if someone is hurt in the beginning they have to still be hurt throughout the rest of the story (unless it's an injury that heals quickly). This definetly shows that physical deformities are used for a purpose, they are significant.
ReplyDeletei like the line on page 200 that zac used. "after all, it's easier to introduce characters without imperfections. you give a guy a limp in chapter 2, he can't go sprinting after the train in chapter 24." that really makes a story what it is though. my first thought is "a prayer for owen meany" where the dwarfed boy is constantly there but you cant forget that he has a imperfections as well. though he seems like he doesnt most the time.
ReplyDeletePage 200, "Perhaps sometimes a scar is simply a scar, a short leg or a hunchback merely that. ... So if a writer brings up a physical problem or handicap or deficiency, he probably means something by it."
ReplyDeleteThis is very interesting, something I've always thought about and tried to convey to people. It's true that someone can be malformed, but truly, seriously, why does it make you a monster if you're scarred or deformed? In most portrayals of a scarred or deformed character is often the innately good one and the one most revered, and usually unmarred, is the truly wicked one. It makes a lot of sense, and I love the way that works, the sweet gently one is the scarred or otherwise marred one, and the bad guy's a normal looking person.