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January 25, 2007
Wow, I didn't know I knew that!
Foster (1-3, 5) -- Jerz: EL150 (Intro to Literary Study)
"The real reason for the quest never involves the stated reason."
As Maggie mentioned in her blog, a lot of the things Foster mentions are common sense. Being that this is the 3rd time I have had to read this book, I have definately seen this material before. Still, I think that it's very useful. Sometimes you need someone to bring something up in order to know you know it (got that?). For example, how many times do we see dinner scenes in movies or on TV? Too many to count. Have you ever thought about them? Like have you ever taken time to sit down and think of the significance of a dinner scene? I certainly haven't! I watch it and enjoy it. Still, after reading chapter 2, I realize that I obviously know there's more to dinner scenes than eating. The same goes with the idea of the quest. The fact that the quest never involves the reason stated is common knowledge. This works with any time there is any type of conflict in any type of story...even movies! So many times the character goes somewhere or does something that they believe is right, only to have it blow up in their face later on. Of course if this weren't the case, there'd be no conflict, and it would therefore be REALLY boring. Common knowledge. We see it everyday. Still interesting to think about though right?
Posted by CheraPupi at January 25, 2007 12:57 AM
Comments
Chera, I'm so glad you brought up those points about how often we see dinner scenes in movies and such, because as someone who has also read these chapters before, chapter 2 always fascinates me and reminds me so much of how literature is a representation of reality. Every time I go into the cafeteria to eat a meal...what do I do? Look for people I am friends with, people I want to commune with, to sit with. I know I don't walk up to just anyone and sit down next to them to eat. I certainly don't sit with people I don't particularly care for. And every time there isn't someone I know, I sit alone in hopes that eventually someone will come that I am friends with to join me, or I pull out a book that I need to read for a class and that book becomes my "dinner date" because I am comfortable with it. I know that there is certainly tension about "who to eat with" in a setting where everyone eats in a cafeteria. I have friends that refuse to go down to eat unless they go with friends or are 100% certain a friend will be in there for them to sit with because meals really just are that intimate.
Posted by: Lorin Schumacher at January 25, 2007 3:30 PM
I hope you won't get too bored by looking at these chapters again, but you can always find something new to say by applying a familiar chapter to a text that you haven't read before.
So... is Bernice on a quest? What does she think she wants, and what does she end up finding?
Posted by: Dennis G. Jerz at January 25, 2007 11:22 AM