Week 6 response – “Proverbs of Hell”

3/ Take one of the “Proverbs of Hell” and write a short account of what you think it means and how you think it helps to explain an aspect of Blake’s thinking.

Proverb: What is now proved was once only imagin’d.

The proverb argues the fact that every asset of knowledge we hold right now was just once a collection of ideas from seemingly random people. As such, the proverb explains how knowledge is a product of imagination and that both are inextricably linked. Moreover, it suggests that there has to be a genuinely reflective awareness of the possibilities for continual re-interpretation and re-formulation of materials, knowledge and meaning. Thus, the moral of the proverb is that one should not underestimate the impossible as what we thought could never be can actually be possible if we choose to put effort to explore its possibilities.

“Knowledge”

In saying this, it helps us understand how Blake’s thinking was affected by the new discoveries made during the romantic period, namely Newton’s view on the universe. Although his poems such as Jerusalem clearly indicate his opposition towards Newton’s perspective of the universe, it must be argued that Blake would have been affected by it in some way. Despite the fact that his visionary religious beliefs clearly opposed the new theories, Blake would have had to take into consideration the new form knowledge that was being formed in his era. As such, the proverb suggests that Blake wasn’t as close-minded as his poems would suggest him to be.

“Imagination”

Week 10 response – D.H. Lawrence

Question: Look at D.H. Lawrence’s poem “The Snake” and describe what you think his reaction to the snake is.

The poem develops around the narrator’s encounter with the snake. It examines the conflict between social training and the desires that people hold. As such, the narrator’s reaction to the snake was a confusing one for him as he must use his past experiences and current feelings towards the snake to decide whether he should kill the snake or let it be.

In the beginning of the poem, it is already established that the narrator fears the snake as it is seen as an intruder who has invaded the narrator’s water-trough. Yet despite this fear, he reveres the snake and as such acknowledges that he must wait his turn as the snake arrived first. Consequently, fear and fascination take control as he is left with the internal struggle between his rational and natural feelings. For example, the narrator initially views the snake as just another animal. But as the poem progresses, the snake is personified and is now seen as a god who “looked around into the air.”

Yellow-Bellied Sea Snake

Moreover, the narrator’s internal struggle highlights the differences between natural feelings and what is socially acceptable or learned. Initially, the narrator does not want to kill the snake as it exhibits a type of beauty which amazes him and is evident through his gentle description of the snake as being a “silent king.” In doing so, the snake becomes a gentle and quiet personality that the narrator can admire. Despite his admiration for snake though, the voices in the narrator’s head suggests that society expects the snake to be killed as education dictates that the gold snakes in Sicily were venomous.

As such, social training eventually forced the narrator to try and kill the snake but to no avail. But interestingly enough, the narrator states that he missed his chance with “one of the lords of life” and therefore it can be argued that his actions left him with a sense of regret and loss.

In summation, the narrator’s reaction to the snake is one with mixed feelings. Consequently, the narrator’s reaction indicates that many individuals must constantly decide whether to base their future actions on years of social training or their natural instinct.

Hard Choices

Week Nine Review – Renae Adolfson

http://renaeadolfson.wordpress.com/

As I may have mentioned before, your creative pieces are impeccable. This one is no exception and may actually one of the best ones I have read from your blog. In saying this, I shall now deconstruct my thoughts about the skill contained within this piece.

As you have mentioned, writing this piece was like creating a painting. This is very much evident as each new sentence compliments the previous one. In doing so, you create a very layered, descriptive and beautiful environment and as such, you have effectively used David Malouf’s style of writing. Furthermore, you have successfully utilised Malouf’s long sentence style in conjunction with more shorter and sometimes truncated sentences, thus allowing you to make a seamless piece which flows from the beginning to the end. More importantly, you always choose the right words to describe the moment and as such, you have proved yourself as a master wordsmith from my perspective.

Finally, the piece contains a sense of passion that may be a result of your past experiences of meeting a stranger such as the one described in this one. As a result, this piece attains a sense of realism which in turn allows the readers to encapsulate themselves within your story and try to imagine themselves in your position.

All in all, your ability to create a realistic environment is surreal. In addition, your passionate description has left me with a great piece which tantalises the senses.

As always, great work Renae!

Week Nine Response – David Malouf

Question: Write a short paragraph summarizing what for you were the most important insights that flowed from David Malouf’s lecture/ talk yesterday

To begin with, it is necessary to state that as literature students, it is required of us to delve deep into a literary text; deciphering the intended connotations of each sentence and exploring every aspect of the text rather than reading its plot on a literal level. As such, students must always hypothesise on what a certain text and the literary devices used within it is trying to show them, thus providing their own colouration of that said text. But due to his visit, Malouf was able to challenge this and provide us with great insights about literature and his book Fly Away Peter.

In the lecture, David Malouf argued that as students, we often draw upon our past experiences when we read literature and hence why each student has their own unique perspective on the meanings contained within a text. According to him, this was fine, but we must also take into consideration what the true intention of story was. As such, we cannot definitely argue what the actual purpose of a story was without actually looking into its context, such as the experiences of the author and the events that were taking place during the construction of the text. This was an important insight as it highlighted to me that the context of a text should be researched before analysing the text itself as it will help me provide a more compelling and holistic argument for my essays in the future.

Moreover, Malouf also discussed how his novel Fly Away Peter came about. It is a rare occasion for me to actually ask the author about their work and what each component in the text means. As a result, it was a great opportunity to decipher Malouf’s mind and experiences, allowing me to gain new life lessons and generate great ideas for the upcoming essay that I needed to write. In doing so, it also enabled me to take into consideration the various aspects of what makes a good creative piece and hopefully utilise this new-found knowledge for my own writings in the near future. In summation, Malouf’s visit was a great opportunity for me to listen to one of the most creative and talented writers in the modern era; and resulting with me gaining a new perspective on literature and the world itself.

http://wallpapers.androlib.com/android.wallpaper.sun-rising-over-earth-view-in-space-pFm.aspx

Week 3: Make a specific link between one or two of the paintings and Australian literature. Say what the painting is and explain how it helps to amplify your understanding of a literary work that you have been studying

“Fire’s on” by Arthur Streeton

“Fire’s on” by Arthur Streeton captures the many themes that are often presented in Australian literature. The painting depicts the construction of a railway line across the Blue Mountains and the death of a railway worker in an explosion. The structure of the painting itself links to the aspects that make Australian literature unique. More importantly, it amplifies my understanding of certain literary works such as That Deadman Dance, as it clearly highlights how the landscape can either be viewed as a land filled with opportunities or hardships; depending on what the individual’s needs are. As a result, Streeton is able to demonstrate one of the important themes of Australian literature; that the Australian environment is bigger than everything we know.

The vertical composition of the painting allows Streeton to capture this theme on two different levels. In the literal sense, it is clearly shown that the mountain is bigger than everyone as the workers are dwarfed and the horizon is filled with the never ending line of trees. On the other hand, the vertical composition allows Streeton to make a clear division in the painting that runs right down through the middle. By making this division, he is able to present the theme in a deeper and metaphorical level.

On the left, the gumtrees and rocks are still in place, making the landscape appear a luscious green. On the right though, the land is stripped of its beauty, leaving only a barren wasteland filled fire and destruction. When combined together, they demonstrate how the Australian landscape is filled with a unique beauty that is sometimes beyond our own comprehension. As a result, we ignore and destroy it due to our obsession to make sure that everything corresponds to our lifestyle. In this case, the population needed a train line.

Deforestation

 

Due to this painting, Streeton has improved my understanding of That Deadman Dance by Kim Scott. The painting has helped me understand how certain characters have developed certain attitudes towards Australian fauna and flora. For example, Chaine sees the land as a place where he can solidify his position and expand his fortune. As a result, his judgement towards the landscape is clouded as he cannot comprehend what it can truly offer him. On the other hand, Bobby has a deeper connection with the land and everything that accompanies it. To Bobby, the land is not an object but rather a living entity that can provide him with the necessities of life. All he has to do is try to understand and embrace it, which he does. Due to this, he finds serenity from completing activities that the colonies would have a different perception of. An example of this would be the different interpretations that Bobby and Chaine have on whaling.

In essence, Streeton’s painting demonstrates that our conceived perceptions of the land can often lead to its destruction, as we are too fixated on making Australia a land of opportunity and perfection.

Week 1 Response- Jesse Benyammin

Your creative piece is very enticing. The title itself is very simplistic yet powerful at the same time. It allows you to ponder on the various connotations that it evokes, and as a result makes you eager to delve in and explore what your perspective is of a unique and beautiful land.

The piece itself is very vivid due to the way the sentences run on along with the powerful descriptions of the land that you love best. Furthermore, your use of rhetorical questions allows us to question ourselves on whether we also admire the world around us just as you do.

Lastly, the metaphor of the puzzle pieces finally connects the idea that the world is the canvas that God used to create everything and that everything was set in place for a reason.

Week 1-Comparison of Judith Wright, D.H. Lawrence and David Malouf

Briefly explain how Judith Wright, D.H.Lawrence and David Malouf are on the same wavelength 

Judith Wright, D.H. Lawrence and David Malouf are on the same wavelength in the sense that they try to capture the beauty of the Australian landscape that the early settlers failed to see. In doing so, they demonstrate that everything in the world is unique in some sort of way.

In his book Fly Away Peter, Malouf begins by stating the characteristics that a “proper” Englishman should possess. In order to be an Englishman, one must study at multiple universities, have a passion for music and be “addicted to waistcoats and watch-chains.” In doing so, Malouf evokes a mechanical quality in his speech which suggests that his adult life was built on structure and the orders of others. On the other hand, his home in Australia gives him an identity which he is happily able to identify himself with. As a consequence, he is able to see the Australia in a different light.

Malouf accepts the landscape’s idiosyncrasies that other people fail to understand and admire. He liked the familiarity of the “hot air touching his skin” with the “bird notes” and noises of the “clippered insects” creating a sort of layered music. As a result, the landscape became “an expansive monotone” that was able to capture “every music he had ever known.”  Due to this, he embraced the Australian landscape and everything that was “unmade” about it, thus allowing him to gain a sense of peace due to its beauty.

Similarly, Lawrence compares the English and Australian landscape in his piece “Kangaroo”. His comparison of the “wooded shores and bungalows” to Lake Como illustrate how people used to always compare landscapes and tried to change anything that did not seem familiar to them. As a result, he demonstrates that the early settler’s utilitarianism attitude towards Australia was due their ignorance to notice Australia’s unique beauty. In saying this, Lawrence suggests the notion that the Australian landscape has an “invisible” and “formless” beauty that can only noticed by those who truly understand that everything is unique.

Furthermore, Wright is able to reiterate the other two author’s statements by her use of parallelism in her work “Rockface.” Her comparison of the cliff-face as a “gravestone”, along with her description of the landscape as “drought-stricken” evokes ideas of despair and hardship. On the other hand, she then goes on to state that the rock had a name and possessed ancestral powers. As a result, she illustrates that the cliff-face belonged to something bigger, a remnant of a mountain to be exact. Due to this, she tries to explain that the Australian landscape must be seen as another living entity for it too has its own meaning and purpose in life.

In essence, all three writers possess the ability to illustrate Australia’s unique beauty and try to challenge the ignorance that once plagued the early settlers.