1. Warming up with a close reading the end of Chapter 49 together:
- Which authorial choices stand out to you?
- Why might Steinbeck have made these choices?
2. Enjoying our penultimate Socratic on East of Eden
3. Wrapping up with lingering questions, big epiphanies, and generous kudos
HW:
1. BY WEDNESDAY, 4:00:
- Submit your printed sonnet essay with the completed checklist stapled to the top.
- You will also have your last 30 minutes of reading time this day, so bring your book.
2. FOR FRIDAY: Finish East of Eden! Complete your final reading ticket by doing the following:
- Select one motif (water, apples, the color gray, Cain & Abel, etc.).
- Describe where the motif has shown up previously, and address where/how it comes into play in the final chapters (include quotations/page numbers).
- What has this motif contributed to the meaning of the work as a whole. In other words, why do you think Steinbeck developed this particular motif?
3. BY MONDAY: Bring your charged laptop to class on Friday to compose your Big Question Blog on East of Eden; complete your next Big Question Blog for East of Eden to prepare for Monday's timed writing.
Thanks for scribing, Daniel!
ReplyDeleteChapter 50, pg. 549. Kate and thinking of Alice and wonderland
Kate similar to alice, trying to focus on childhood
Imagery of Kate being small after drinking from a bottle, able to hide from her enemies. Inconspicuous
Getting smaller--> getting less powerful. Kate now aware her waning power, ok with it. “Only needs to drink the bottle to cease to exist”
Childhood and Kate
Alice and wonderland--> Kate trying to emulate a childhood she never had means there is some humanity in her
In a way, allows readers to relate to her
Theme of Alcohol and drugs in Kathy
Makes her susceptible to outside influences
Kathy becomes more paranoid--> becoming smaller and smaller to avoid her enemies
Lost her power and influence, finally realizes she doesn’t have any more power after trying to convince herself otherwise (acceptance, no other choice)
Shrinking/wasting away
Her most human/conscientious moment comes when she is inebriated
Shows who she really is, in her last moment feels for the helpless one instead of preying on them.
Juxtaposition of Kathy and Samuel
Samuel lives on in everyone else, Kathy dies off
Kathy has no weight past her own death
As Kathy loses her power, she becomes more human
May come from reflection on her life (being in a place that she doesn’t want to be)
Shedding her monster skin
Why did Kathy leave her money to Aaron?
Pg 509, bothered by Cal because he reminds her of Charles. Sees Aaron as being the son she could spend time with
Sees herself in Aaron in appearance only (building up Aaron to be something more than he is similar to Adam with Kate and Aaron with Abra)
Aaron would not hold the same weight/be haunted by her mother's presence through the money
Giving money as a means of making up for her mistakes
More on Kathy and Alice and Wonderland
“Gone down the rabbit hole”--> Kathy’s life been perpetually going down the rabbit hold. Projects her life on the AW narrative
Kathy gave money to be cruel
To make sure no one forgets about her
One last impact/”oh my god” moment
Selfish motivations
Forcing others to be in the same pain that she is
Was Kathy waiting for Cal to bring Aaron to her?
Money to Aaron--> thank you for releasing her
Making up for things, apology for being such a negative influence
Way of atoning for her sins (religious themes of book)
Destructive meeting between Kathy and Aaron--> destroys them both
Why do they both ultimately self-destruct?
Opposites (Kathy Sinful, Aaron Holy)
Aaron hasn’t openly denounced Kathy as his heritage, is now stuck with carrying her legacy
Kathy and Aaron starting to get grounded in reality
Kathy not entirely immoral, powerful
Aaron cant be entirely pure
Kathy could be having doubts, consumed by her estrangement from the world
World has cast her out, caused her self destruction
Where did Joe come from? What’s his deal? What does he want?
ReplyDeleteWorks for Kathy--> Kathy’s bouncer
After Kathy’s arthritis, Joe starts running the brothel
Kick-stand for Kathy--> Average Joe to support her in her final days (ironic)
Kathy sees herself as rare, juxtaposition to Average Joe shows some humanity
Solid contrast--> thinks he’s really smart vs Kathy knows he’s really smart
Difference between a legitamately stupid person vs someone who thinks their smart
Self centered easy to control
Ethel- Stupid person. Juxtaposition of Ethel and Joe
Biblical connotation
Joseph father of Jesus
Pg. 498 description
Hate can not live alone, must have love as a trigger
Egotistical- self absorbed
So many Joes--> Play on “average joe”
Who are the shady dudes in pubs?
How did he think he was tricking Kathy?
Kathy loses trust in Joe and Ethel
Has described them as stupid and easy to control, now fears them
More on Kathy and alcohol
Lots of changing points in Kathy happen with the influence of alcohol
Kate= an addiction
By drinking, she becomes who she really is
“Champagne makes me weak”- Cal showing the Kathy inside him.
Alcohol prevalent in very different scenarios
Wrap Up:
Kathy giving money--> in spite, forcing them to think of her
Imagery of ch 49. Can always tell something about to happen since Steinbeck begins putting in imagery of time and/or nature
Cal’s mental breakdown
Jealousy
Nuanced character, lots of good and evil in him
“Why not call things by their names”
What’s the connection between fortune (inherited money) and inheriting qualities from a person
Money/inheritance as a motif, relation to death
Is Steinbeck saying the foundation of Eden can not be built on money/inheritance?
Which characters have learned this lesson
Connection between Kathy and bottles specifically
Jar of chicken blood--> burning down parents house
Bottles of medication
What triggered Kathy to commit suicide?
Reanalyze Cain and Abel story--> Who’s who?