June 2012: The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Puritan World

Hawthorne came from a long line of Puritans (one of his fore-fathers was a judge during the Salem witch trials), and Puritan beliefs about subjects like guilt, repression, original sin, and discipline inform the book on every level. What is your impression of how the Puritan worldview is taken up and treated by Hawthorne in The Scarlet Letter?

the intro

Kathryn Harrison, in her introduction to this volume, asserts that Hester Prynne can be seen in many ways as the first great modern heroine in American literature. Do you agree?

Dimmesdale

Dimmesdale is in many ways as central a character as Hester in the novel; for you as a reader, is he equally important to the story?

A

The highly charged symbolism of The Scarlet Letter is one of its most distinctive features. Discuss the central symbol of the story- the scarlet letter itself. What does it signify? How does it function in the novel? How does its meaning change over time?

Adultery

Critics have sometimes disagreed about whether Hawthorne condones or condemns the adultery of Hester and Dimmesdale in the novel. Can either view be supported? Which do you feel is the case?

Roger

Describe and discuss the character of Roger Chillingworth in the novel. What does he represent in terms of the larger themes explored by the book?

Hester

How does Hester change over time in the novel- and how does she change in the eyes of the society around her?

The scaffold

The final scaffold scene brings the various themes, characters, and plot lines woven throughout the novel to a powerful conclusion. Describe your response to the scene.

May 2012: The Host by Stephenie Meyer

Your thoughts?

What do you think of the Host? Especially after reading the Twilight books, how do you think it compares to them?

Wanderer

Given Wanderer's reputation as a very experienced, brave, and strong soul, was it surprising to you how easily she gave in to Melanie?

Seeker

As the story was unfolding, did you have any guesses as to why Wanderer's Seeker was so persistent, or what Wanderer's big secret was?

Human's reactions

Were the humans' initial reactions to Wanderer/Melanie believable to you? Jeb's kindness? Jared's animosity? Jamie's quick love?

Mel and Jared

Mel insists that she would have loved Jared back when she first met him even if he were the hard, cynical person she and Wanda re-encounters in the cave. Do you agree?

Motherhood

From a soul's perspective, was it selfish of Wanda to not consider Motherhood? Why doesn't she consider it?

Ian and Wanda

What are your thoughts on the relationship between Ian and Wanda? Did it feel natural or strange to you?

The ending

What did you think about the happy ending? If the story had continued on, how would you like it to play out? Would the souls eventually realize they had done something wrong in taking over the human race and leave? Would life go back to normal on planet Earth? Would some stay? Could souls and humans co-exist, intermarry, and have children? Would some humans not be able to forgive the souls and would it cause racial tension? Could souls deal with that?

A world of souls

The souls are kind, considerate, and peaceful but they lack the range of emotion felt by humans. Does a world inhabited by the souls appeal to you? Why or why not?

Genocide?

Are the Souls morally culpable for what they do to so many species in the universe? What reason do they give for taking over others' minds, and is that justifiable -- or does it essentially amount to genocide?

Do you plan on seeing The Host movie next year?

 Here are the main actors:

 Diane Kruger as The Seeker: (you may know her from National Treasure)

Jake Abel as Ian O'Shea

Max Irons (Red Riding Hood) as Jared Howe

Saoirse Ronan (City of Ember, Lovely Bones, Hanna...) as Melanie

April 2012: Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift

Your thoughts

Did you know that Gulliver's Travels was written as a political satire? Did you enjoy it?  What are your thoughts?

Real title

The real title of Gulliver's Travels is Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. Knowing that this is a satire, why do you think Swift uses the word "Remote"?

Gulliver's background

Why do you think Swift begins his story with so many mundane details about Gulliver's background and in so matter-of-fact a tone?

Size

Why do you think Swift made the Lilliputians physically small?

The farmer's family

What kind of man is the farmer who finds Gulliver? 

What might Swift be criticizing through the actions of farmer in regard to Gulliver? (pp. 91-94)

How would you describe Glumdalclitch's (the girl who takes care of Gulliver) personality?

King's evaluation

After Gulliver gives a "historical Account" of Europe the King ends his response with one of the most famous passages from Gulliver's Travels:

But by what I have gathered from your own Relation, and the Answers I have with much pains wringed and extorted from you, I cannot but conclude the Bulk of your Natives to be the most pernicious Race of little odious Vermin that Nature ever suffered to crawl upon the Surface of the Earth.

Is the King's evaluation valid? Why or why not?

Grossness

Just as in Lilliput, Gulliver takes time to explain his "natural Necessities" and the "one Thing, which another could not do for me." Gulliver says this to us in his defense for "dwelling" on the "Necessities of Nature":

I hope the gentle reader will excuse me for dwelling on these and the like particulars, which however insignificant they may appear to groveling vulgar minds, yet will certainly help a philosopher to enlarge his thoughts and imagination … which was my sole design in presenting this and other accounts of my travels to the world

What do think is Swift's purpose in mentioning the common bodily functions of defecating and urinating?

Laputians

How does the absence of "Imagination, Fancy, and Invention" contribute to the kind of people the Laputians are?

Immortality

Why does Gulliver change his mind about wanting immortality?

Houyhnhnm

Thoughts on Gulliver's time with the Houyhnhnm?

Yahoo

Why is Gulliver so horrified to see "a perfect human Figure" in that of a Yahoo? (p. 213)

Why does Gulliver work so hard not to be associated with the Yahoos?

Lawyers

What is Swift saying when he criticizes Lawyers by saying they use "Words multiplied" for the purpose of proving that "White is Black" and "Black is White"?

Reason

The Houyhnhnms' Maxim is, "to cultivate Reason, and to be wholly governed by it." What does this mean

Yahoo sails

Notice how matter-of-fact Gulliver is in describing that his sails are made of the skins of Yahoos: "I made use of the youngest I could get, the older being too tough and thick . . ." What does this say about Gulliver? What is Swift trying to say?

What have we been taught?

Gulliver says, ". . . my principal Design was to inform, and not to amuse thee." If we take this as Swift, telling us as readers what his intent was, of what have then been informed?

Humanity

Is humanity as bad as Gulliver thinks it is at the end of the novel?

SORRY!!

I am so sorry for the delay in getting the questions up for Austenland. For some reason I thought I had done it already! So, now Austenland questions are up and I will get the Gullivers Travels questions on later today!

March 2012: Austenland by Shannon Hale

Miss CHarming

thoughts on Miss Charming......

13 boyfrien

Austenland, besides chronicling Janes' stay at Pembrook Park, lists all thirteen "boyfriends" she's had in her lifetime. How well does the reader get to know Jane's past? How much has she changed from her first relationship at age twelve to the one that is now just beginning?

I&I

Jane calls herself and Mr. Nobley "Impertinence and Inflexibility" How do these nicknames originate? How do these traits compare to the pride and prejudice of Darcy and Elizabeth in Austen's novel?

Great Aunt Carolyn

Jane's Great Aunt Carolyn set the whole Pembrook Park adventure into motion. What do you think Carolyn's intentions were in sending Jane to this Austenland? Do you think Jane fulfilled those expectations?

Jane Austen romance

Jane comes to wonder what kind of fantasy world Jane Austen might have created for herself: "Did Austen herself feel this way? Was she hopeful? Jane wondered if the unmarried writer had lived inside Austenland with close to Jane's own sensibility- amused, horrified, but in very real danger of being swept away". Is it possible to guess at Austen's attitude toward romance by reading her work? Why or why not?

Tally Ho

Jane walks away from Nobley and Martin at the airport with the parting words, "Tell Mrs. Wattlesbrook I said tallyho". Why does Jane enjoy her last line so much? What does she mean by tallyho?

Ending

Did you like the ending? Thoughts?

Jane Austen

What might Jane Austen think of Austenland, if she were alive today? Could she have possibly anticipated how influential her novels would become, even for twenty-first-century audiences? Could she ever have imagined a fan like Jane Hayes?

austenland: the movie

Do you plan on seeing the movie? Some casting shown in picture below:

top row: J.J Feild as Mr. Nobley, Keri Russel as Jane, and Bret McKenzie as Martin
bottom row: James Callis as Colonel Andrews, Jennifer Coolidge as Miss Charming, Jane Seymour as Mrs. Wattlesbrook, and Rupert Vansittart as Mr. Wattlesbrook.

A New Member!

I am so excited to have a new member to our club! 

Meet Holly...

Holly goes to church with Julie and I . 

Her favorite books include Emma, the Harry Potter series, The Little Prince, Taming of the Shrew, Ender's Game, To Kill a Mockingbird, the Twilight Series, A Christmas Carol, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Help, The Hunger Games, The Screwtape Letters, OPJB, and all of Bill Peet's children's books.