1. Which 2 readings did you complete from the reading list provided (or from your own selections)?
Dubliners: “A Little Cloud” and “A Painful Case” by James Joyce. Trouble is my Business: “The Lady in the Lake” by Raymond Chandler.
2. Based on these readings, compare (3 examples) and contrast (3 examples) the works you read with the themes from the ppt presentations in class on Modernist Culture and Literature.
In the reading “A little cloud” it is clearly represented the pessimism in Little Chandler when he thinks about Gallaher’s life and feels envy, after that he thinks how his life would be if he was alone, i.e. without his wife and his child and all he finds it is coldness. Finally, negative feelings come to him and he just cries.
In the reading “A painful case” we can see a sense of frustration and disillusionment in main characters (Mr. Duffy and Mrs. Sinico). Mrs. Sinico was married, however she feels as lonely as Mr. Duffy, full of coldness and disillusionment, but this became a reason for to be friends until Mrs. Sinico wanted something else than a friendship. Because of this Mr. Duffy cut the relationship causing more disillusionment and a big frustration too. On the other hand, Mr. Duffy demonstrated a sense of spiritual loneliness when rejected to Mrs. Sinico but he felt so guilty at moment of knowing that Mrs. Sinico has committed suicide so the sense of disillusionment continues in his life.
The reading “The lady in the lake” is situated during the Second World War and it is full of passion, corruption and crime represented by common people. Other point that is presented in this story it is the individualism of Mr. Kingsley because he seems to be worried about his wife who disappeared however; the only important thing for him is not to be in a scandal and not to damage his reputation.
Such a contrast we can use the Victorian era and we can say that it is clearly a rejection of that. First, these are not positive stories and have no happy endings, and all happen in the city or in the suburbs full of dark and negative things.
3. Do you feel the works you read are very good or excellent representations of Modernist Literature? Why/Why Not?
I think they are excellent representations because contain intrigue, emotion and action but at the same time are in some cases illogical, pessimistic and negative which are the main themes of this era. Moreover, it is really clear the change of the way that stories are written, i.e. the difference between Victorian era and Modernist era are represented very good by R. Chandler who is sarcastic and cynic, he writes about the capitalist society, where the money and the search of the power are the real engines of the human relations.
4. Would you recommend the readings to friends or family? Why/Why Not?
Of course I would recommend these readings because the stories catch you, and you cannot leave them until you do not read the last line. One of the best things is that in these stories, nothing is what seems and everyone has something to hide. Moreover, these are interesting books and it is easy to read them.
:)
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