Discussion Responses

1. A Summer’s Day - What is the significance of the station wagons?

There is a great deal of significance associated with the station wagons. To begin with the station wagons arrival signifies the cyclic years that go by, with very little change. Jack in the first chapter acts as an observer as the station wagons arrive. As he observes, he also stereotypes the college students. He groups them all together as the same kids because they all, in his mind, drive station wagons. Him and his wife term the even the arrival of station wagons to poke fun at the conformity and lack of individuality society has at times.

2. Fifteen Miles East - Analyze the statement "Everything is concealed in symbolism, hidden by vails of mystery and layers of cultural material (37)."

This statement seems to be humorous because Murray seems to over think the world. He over generalizes that every single thing is symbolism. This is funny because it is exactly how we would expect a college professor to think. The theory he proposes seems a bit farfetched, characterizing Murray himself as intelligent but maybe a bit crazy. Murray engulfs himself in thought, rather than living in the moment. Saying everything is “concealed in symbolism” means he believes there may be much more to life and simple things than what is presented before him. This line certainly shows his enthusiasm and belief in philosophy.

3. She Said She Said- I've noticed numerous short sentences in this chapter and throughout the book concerning the murmer of mechanical things and technology. For instance, "Blue jeans tumbled in the dreyer." What is the significance of these seemingly random sentences?

These short sentences are significant because they bring a sense of normality to a very abnormal family. Jack himself has had four wives and many children, and now he lives in a household randomly composed of children from past marriages and Babette’s children. Not only do these short sentences involving technology suggest normality but they also show what social class they are of and the modern time frame. These sentences are very random but they help develop the family as middle class members of society. As technology advances and surrounds them, Jack still dwells in the past at times, teaching history.

White Noise Discussion Questions

1. Why does DeLillo use long, extensive lists with uncommon items to describe the college students and their arrival?

3. Does the title "Gladney's Hitler" make Jack seem important on the campus or unessential?

5. How is Murray different than Jack based on dialog?

7. What is the importance of the reappearing question "who will die first"?

9. Why is the school evacuation played off as not too serious? There is little discussion of it... why?

11. How do Babette's memory problems help to characterize her?

Hamlet 2.2

1. Scene 2.2 is an incredibly long scene with a great deal of action and information for the audience. At the beginning of the scene the King meets with his two new spies Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, who are friends of Hamlets from school. They are to find out what is wrong with Hamlet and what is causing his extreme grief. The ambassadors then enter with news that Fortinbras' uncle has yelled at Fortinbras for preparing to attack and has sent him to attack the "polack" instead. The king gives Fortinbras permission to cross there land to Poland. Polonius then enters and states that he has found the reason Hamlet is so upset. He says that Hamlet is so madly in love with Ophelia that he is acting strangely. He reads a letter from Hamlet to Ophelia out loud to the King and Queen. Hamlet also meets with Polonius a few times in this scene, where he acts mad and mocks Polonius, although Polonius does not realize that Hamlet is making fun of him. Hamlet then meets with the spies and figures them out with haste. He is informed by them that actors have arrived and this excites Hamlet greatly. He goes to them, treating them like royalty, and even puts on a bit of acting himself before the leader of the troop acts a scene out for him. Hamlet asks the actors to do a play called the Murder of Gonzago and even add in his own lines. They agree to do it and then Hamlet begins his second soliloquy.

2. This scene develops Hamlet greatly through his dialog and soliloquy, showing how he is torn between the "golden times" and the new age of reason. Most importantly, Hamlet lays out a plan to discovering if his Uncle is truly guilty, and if so he will act.

3. Hamlet- Why have you waited so long to act and kill your Uncle. Hamlet- why do you mock Polonius, out of fun or to prove a point? King- are you sending the spies because you think Hamlet may know about the murder you committed? Hamlet- Why do you switch back and forth between faith and reason? Queen- do you really not know that your new husband killed your old one?

Hamlet 1.4

1. This scene is relatively short compared to the others in act 1. In scene 4 of act 1 Hamlet, Horatio, and Marcellus enter on the guard platform where it is very cold. Moments later they here trumpets and Hamlet explains that the new king and queen at that moment are "celebrating" after the wedding. Next, the ghost enters but does not speak in front of all of them. The ghost beckons to Hamlet who are argues that he should follow the ghost, because the ghost may show him something important. Marcellus and Horatio attempt to stop him from going but Hamlet runs off anyway and the other two decide to follow close behind him.

2. The significance of this scene is to characterize Hamlet and show his faith as opposed to Horatio's reason. This scene develops a spectrum as the ghost represents the spiritual world and Horatio represents the world of reason; Hamlet is caught in between the two.

7. I can reason with Hamlet in this scene. If someone told me they saw my fathers ghost I would be much more curious than they would to follow it. I understand how curious he must be, especially because there may be a message that the ghost must deliver to him. If he had already scene a ghost, what is there not to believe could have! Hamlet did the right thing in following the ghost. What does he have to lose, his dad just died and his mother married his uncle!

March Madness

My favorite time of the year is finally here... MARCH MADNESS. Personally, I would like to see Notre Dame win the NCAA tournament, but who knows what will happen. If you are looking for a pool to enter in, contact me!

Act 1 Scene 2

1. This scene opens with the king discussing to his countrymen that he has married his brothers wife. He claims it is both a sad and happy time with the recent funeral and wedding. The king states that they will not be afraid of the young Fortinbras who is plotting against them as they speak. Instead the king has a letter sent to his uncle to tell the uncle what Fortinbras is up to. Next, Laertes appears before the king and the king allows him to go back to school. After this we meet Hamlet for the first time, but he is still moaning his father's death and is upset that his uncle is marrying his mother. The king attempts to cheer him up but Hamlet stays in his melodramatic mood. The king and the queen decide that Hamlet is not to go back to school even though he would like to. Finally, Horatio, Hamlet's good friend, enters with Marcellus and Bernardo. The three of them tell Hamlet that they have seen his father's ghost while on watch and Hamlet decides that he must come see it.

2. The significance of this scene is to introduce the protagonist Hamlet and provide more exposition and rising action, as the audience finds out about the kings marriage, Fortinbras' plotting, and Hamlet's reaction to the ghost.

4. One striking line in the play comes from Hamlet when he says "I doubt some foul play." The word doubt here means that he is suspicious. What Hamlet is saying is that he suspects that something might be peculiar about his father's death. This line is foreshadowing that keeps the audience on edge. Maybe there really is something unusual about Hamlet's father's death. In the next line Hamlet goes on to say "foul deeds will rise." This is even more foreshadowing that thickens the developing plot.

Hamlet 1.1

1. Summarize: Bernardo comes in the night to relieve Francisco from his duty on guard. Moments later Marcellus and Horatio enter the scene as Francisco is exiting. They discuss the past appearances of the apparition, but Horatio is very skeptical about the ghost being real. Soon the ghost enters the scene and they are all frightened. Horatio, the "scholar" is the only one who actually speaks to the ghost. The ghost resembles the king, Hamlet. More exposition is added about the battle between Hamlet and Fortinbras and the audience finds out that the young Fortinbras seeks revenge and wants his fathers land back. The ghost appears again and they ineffectually attempt to strike at it, but the ghost exits when the cock crows.

2. The significance of this scene is to provide exposition, pull in the audience with the fear of the apparition, and begin to flip the "order."

3. Horatio says "In the most high and palmy state of Rome, A little ere the mightiest Julius fell." This line is interesting because Shakespeare in connecting this play to his previous play Julius Caesar. Just like order was completely lost in that play, Horatio foreshadows what may happen in this one. The murder of Caesar was also a sudden event which may indicate a sudden change of events in this play. I liked the allusion Shakespeare incorporated here.