A. Voltaire's "Micromegas" -- Voltaire’s "Micromegas"

1. V. spent a lot of time in at the court of Friedrich II, King of Prussia. How might this relate to this story?

2. p.7] What is the critique of the clergy here?

3. 5-9] How is this typical of the 18^th century?

4. 13] & before—Find examples of the thinking of a scientist or intellectual of some sort.

5. 15] & before—Find a physics mistake.

6. 17] This lady is a typical 18^th century woman. Explain.

7. 19] & general—note the footnotes to the left pages in French.

8. 21] 17^th and 18^th c. fascination with math—look for evidence of it here.

9. 23] Is this good physics?

10. 23] bottom—How is human defined?

11. 27] Is there pornography here?

12. 33] Did you expect the traveler to be impressed?

13. 33, 35] Some say humans will evolve to have heads, arms, and no legs Why? Your view?

14. 35]bottom—"Translate" this conversation.

15. 37] Is there truth to the satire?

16. 39] & gen.—Are intellectuals amusing? …and today?

17. 41] Define the soul.

18. 41] What is anthropomorphism? Do you believe in it?

19. 43] Interpret the ending.

B. Balzac’s "The Atheist’s Mass"--44-81]

1.47-49] Aside from his reputation as a Dr. what is significant about Despleins?

2. 51] D. Is called excentric. Why? Are his religious views unusual for a Dr.?

3. 53-55] Characterize Horace Bianchon.

4. 57-61] & gen.-- What does the water carrier incident reveal about Dr. Desplains?

5. 59-63] Why is the Saint-Sulpice episode important to Bianchon?

6. ??] This story has a large frame. Where does the frame end and the story proper begin?

7. Gen.--19th century French lit. is full of stories of poverty. Is this world too remote from DuPage County, or can you find parallels to the young Despleins’ problems?

8. 69-71] Why do you suppose he interjects this rumination about the present-day Dr. problems?

9. 71] & later--What is the role of this trunk?

10. 73] What’s important about Bourgeat?

11. 75] What motivation might Bourgeat have for helping D.?

12. 79] What’s Bourgeat’s dying wish?

13. Last page] What’s your interpretation of the ending?

[ C. *on-line reading: "Facino Cane" ]

1. Note the social classes.
2. "I was able to live their lives." Explain.

4. The setting? The music?

5. How old is the Venetian?

6. How did he come to lose his fortune?

7. What’s the role of blindness in the narrative?

8. Ending--Interpret__________

9. General--What fairy tale elements are found in the story?

10. " Do you believe his tale?

D. Flaubert's "The Legend of St. Julien the Hospitalier" 82-139]

1. Gen.--Look for fairy tale elements, and any parallels to stories we’ve read so far.

2. Gen.--Your views on hunting? Why is it now controversial? Is fishing better?...bullfighting?

3. 85-87] What’s the atmosphere like?

4. 91] Where had these pilgrims been?

5. 93] & gen.--How many kinds of animals are mentioned? What happens to the mouse?

6. 95-99] What style of hunter is he? Do you know about falconry?

7. 101-103] What changes the hunting conditions?

8. 105] What does the large stag say to J.? Why do you suppose he speaks that way?

9. 105-109] Describe the next phase of his life.

10. 111-115] What does he do about the "need to hunt"?

11. 119-123] What is peculiar about this hunting expedition?

12. 129-141] How does he live out his life? What made of J. A legend?

13. Gen.-- Find examples of a style which corresponds to the events.

C. Baudelaire’s "Spleen of Paris" (3 parts) 140-159]

1. Gen.-- Compare the 3 portraits. Relate each to Paris (big city life).

2. Gen.-- Baudelaire was considered ahead of his time. What about these vignettes is modern?

3. Gen.-- What is the narrator like?

D. Guy de Maupassant’s "Minuet" 160-173]

1. Gen.--The intro. calls his stories "dramas in miniature." What is dramatic about this one?

2. Gen.-How does the frame prepare the reader for the main characters of the story?

3. 169-171] Find expression that indicate the age of the dancers.

[ *E. Maupassant's "Mademoiselle Fifi" on-line ]

1. Note unusual features of "Fifi."

2. Who altered the paintings? Why?

3. Why is there an explosion?

4. Who resists the Prussians? How?

5. The eve. starts conventionally--for GdM. Signs of trouble?

6. In what sense is this story-a. outdated? -b.relevant?

7. Gen--Find examples of loose ends being tied up, //'s to other stories. Where do you rank it among GdM's stories?

G. Gide’s "The Return of the Prodigal Son" 198-233]

1. 201] Give a modern example of "disorderly excitement...in place of happiness."

2. Gen.--Do you know the biblical story on which this is based?

3. 205-207] What about this conversation seems modern? ...what seems old-fashioned (biblical)?

4. 209-215] Compare the 2 brothers. Who is "better"?

5. 215-223] The mother--Is she motherly? What is her point?

6. 223-233] Is the Younger Brother typical of younger brothers?

7. 229] Which brother is learning? What is the point here?

8. 231-233] Why this ending? Can you generalize about it?

1. After Gide, read on-line Kafka's "A Hunger Artist" here:


http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~n9648471/kafka/khungerartist.html

*study questions either to come or will be handed out. If you're absent, e-mail me.

2. After Kafka, the hand-out of Colette's "The Hand"

H. Aymé’s "The Passer-through-Walls" 246-269]

1. 249] and previous stories (Maupassant, for ex.): What does the hero’s age mean for a story (here 43)?

2. 251] What do his hobbies reveal about him? 3. 251] The exposition ends, the development begins: where?

4. 253] How much does he suffer? 5. 255-257] In what sense is he more marginalized now?

5. 261] What makes him an interesting prisoner? 6. 265-267]What do we learn about love and courtship?

7. 265-267] & gen.--This is a comic piece. In what sense is it also a "legend"?

(Next reading is from The Art of the Tale) We will return to this book. Cf. Syllabus.

I. After: ART OF THE TALE--> then BACK to the French Stories for

Camus’ "The Guest" 270-304]

1. 273] What indicates a colonialist relationship (France ruling over Algeria) here?

2. 273-275] How does the lay of the land affect the drama?

3. 281] & before--What do we know about the world of the novella?

4. 277] on--How does this story relate to the title of the collection, Exile and the Kingdom?

5. 279-283] What is Daru’s situation? Why the tension?

6. 279-285] What is Balducci’s situation? How do you view the Arab’s crime?

7. 287] How might geology relate to the atmosphere of this story (& "Adulterous...")?

8. 291] How much does the prisoner know about his situation?

9. 293] Find an example of good writing here. What makes it good?

10. 297] What steps might be be hearing (or imagining)?

11. Gen. Look for parallels with the next story, by Oz. How are the 2 stories different?

12. 297] Who are "his own people"?

13. 299] Interpret this important page.

14. Gen. How is this like "Adulterous Woman"?

15 Gen---French title is "Guest" but the word can also mean "Host." Interpret the title.

Now back to Art of the Tale again for Achebe's "The Sacrificial Egg." 5-8]…
 
 

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Page last updated 6 February 2001