OVOV: Other Voices, Other Vistas:

AFRICA section: 27] Achebe: "Civil Peace" (6.3p); 52] Head: "The Collector of Treasures"(20.5p);

INDIA section: 219] Desai, "Pigeons at Daybreak" (10 p); 258] Jhabvala, "The Interview" (12.6p); 291] Singh, "The Wog" 18.

JAPAN section: 315] Kobo, "The Magic Chalk" (12p)(We won’t discuss this; rather you are asked to interpret, and draw connections to other authors);

LATIN AMERICA section: 429] Allende, "Clarisa" (10.5 p); Marquez, "Death Constant Beyond Love" 462-471](8).

A. AFRICA - -

  1. 27-34] "Civil Peace" gen-- Find Leitmotivs.
  2. 28-30] " " How is this situation like "Earthquake..." How unlike?
  3. 30]f " " Find a poetic perspective on the business world.
  4. 33]f " " What would you have done? Is Jonathan lucky?

    5. --
    12. 52-56] "The Collector of Treasures" -- How might the author’s biography relate to this crime?

    13. 58]f How has history determined the women’s private lives?

    14. 53-62] What are some positive aspects of D’s life?

    15. 65] How does K’s offer fit the story?

    16. 67] Why is schooling so important?

    17. 68]f How has her husband been influenced by colonialism?

    18. 71-73] Why did she do it? Is she a criminal?
    --
     

B. INDIA - -
    1. "Pigeons at Daybreak" 220-225]-- What do we learn about this couple’s life from the exposition?

    2. Gen--"" The setting--the developing world--is a component of the story. Find examples.

    3. Gen.--" " Interpret the title.

  1. "The Interview" 258-271] Gen-This is a woman writer’s description of a man’s life. Look for evidence of that.
  2. 259-261] What is strange about the relationships among the women of the household?
  3. 261] Find a thematic motif on this page (& elsewhere).
  4. 262] How do the rules of tradition affect the narrator’s feelings?
  5. 263-264] What obstacles stand in the way of him getting a good job?
  6. 266] Compare the narrator to his brother. Do they get along?
  7. 267-269] How did the interview go?
  8. 270-171] We’re back at home, and to the two women. Is the narrator evil? --no good?
  9. Gen- Compare to characters of other authors, such as Calvino.
  10. Gen.-What do we learn about culture in this story?
  11. 291-310] "The Wog" 292-293] What are the characteristics of a "Wog"?
  12. 294-295] " " How might these marriage customs affect the story to come? Compare with those in "The Interview."
  13. 298-299] Interpret the eating ceremony and the items eaten.
  14. 300] Does Sen have respect for Hindu tradition? What has become of tradition?
  15. 302-304] Is the wedding night comic or tragic?
  16. 306-307] How does the bride’s clan react to Sen’s behavior?
  17. 308] Is he inAmerica here? In England?
  18. The End: Who’s guilty?


C. JAPAN - - "The Magic Chalk" -- **Cf. Instructions re final exam. Read thoughtfully,& twice. Which European author(s) does it remind you of?
 

D. LATIN AMERICA -- p. 429] Allende: "Clarisa"

l. 430]f Find examples of humor.

2. 432] Describe Clarisa’s husband.

3. 433] What is unusual about her 1st two children?

4. 431, 434] How is she saint-like?

5. 435] What is her "irrefutable logic"?

6. 436]f How does her family situation change?

7. 439] What is her sin?

8. 440] What do we learn about her visitors?

  1. 441] What is special about Cienfuego?

    2. …
  2. 462] Márquez: "Death Constant Beyond Love"
  3. 462]& gen--Can you fit this quotation from McMurray to the story?
  4. 464] 7 gen--What’s the difference between appearance and reality in this story?
  5. 464-465] What is the nature of his campaign?
  6. 466]f What’s his relationship to the voters?
  7. 469-471] What is Laura’s role in his career and life?
Return to FL 209 syllabus
8 Jan 2001