Lying & dying

Part 1 ¶ 62:
I would not have gone so far as to fight for Kurtz, but I went for him near enough to a lie. You know I hate, detest, and can’t bear a lie, not because I am straighter than the rest of us, but simply because it appalls me. There is a taint of death, a flavour of mortality in lies—which is exactly what I hate and detest in the world—what I want to forget. It makes me miserable and sick, like biting something rotten would do.

What lie does Marlow tell for Kurtz, and why does he tell it? How does Marlow become entangled in a lie--bite into something rotten--when he signs on as a steamboat captain in the Congo?

Fine tune your antennae

From Part 1, ¶ 9:
The yarns of seamen have a direct simplicity, the whole meaning of which lies within the shell of a cracked nut. But Marlow was not typical (if his propensity to spin yarns be excepted), and to him the meaning of an episode was not inside like a kernel but outside, enveloping the tale which brought it out only as a glow brings out a haze, in the likeness of one of these misty halos that sometimes are made visible by the spectral illumination of moonshine.

From Part 1, ¶ 14:
We looked on, waiting patiently—there was nothing else to do till the end of the flood; but it was only after a long silence, when he said, in a hesitating voice, “I suppose you fellows remember I did once turn fresh-water sailor for a bit,” that we knew we were fated, before the ebb began to run, to hear about one of Marlow’s inconclusive experiences.

In his indirect way, the narrator (& maybe the author) is warning his readers about the tale Marlow will relate. What do his warnings tell us to expect? What do they tell us of Marlow’s character?

Oedipal dialogues to prepare for timed writing, plus Fidelio

For this posting, choose something significant you gleaned from your reading of any of the three analytical essays you've read and annotated over the past few days. Discuss it or question it and see what perceptions and observations your classmates have made. If you're not sure what to say, check out the class comments from Mrs. Minor's blog, at http://wviewaplitminor.blogspot.com.
PS: I've made reservations for these people for Fidelio: Roopa, David, Aditya, Brianna, Camden, Jill, Miranda, Alexander and one of the "maybes". I can handle a loss of $12, but anything beyond that will hurt, so please bring a check or cash if you haven't paid yet.

Get down with Ludwig Van and get some culture!

Hey, Kids!--
I meant to tell you on Wednesday about the AP Lit opera tradition. Every year you have a chance--for a mere $12--to soak up some big-time Western culture by attending a Portland Opera dress rehearsal. It's fun to dress up and do the performing arts patron thing with your classmates & teachers. This fall's offering is "Fidelio," the only opera Beethoven wrote, and it's a great one that reflects the man's passion for liberty and the human spirit. Remember, this is the guy who wrote the Eroica Symphony with Napoleon in mind; then when he realized the Corsican was just another rapacious world conqueror, scratched out Napoleon's name so furiously that he left a hole in the first page of the symphony.
I'll tell you more on Monday after the Lit terms 2 quiz. And Matt, take heart. I wouldn't have anyone else pass out those smokin' exams. The darkest hour, as they say, is always just before the dawn. For us, dawn will be 7:45 on the nose.
See you then!
--JD

Lit terms quiz Wednesday

Come to class with your lit terms down. The section in question is Drama. Everyone should ace this one!