Plato's 'Republic'

For this reading, please pick two passages from the text that interest or intrigue you and write about them. What do you think Plato reveals in this dialogue through the passages you have chosen (themes, ideas, analyses, etc.).

Also - Please post on your blog at least one question you have about the reading that you can address to Professor Borck.

Odyssey (Day Four: Books 16-20; Day Five: Books 21-24)

Consider at least two of the following topics from each day for your blog discussions (or bring up your own topics with analyses). Use specific quotes from the text to support your statements. Remember - I would like to see your own thoughts and analysis of the text, NOT general statements about plot or incoherent sentences that say nothing.

For Day Four (Books 16-20):

1. Meeting of father and son, hiding identity from Eumaeus

2. The character of Melanthius

3. Odysseus's test of the suitors

4. The character of Irus

5. The text's treatment of Penelope

For Day Five (Books 21-24):

1. The symbolism of Odysseus's bow

2. The violence against the suitors and guilty women - can this violence be justified when Odysseus's entire journey is one away from the violence of his past? Can further murders negate his murderous past?

3. The symbolism of the bed

4. The resolution of the final book

5. Final thoughts about the epic poem (possible topics of discussion: appearance vs. reality, intelligence, hospitality, gender, violence vs. peace, loyalty vs. infidelity, etc.)

Clip from "Outnumbered" I mentioned in class

Calypso - Suzanne Vega

The Odyssey (Day Three: Books 11-15)

These questions are for Wednesday. Questions for Monday are below.

Please answer two questions or bring up your own topics and analyses for discussion.

1. Book 11 is Odysseus's descent into Hades. How do you interpret this descent (metaphorically)? This is really a descent into what? To whom does he speak in Hades? Why?

2. Book 12 presents a series of tests for Odysseus: (1) the sirens, (2) Scylla and Charybdis and (3) the Cattle of the Sun. Choose one of these tests and analyse it by answering these questions: (1) what does this test represent? (2) What do the elements of this test represent (the sirens, Scylla / Charybdis, the Sun)? (3) Who succeeds and who fails? What does this success and / or failure represent?

3. How do Odysseus's tests and trials ready him for his return to Ithaca in Book 13? Why the need for a disguise (yes a literal reading is obvious, I'm looking for the symbolism of the disguise)?

4. What does Eumaeus represent in book 14? Why the need to move from the seashore to his hut? What does this transition represent?

Trailer to Werner Herzog's "Cave of Forgotten Dreams"

This is the trailer to the film I mentioned in class last week:

Homer's Odyssey (Day Two: Books 6-10)

Please answer two questions or come up with your own topics of discussion (with analyses).

Remember, your answers should reflect that you have READ and THOUGHT critically about the text. No short two-sentence "answers" that say nothing except general statements my eight year-old niece could make because they are so obvious.

Please use specific scenes / quotes from the text to justify your responses.

1. What do Calypso (Book 5) and her island represent within the overall story? How might she be an ambiguous character within the text? How might Calypso be a kind of "anti-Penelope?"

2. The central characters of Books 6-7 are Naucisaa, Arete and King Alcinous. What do they (along with where they live) represent in Odysseus's journey (remember, these are the first characters he meets after Calypso - how does this move represent the beginning of his "journey home"?).

3. Book 8 introduces Demodocus, the blind singer. This book introduces what important theme into the work (that we have already discussed, but here is it quite obvious). How does Demodocus become a "key player" in Odysseus's journey home? Why?

4. Book 9 with its Cyclops is one of the most famous episodes of 'The Odyssey.' What do the Cyclops represent? How does what he represents indicate a kind of "starting point" for Odysseus's trials on his journey? Why the need for these trials? How do you interpret Odysseus's statement that he is "Nobody"?

5. How is Book 10 in many ways the "opposite" of Book 9? Aeolus and the Laestrygonians represent what themes? Why do they both cast him away?

Homer's Odyssey (Day One: Books 1-5)

Please respond to two questions or bring up your own topics (and analyses) for discussion:

1. The opening verses (the prologue) of Book One (approximately verses 1-25) sets the stage for this epic poem. What are the main themes / ideas you find here. Why do you think this is the case (something more than "Because this is what the story will be about..." - that is too obvious)? What about the speaker of this epic - what purposes does this poetic voice serve? How does it accomplish what it sets out to do?

2. After the prologue, Book One is a study in contrasts. We have two groups (the gods and the humans) described in detail here. How does the text juxtapose one group against the other? Why do you think this is the case?

3. Do a character study of Telemachus. Use specific quotes from the text to defend your analysis.

4. Why do you think we have to hear Telemachus's story before we ever get to Odysseus? Why the son before the father (especially if this is a story about Odysseus - or is it?)?

5. Why does Telemachus go where he does? How might his physical journey also represent a symbolic journey of growth? Think about whom he visits - why these specific characters? Use specific quotes from the text to defend your analysis.

Jacob's Ladder with String

Genesis (Day Five: Chapters 37, 39-50)

For today's blog, bring up at least two topics of interest and write a short and cohesive argument explaining why these themes are important to an understanding of the Joseph narrative.

Revised Syllabus

Monday - February 13 - Genesis (Chapters 37, 39 - 50)

Wednesday - February 15 - The Odyssey (Books 1 - 5)

Monday - February 20 - The Odyssey (Books 6 - 10)

Wednesday - February 22 - The Odyssey (Books 11 - 15)

Monday - February 27 - The Odyssey (Books 16 - 20)

Wednesday - February 29 - The Odyssey (Books 21 - 24)

Monday - March 5 - Presentation on Greek politics by Dr. Borck

Gauguin's "Jacob Wrestling with the Angel (The Vision after the Sermon)"

Some of you may be familiar with Gauguin's painting inspired by one of our readings for this week.

Genesis (Day Four: Chapters 25-28, 32-33)

Please answer at least three questions or bring up your own topics (and answers) for discussion.

Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob and Esau (Chapters 25-27)

These chapters present us with even more family drama revolving around brothers (we have already seen Cain and Abel, Isaac and Ishmael and now Jacob and Esau). Jacob and Esau though are twins.

1. What problems arise from these two "firstborn" sons? How does twinship in this story only seem to compound the problems we have already seen with brothers? Do a character study of Jacob and / or Esau. Use specific quotes form the text to support your reasoning.

2. Look at the role of the parents in this conflict. Do a character study of Isaac and / or Rebecca. Use specific quotes from the text to support your reasoning.

3. What do you make of Isaac's (and ultimately Esau's) deception? What do you make of Rebecca's role in this deception? She gives two important speeches (27:43-45 and 27:46) - what do you make of these speeches?

Jacob's Dream (Chapter 28)

4. How do you interpret the various elements of Jacob's dream and what might they mean within the larger scope of Genesis?

Jacob Wrestling (Chapters 32-33)

5. We are told here that "Jacob was left alone" (32:24). How do you interpret this with what follows - the wrestling with "something"? How do you interpret this wrestling? What or whom exactly might Jacob wrestle? Why?

Genesis (Day Three: Chapters 12, 16-18, 21-23)

Please answer at least three questions or bring up your own topics (and responses) for discussion:

THE JOURNEY TO EGYPT

1. Why does Abram / Abraham react the way he does before going to Egypt? There is no textual evidence to support the fact that the Egyptians will kill him (and as it turns out, Pharaoh is morally outraged at the outcome of the situation). What does this say about one's encounter with the other?

2. What if we look at the story from Sarah's perspective. Why does she remain silent and complicit? (She certainly speaks later on, so we cannot blame this on some kind of misogynistic editing.) What does she gain here?

ABRAHAM, SARAH AND HAGAR

3. This is the first love triangle in Genesis. What very human problems arise from this triangle? How do you analyze the story along lines such as gender, class, ethnicity? What does the story reveal about suffering (from Hagar's point of view)?

ABRAHAM AND ISAAC

4. This story is almost unreadable - a father who willingly will murder his own son in cold blood because a voice tells him to do so. Why does God test Abraham here (and with such a horrific test)? Abraham has already proven his fidelity to God - he has left his homeland after hearing a 'divine voice,' moved his wife and possessions to another place. Why does God need more proof? What might this story be stating about Abraham's relationship with the divine? Go to specific points within the text to support your analysis.

Noah's Ark and Green Porno

If you don't know about Isabella Rossellini's series "Green Porno" you should. Here is one she did for Noah's ark. You can check out the other videos here: http://www.sundancechannel.com/greenporno/