One of the secrets being held from the readers by the author is, Is Charlotte really Lottar? there is evidence that can relate the two characters together such as the struggles that they both had; Charlotte financially and Lottar with her struggles to make it around. Perhaps Lottar came from Charlotte? I noticed this a little further on into the story when i started learning more about Charlotte and about Lottar, later on i was able to make the realization that they were quite similar in ways.
This secret is similar to a secret from The Jack Randal Hotel in the sense that we are uncertain of the characters. Is Charlotte really Lottar? In the Jack Randal Hotel, Will is unsure if Ms. Thornaby is really Gail.
I think this secret is extremely important to the rest of the book because this story is about both Charlotte and Lottar and the connections with both characters. This book is very interesting and it leaves us with a huge question between the characters.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
BA #4 The Jack Randa Hotel
I think the biggest secret being kept from the readers by the author is at the end of the book. We know that Gail and her boyfriend were having problems and they seperated- he went for another woman. In the story Gail travels to where the woman lives and begins writing Mr. Thornaby letters. After Mr Thornaby realizes it is Gail he is writing the letters to, he informs her, Gail gets nervous and flies back home. The biggest question for me is Do they get back together? What happens after she goes back home?
This secret is similar to a secret in The Road in the fact that we are left hanging in the end in both books. We do not know what happens in the end of either books.
Im not sure if I think this secret is significant but it does leave the readers curious and wishing there was more to read.
This secret is similar to a secret in The Road in the fact that we are left hanging in the end in both books. We do not know what happens in the end of either books.
Im not sure if I think this secret is significant but it does leave the readers curious and wishing there was more to read.
BA #3 Harrower's Blackbird
One of the secrets being kept from the readers in this story is whether or not Ray has been telling us the truth or not. To me, while reading this story I was a little unsure to if he was telling the truth. He sounded a bit believable for a while when he was telling Una that he told the lady he was seeing the whole story about the two of them. He later confessed that he lied and he really did not tell her anything for he didnt want to ruin what they have. To me this was the turning point, it proved to me that he did not have trouble or remorse for lieing. It made me quesiton the rest of the book.
Comparing this to another secret, Ray was telling Una that she was special and he had such strong feelings for her and she was mature for her age. In the last couple pages of the book quotes "The door opens and a Girl of twelve enters". This other secret (is he with this girl too?) makes us question the words that come out of Rays mouth.
This secret is very significant because if we knew the answer to it, we would know that answer to the entire book. This secret is what makes the book. If we knew the answer there wouldnt be any secrets.
Comparing this to another secret, Ray was telling Una that she was special and he had such strong feelings for her and she was mature for her age. In the last couple pages of the book quotes "The door opens and a Girl of twelve enters". This other secret (is he with this girl too?) makes us question the words that come out of Rays mouth.
This secret is very significant because if we knew the answer to it, we would know that answer to the entire book. This secret is what makes the book. If we knew the answer there wouldnt be any secrets.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
BA#4 The Jack Randa Hotel
I. Munro's short story,The Jack Randa Hotel, holds many secrets. One significant secret is the fact that Gail pretends to be Ms. Thornebe in the letters she writes to a man named Will. This is a secret until revealed to Will about the truth.(PG.188)
II. Another secret in this short story is Gail's landlord is aware that Ms. Thornebe, had died, therefore she was aware that Gail was lying. Tension between these two builds as the landlord holds this secret.
III.These secrets did not effect me from understanding the short story, but as in almost all the other novels and short stories read in class, such as Blackbird, there is an open ending, and curious readers want to know what happens next. In the end of this short novel I am curious as to whether Will returns to her letters, or if he feels the way Gail does.
II. Another secret in this short story is Gail's landlord is aware that Ms. Thornebe, had died, therefore she was aware that Gail was lying. Tension between these two builds as the landlord holds this secret.
III.These secrets did not effect me from understanding the short story, but as in almost all the other novels and short stories read in class, such as Blackbird, there is an open ending, and curious readers want to know what happens next. In the end of this short novel I am curious as to whether Will returns to her letters, or if he feels the way Gail does.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
BA#4 The Jack Randa Hotel
I. There are many secrets being kept in this story. Gail who is also known as Mrs Massie, leave Will the man she's been writing, a letter that she sends him in a significant box. The letter tells Will that its up to him to find her. This leaves you wondering wether or not he actually will track her down, and what will happen.
II. This is similar in many ways to Blackbird. It leaves the story with multiple possibilities. It is also similar to the relationship between the main characters of Blackbird. I feel this way because in both stories the characters have feelings for one another but are almost ashamed to admit it.
III. This story i felt was very odd. It leaves you open with a lot of ideas on what could happen. I feel as though Monro is very good at leaving the reader hanging in a lot of work.
II. This is similar in many ways to Blackbird. It leaves the story with multiple possibilities. It is also similar to the relationship between the main characters of Blackbird. I feel this way because in both stories the characters have feelings for one another but are almost ashamed to admit it.
III. This story i felt was very odd. It leaves you open with a lot of ideas on what could happen. I feel as though Monro is very good at leaving the reader hanging in a lot of work.
ba#5- munro's 'the albanian virgin'
1) 'the albanian virgin' has been the short story with the most substance of munro's thus far. There are a few secrets in this story, but the most intriguing one is that of the connection between Charlotte and Lottar. I think it to be more of a 'second-guess,' but the fact that Munro never specifies leaves it open to question. I first thought the connection to be when on page 85 Claire becomes the narrator and talks of Charlotte, which Lottar ("was what they made of it{her name} pg 81) is told by Charlotte. From there are a few connections between stories.
2) This secret reminds me of the story "Carried Away," merely because from the end of the story, through the next whole reading, I was confused about whatever happened to Jack, and the character whom Louisa sees at the end. It is a case of identity, where the characters are telling stories which could or could not be about themselves. In the case of "the Albanian Virgin," I trluy think that Lottar is Charlotte, and am about 90% believing that Gurdji is the Fransican priest. I am not so clear on that, as there is much less evidence of the priest vs gurdji as lottar vs charlotte (which are uncanny similarities).
3) This unknowing is definitely essential to the narrative, as it allows us to relate the two main, women, characters, Charlotte and Claire. Believing that Charlotte is telling Claire the life of her younghood is comforting to us, the reader, as we get to know Claire(and Charlotte). We are opened to similarities (being all alone for a period of life) and similar circumstances (not having any men {whether publicly or personally forced} upon you) and similiar endings (being the unknown {where did Charlotte and Ghurdji disappear to? for what reason, really, has nelson come to see claire? who was met by "him"--past or present?}). The connection between the two women characters is essential to the reading of this story, as you see their soul connection across different times, different cultures, and different circumstances.
2) This secret reminds me of the story "Carried Away," merely because from the end of the story, through the next whole reading, I was confused about whatever happened to Jack, and the character whom Louisa sees at the end. It is a case of identity, where the characters are telling stories which could or could not be about themselves. In the case of "the Albanian Virgin," I trluy think that Lottar is Charlotte, and am about 90% believing that Gurdji is the Fransican priest. I am not so clear on that, as there is much less evidence of the priest vs gurdji as lottar vs charlotte (which are uncanny similarities).
3) This unknowing is definitely essential to the narrative, as it allows us to relate the two main, women, characters, Charlotte and Claire. Believing that Charlotte is telling Claire the life of her younghood is comforting to us, the reader, as we get to know Claire(and Charlotte). We are opened to similarities (being all alone for a period of life) and similar circumstances (not having any men {whether publicly or personally forced} upon you) and similiar endings (being the unknown {where did Charlotte and Ghurdji disappear to? for what reason, really, has nelson come to see claire? who was met by "him"--past or present?}). The connection between the two women characters is essential to the reading of this story, as you see their soul connection across different times, different cultures, and different circumstances.
BA # 5 The Albanian Virgin
1. The secret is that Charlotte is Lottar, this secret is kept from the reader until the end of the novel when the reader has enough information to figure out the story. " Iheard this story in the old St. Joseph's Hospital in Victoria from Charlotte, who was a sort of friend... (page 85)".
2. This secret is like the secret in The Road because both secrets are known by one character, the father in the road and Charlotte in Albanian Virgin, but the reader is left to make their own judgments. In both cases the son and Sylvia know more than the reader but not by much, and they do not tell the reader everything they know. The last line of Virgin states that she (charlotte) called him (the Franciscan) and he was waiting on the dock. In The Road the last few lines hint of a lingering possible future. In both cases the reader is not given explicit directions on what to think.
3. It vitally important to understand that Lottar and Charlotte are the same person. This is vital because otherwise the story doesn't make a lot of sense. The two narratives are intertwined so that if they don't have something connecting them other than the fact that Charlotte is telling him the story line falls apart. More than that Charlotte and the Franciscan were a love story, and throughout their history they came together and fell apart, it would fit the story if they were to come together again after being apart.
2. This secret is like the secret in The Road because both secrets are known by one character, the father in the road and Charlotte in Albanian Virgin, but the reader is left to make their own judgments. In both cases the son and Sylvia know more than the reader but not by much, and they do not tell the reader everything they know. The last line of Virgin states that she (charlotte) called him (the Franciscan) and he was waiting on the dock. In The Road the last few lines hint of a lingering possible future. In both cases the reader is not given explicit directions on what to think.
3. It vitally important to understand that Lottar and Charlotte are the same person. This is vital because otherwise the story doesn't make a lot of sense. The two narratives are intertwined so that if they don't have something connecting them other than the fact that Charlotte is telling him the story line falls apart. More than that Charlotte and the Franciscan were a love story, and throughout their history they came together and fell apart, it would fit the story if they were to come together again after being apart.
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