Questions for Buñuel's "That Obscure Object of Desire"

Please answer at least two of the following questions:

1. Why do you think the film is titled That Obscure Object of Desire? What is this “obscure object”? How does the film present it as such? Use specific imagery or scenes from the film in your answer.

2. Why do you think terrorism is an ever-pervasive “background” to the events of the film?

3. Why do you think Buñuel uses two actresses to play the part of Conchita? Refer to specific scenes in which one or the other appears to support your answer.

4. What do you make of the animal imagery in the text (the mouse, the fly)?

5. Why do you think Matthieu is the narrator of the film? Why is most of the film a flashback? (Think about who is sitting next to Matthieu in the train compartment.)

6. How does the world of Celestina infiltrate and influence this film? Refer to specific images or scenes from the film to support your answer.

7. Do you have any interpretation of the final moments of the film? (The sewing, the music, the explosion….)

8. Why do you think we see the burlap sac at various parts throughout the film, first carried by a passerby, and then Matthieu, and then again at the end of the film?

Celestina - Day Five

Questions from Kailee and Natalia:

Act 18 - What is Areusa's motive for plotting to murder Calisto? Is she just being cruel or does Calisto deserve it? Why do you think Elicia says, "Punish him with a beating, but don't kill him." Is she being sincere when she says this?

Act 19 - Is it better that Calisto dies in an accident as opposed to being murdered? Calisto is dead, so does it make a difference how he dies? What do you make of Melibea's reaction to Calisto's death?

Act 20 - Did it surprise you when Melibea commits suicide or were you expecting it? Were you expecting her to go through with it or did you think Melibea's father would somehow stop her?

Act 21 - Why do you think the author has Melibea's father make a very long speech about her suicide but does not really show Melibea's mother's reaction? Why do we hear so little from her Why is it for the most part the first time Melibea's parents speak? Why does Melibea's father react to her suicide but not to the revelation that Melibea had been seeing Calisto in secret for months?

Celestina - Day Four

Questions fro Andrew and Zeke

Act 12: Given the respective character/traits of Sempronio,
Parmeno and Celestina, is Old Celly really a victim or does
she get her just desserts? Were the servants justified in
murdering her or were they acting of pure greed? Is it
possible to sympathize with either party? Etc.

Act 13/14: Why does Calisto grieve his servants' and
Celestina's deaths? What motivates him to 'grieve'? Or,
given what happens at the end of chapter 13 and all of
chapter 14, would you say he is really even 'grieving'?

Act 15: "And as that metal has such qualities that the more
we drink the thirstier we get and prompts unholy greed ,
when she saw she was so rich, she swanned of with her
earnings and refused to share anything with Sempronio or
Parmeno, although they'd agreed to divide up whatever
Calisto paid out." (161) The above quote refers to the
golden chain Celestina received earlier in the story. How
does the chain act as a vice to Celestina and those around
her?

Act 16: Initially Melibea had a virginal facade; everyone
thought of her as extremely chaste and she seemed happy with
that. In this chapter, she and her servant overhear the
former's parents planning to marry her off and she gets very
"upset by the idea they have of [her] presumed state of
innocence" (168). In your opinion, has tasting 'forbidden
fruit' changed her outlook so drastically? Is this part of a
rebellion against the wall of oppression her father's made
for her?

Act 17: "However, why do we possess common sense, if not to
look our losses in the eye and see that cosmetics and
clothes can make a lass beautiful, even when she's not, turn
an old lady into a young woman and a younger into someone
even younger? Face paint and birdlime are sticky traps we
use to ensnare men. Let's get out my mirror and some
cleaning liquid, because my eyes are in a proper state..."
(169-170) How does the above quote reflect the theme of
deceit in the story? If clothes and cosmetics changing one's
appearance is an ode to the whole notion of things not being
as they seem, then is there any significance to the latter
part of the quote (cleaning liquid, eyes in a proper state)?

Celestina - Day Three

Questions from Jessica Fallis:

Chapter 7

In Chapter 7, why do you think there’s such an emphasis on the gap between age and youth? What does this gap say about wisdom? Does Celestina use her age to her advantage?

Chapter 8

On page 98, Sempronio says: “not everything is white that isn’t black and not everything yellow and shiny is gold.” What do you think this means?

Chapter 9

The issue of trust comes up many times in Celestina. In Chapter 9, on page 102, Sempronio says “out of goodwill or under pressure from us, Clestina will at least give us a piece of whatever she gets.” How is trust related to trickery here? Why do you think Sempronio and Pármeno are so trusting of Celestina, even though she’s tricking Calisto?

Chapter 10

Explain the conflict between Melibea’s family obligations and her desires. What does this suggest about control? Find a modern example of Melibea’s struggle.

Chapter 11

Calisto describes himself as a captive of love, as Melibea’s vassal. Is this true, given Celestina’s role in their affair?

Celestina - Day Two

Questions from Devon and Bernie:

Chapter 3 Question 1.
"You expect a man in love to champ at the bit. Any delay is
torture and every moment waiting a pain. They want to put
their thoughts into action and enjoy immediate results."
Analyze this quote. What is it saying about the way men deal
with romance? Do you think this quote speaks true?

Chapter 4, Question 2
"I think people describe life's merry go round as their
fortune finds it, for the rich sing a different tune."
What is the book saying about class separation, and how it
affects people's thoughts about life and how they live it?

In Act Five Celestina tells Sempronio that they will both
get rich off of their pan. Are Clelstina’s words to be
trusted? Is Sempronio foolish for trusting her? Or does it
seem that Celestina is tricking everyone for her own
personal gain?

In Act 6 Celestina speaks to Calisto of her encounter with
Melibea. Does she lie to him or does she fabricate the
truth? What is the meaning upon her giving Calisto the Cord?

Dove Evolution Commercial

Here is the commercial I mentioned in class that reveals how advertisers create impossible ideals of feminine beauty.

Celestina - Day One (Chapters 1 - 2)

Please answer at least two questions:

1. Analyze the opening scene in Melibea’s garden. Why a garden? What might a garden signify? How do you interpret the words of Calisto and Melibea? Why does Melibea react in this manner? Can we read these words as genuine?

2. Discuss Calisto and Sempronio’s conversation in Act I. How do you interpret Calisto’s illness? His discussion about Melibea? The discussion about women? What occurs here? Use quotes and specific examples for the text to support your answer.

3. What are our initial impressions of Celestina? What type of character is this? What does she say which influences your analysis? What about her later exchanges with Parmeno? (And this back history with Parmeno’s mother – what do you think happens here?)

4. Analyze Parmeno’s long speeches concerning Celestina. What is her history, profession, etc.? What do you think she represents within the text? How does the entire community view this woman? Why? Use specific examples from the text to support your answer.

5. Analyze the speech of these characters (you can point to specific examples to formulate your answer). What type of speech is this? Why?

The Decameron (Day Six)

Questions from Shanae and Chelsea:

9.2: How do the Abbess actions/ her physical appearance
change the outlook of the Nuns at the end of the story?

9.3: What is Boccaccio trying to show with the reoccurring
theme of women causing conflict and the physical abuse that
result from it?

9.5: On page 679-680 what’s the significance of Boccaccio
reversing the roles (earlier in the text we see Mona Tessa
being abuse by Calandrino and now we see the roles change).
Why do you think Boccaccio does this?

9.6: How does the idea of cleverness play out in the story?
What do you think Boccaccio is trying to say about a
woman’s ability to bend the truth? How does this coincide
with the tricky of the merchant’s wife in 7.5?

10.10: Compare the abuse between Mona Tessa and Calandrino
and Griselda and Gualleri. What is the difference between
the two? And do you think Gualleri actions towards Griselda
are acceptable or not?

The Decameron (Day Five)

Questions from Adam and Darien:

7.3 Question --- What is the central theme that drives the main characters’ actions in this story? What, if anything, does Bocaccio have to say about this theme? Use examples from the text to support your answer.

7:5 Question --- What do the narrator’s words in the prologue of the story tell us about how the society viewed the relationship between husband and wife? Has our society progressed from this viewpoint? Regressed?

8:3 Question --- How does Bocaccio accomplish the comedy in this vignette? Find two or three quotes and describe how and why the scene is comedic for the reader.

8:7 Question --- Whose side is the reader supposed to take in this story, Elena’s or Rinieri’s? How does Bocaccio create empathy in the reader for these characters?

8:7 Question --- What does this story say about the limits of intelligence? In what ways are intelligence used and abused in this story?

8:8 Question --- Passion is embraced and celebrated in this story. Is this theme still celebrated today? Make connections between specific examples in the text and modern cultural norms.

Alternatively, discuss prevalent themes in three of the stories. What is Bocaccio's stance on these themes? These themes certainly resonate with modern society, but does Bocaccio's attitude resonate as well?

Almodovar's "All About My Mother"

Please consider some of the topics below for a discussion of the film on your blog and in class.

1. The themes of : desire, desire to know about others, death, (re)birth. How does the film link them together?

2. The theme of communication or the lack thereof in the film. How does Almodovar emphasize this in the film, among which characters, and why?

3. The community of women the film establishes.

4. The 'range' of women in the film, including straight women, a pregnant HIV+ nun, transsexual prostitutes, lesbians. What do you think the film states about gender, femininity and sexuality?

5. Who is the "mother" of the film's title? Might there be more than one "mother"? (Also, who is the speaking "I" - 'my mother' - of the title?) Why and how?

6. A character study of Agrado (especially her speech - how can she claim to be "very authentic"?), Manuela, Huma, or Rosa.

7. Almodovar's dedication at the end of the film: "To all actresses who have played actresses. To all women who act. To men who act and become women. To all the people who want to be mothers. To my mother."

The Decameron (Day Four / 5.8, 5.9, 5.10, 6.7, 6.10)

Cynthia Ambrozej & Sarah Russell

Blog Questions

Choose two of the following questions to answer:

1) 5:8- Do you believe it is the women who have ‘power’ in this story, or the men? Explain using evidence from the text.

2) 5:9- What is your interpretation of the quote, “…I would much rather have a man who lacks money than money that lacks a man”? (pg. 431)

3) 5:10- How do the following quotes tie in to gender and gender reversal?

“I took him as my husband and brought him a big, fat dowry, thinking he was a man and believing he was fond of what men are fond of what men are and should be fond of, and if I had any idea that he was not a man, I would never have married him.” (pg. 433)

“And what the devil are we women good for hen we are old anyway…?” “It’s not the same with men…” (pg. 434)

4) 6:7- How does this story show an example of how women have power and how they stand up for their rights?

5) 6:10- Explain how Brother Cipolla uses wit to his advantage to escape a tough situation? Use contextual evidence.

OR

Give an example for two of the three based on any of the stories read (5:8 5:9 5:10 6:7 6:10) and explain how you think they were used for good or evil:

1.) Wit employed to escape harm
2.) Wit employed for entertainment
3.) Wit employed for retaliation

The Decameron (Day Three / 3.3, 3.6, 3.9, 4.3, 4.9)

Questions from Sarah Lawes and Domenic DeLuca for MONDAY:

3.3- What is this story saying about trickery? What does
this story say about lying and the deception of words?
Explain your answer with support from the text.

3.6- What is this story saying about jealousy? How does the
main character play off a woman's insecurities? Explain your
answer with support from the text.

3.9- What are the implications of Giletta's occupation? How
does she use this to her advantage? Explain your answer
with support from the text.

4.3- What does this story have to say about the facade of
love? How is perceived love different from actual love?
Explain your answer with support from the text.

4.9- Explain how revenge plays out in this story differently
from other stories. Do not just plot summarize. Explain
your answer with support from the text.

Note: All of these stories have common themes of deception,
trickery, love, and jealousy. Keep these themes, and others
you can think of, in mind, so you can be able to relate
these themes to modern day examples in class.

The Decameron (Day Two / 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.9, 3.1)

Answer at least two questions or come up with your own analysis of the stories.

1. Story 2.5: Analyze the educative process that occurs with Andreuccio (do NOT simply recount the events of the story). Do you see any repetition occurring here? How do you read this repetition? How does this contribute to his education? What does he learn here? What might the message be for a wider audience? Use specific examples from the text to support your analysis.

2. Story 2.6: What does this story have to say about humanity (especially considering that the central character becomes a kind of ‘wild-woman’)? How might this view of humanity influence the story of a whole? Use specific examples from the text to support your analysis.

3. Story 2.7: What do you think this story has to say about femininity? Gender? Desire? Lust? What might the message be for a wider audience? Use specific examples from the story to support your analysis.

4. Story 2.9: What does this story have to say about crossing ‘borders,’ especially that between female / male? (This is not the first time we have seen this in the Decameron). What might this have to say about gender and our ideas concerning gender identity in a larger sense? Use specific examples from the text to support your analysis.

5. Story 3.1: In story 2.7 we read about a ‘mute’ woman who does not speak because nobody speaks her language. Here we read a story about a ‘mute’ man in a convent. What are the differences / similarities here? How do you read this ‘muteness’? How might this play into a politics of gender, power, etc. that may or may not be related to speech? Use specific examples from the story to support your analysis.

The Decameron (Day One / 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.3)

I would like you to choose one quotation that interests you from three different stories. Why does this draw your interest? How do you "read" this quotation (the "analysis" or "interpretation" question)? What does this quotation have to say about themes within the tale? About the tale as a whole?

Be creative. Your answers should be more than a couple of sentence. I would like to see serious thought in your posting.

Dates of Student-Led Discussions

10/17 Sarah L. and Domenic

10/19 Sarah R. and Cynthia

10/26 Adam and Darien

10/28 Shanae and Chelsea

11/2 Bernie and John

11/4 Devon and Julian

11/7 Zeke and Andrew

11/18 Natalia and Kailee

Trailer for Almodovar's new film "The Skin I Live In"

Almodovar's "Talk to Her"

Topics of possible discussion for your blog:

1. The ways in which the film builds upon the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale, and why.

2. The 'relationship' between Benigno and Alicia - Alicia is the beautiful yet silenced woman. What do you make of Benigno's feelings toward her? (Benigno means "benign" in Spanish)

3. The relationship between Marco and Lydia (before and after the accident). How is it similar to / different from the relationship between Benigno and Alicia?

4. Lydia - a female bullfighter afraid of snakes.

5. Marco - the man always crying

6. The friendship that grows between Benigno and Marco - what significance does this hold in the film?

7. The way in which the film treats violence against women / rape - why do you think Almodovar presents it as such?

8. The ongoing theme of dance throughout the film

Things to avoid when writing a paper:

1. Contractions: isn’t, doesn’t, can’t = is not, does not, cannot

2. "It's" vs. "its." "It's" = IT IS, "Its" = belonging to it

3. "Loose" vs. "lose." "Loose" = not tight (your shoelace is loose). "Lose" is the verb = "I lose my place on the page if I read too quickly."

4. "A LOT" is ALWAYS two words.

5. Mixing singular and plural (we can do this when speaking but not writing a formal paper).

“A person can begin to understand who they are.”

‘Person’ is singular, whereas ‘they are’ is plural. We need to change this to either: “People can begin to understand who they are” or “A person can begin to understand who she or he is.”

6. Statements such as “this shows that,” “this proves that,” “the text states this because….” The mere fact that you are writing about this aspect of the text already shows or proves ‘it.’ You do not need to state this –it makes your writing self-referential and is awkward.

7. Passive voice, such as “it is seen that,” etc. Seen by whom? Use ACTIVE voice (meaning the subject tell us who does the action and we do not have a form of “to be + past participle”) = "Enide sees that..."

8. The apostrophe (’) is ONLY for possession, never to make things plural. (This includes things like “the 1980s.” Many have a tendency to insert an apostrophe “the 1980’s,” but this would imply “belonging to the 1980s.” Similarly "CD's" does not mean "more than one CD" but rather belonging to a CD.)
Some students do not use an apostrophe when needed: “Yvains glory” instead of “Yvain’s glory.”

9. Do NOT use past tense when writing about literature (“Yvain did, Tristan said, etc.”). Literature is always in the present tense because it happens in an eternal present as we read and discuss it.

10. Avoid the present progressive (“Yvain is doing, Tristan is saying, etc.”). Use the simple present tense (“Yvain does, Tristan says, etc.”).

11. Awkward sounding phrasal verbs such as:

To think it out (‘to reflect on it / process it’ is better)
To be stuck in (‘to be imprisoned / trapped’ is better)
To have got (‘to have’ is better)
To find out (‘to discover’ is better)

When possible, it is better to find a simple verb that expresses the same idea as a phrasal verb.

12. Quite a few people had very colloquial expressions that should only be used when speaking. You cannot write the way you speak.

13. Avoid sentences or phrases that end in a preposition. This is always bad form.
For example: “The situation Yvain finds himself in is complicated” should be “The situation in which Yvain finds himself is complicated.”

14. Whenever we have a gerund (an “–ing verb”), we MUST use the possessive form of the noun or pronoun that comes before it. This is something we rarely do (if ever) when speaking but must be done when writing.

Enide’s crying demonstrates her love for Erec.

15. Try to avoid when possible use of the progressive tenses ("Erec is fighting the knight." - this would imply that the event is in progress at this moment. "Erec fights the knight" is preferable.)

16. Some students still have problems with “to lay” and “to lie.” These are not interchangeable verbs. “To lay” requires an object (“I lay the book on the table.”). “To lie” cannot take an object (“I lie down.”)

17. Stating your ideas in a clear and simple manner is always better than trying to ‘sound’ intelligent by writing complex (and many times overly-long) sentences in which your ideas are lost and / or awkwardly stated.

REMEMBER – You can always go to the Reading and Writing Center here on campus for help with writing.

Tykwer's "Run Lola Run"

You may use the topics below as a guide for discussion in your blog postings (or of course come up with your own themes to discuss). These are suggestions - you do not have to discuss everything below.

Also - please remember that your blog postings are due BEFORE class. You will not receive credit for anything posted after class.

1. The evolution / education of the heroine / hero

2. The use of gender and gender roles

3. The use of camera techniques to highlight Lola and create a separate narrative space for events that occur without her

4. The use of color (especially red) and shape (especially circles and spirals)

5. The use of music

6. The theme of love / devotion / coupling

7. The use of sound - for instance, the "scream"

8. The notion and use of time

9. The notion of the game

10. The "fairy tale" aspect to the film

The Knight with the Lion (Yvain) - Day Three

The assignment for Wednesday is to write a blog posting (about 250 words) in which you analyze an aspect of the concluding third of the text. The topic is up to you but you should do something that 'digs' beneath the surface of the romance. Be inventive and interesting! Also - be prepared to speak about what you think / have discovered. I expect everyone to have done a blog posting and to be ready Wednesday.

The Knight with the Lion (Yvain) - Day Two

Please answer two questions or come up with your own topics for discussion.

1. Gawain gives a speech on pp. 326-327. What is the outcome of this speech (in other words, what does this speech accomplish, for better or worse)? How do you interpret the agreement Yvain then makes with Laudine? What kind of agreement is this? Would you want to accept such an agreement? Why or why not?

2. What is the “build-up” Chrétien employs leading to Yvain’s shame? What is Yvain’s problem? How do you interpret the text here (pp. 328 – 329). Use specific quotes from the text to support your answer.

3. Why does Yvain react the way he does to Laudine’s messenger? Why do you think we have this specific reaction? What might this imply? What happens in the wilderness? Do you notice any changes within Yvain during this part of the romance? What are they? How do you interpret these changes? (And what do you make of his “cure”?)

4. At the mid-point of the romance we have Yvain’s encounter with the snake and the lion. What do these animals represent within the romance (and within popular mythology)? What is the dilemma Yvain faces here (on a deeper level)?

The Knight with the Lion (Yvain) - Day One

1. This is the only of Chrétien’s romances that lacks a formal prologue. Think back to the prologue for Erec and Enide, which established the parallel journey upon which both author and protagonist(s) experienced. What might the lack of a prologue then say about this romance, its writer and main character (Yvain)?

2. What do you make of Calogrenant’s story? The reasons for its genesis? What particular elements in the story strike you as interesting or bizarre? How do you interpret these elements?

3. Do a character study of Yvain, Lunete and / or Laudine. What evidence in the text can you use in order to support your description(s).

Erec and Enide - Day Three

The assignment for Monday is to write a blog posting (about 250 words) in which you analyze an aspect of the concluding third of the text. The topic is up to you but you should do something that 'digs' beneath the surface of the romance. Be inventive and interesting! Also - be prepared Monday to speak about what you think / have discovered and to ask the class a pertinent and thought-provoking question regarding your posting.

Erec and Enide - Day Two

1. If the first part of the romance belongs to Erec, the second part most certainly belongs to Enide. How do we see her character emerging here? In what context do we finally get her name?

2. Enide also speaks for the first time in the text in this part of the romance. What are her first words? How do you interpret her speech? How does Erec interpret her speech? How do you explain his reaction? Why?

3. What do you think are Erec’s intentions in taking Enide on this journey? What kind of journey is this (from Erec’s perspective)? One of adventure? Self-discovery? Renewal? Something else? Point to specific scenes within the text to support your argument.

4. Look at Enide’s inner monologues in this portion of the text. What do her thoughts reveal about her? Why do you think the narrator allows us access to the secret thoughts of this woman?

Film Schedule

On the following days we will meet at 7:30 p.m. in Dana Hall 201 to see a film:

September 22

September 29

October 20

November 10

December 1

Erec and Enide - Day One

Answer at least two questions or come up with your own topics for discussion.

1. We always need to pay special attention to the beginning of a text, for here the narrator orients the reader on the journey that is to start. What information does Chrétien provide for the reader in the opening lines of this romance? Why the proverb/s (and how do we interpret this in conjunction with the story that follows)? What is Chrétien trying to do here in this prologue?

2. How would you describe the opening scene in King Arthur’s court? What evidence in the text brings you to your ideas? We have the idea of a contest and the outcome it will bring. What might the possible ramifications of this contest imply (about gender, the court, society, etc.)?

3. How would you characterize the two main characters (Erec and Enide)? Do you see any (potential) problems here? How does the text portray them (we can assume the beautiful maiden is Enide, though the text does not inform us of this fact – think about possibly why)? (Difficult yet thought-provoking question: Why does the text describe Enide in this way: “She was truly one who was made to be looked at, for one might gaze at her just as one gazes in a mirror.”? What is it to gaze into a mirror? What does one see? Are there any figures from mythology transfixed by a mirror image?)

4. What do you make of the second contest in the text (the sparrow-hawk)? What is at stake here? What are the implications of this concerning gender, power, masculinity, etc.?

5. What does the scene in which Queen Guenevere dresses Enide imply? What does this dress represent? What does this have to say about Enide’s character and about the way Erec views this woman?

Welcome!

Welcome to the blog for our course. Here I'll be posting, before every class, the assignment that is due -- usually some questions that will help you with the readings. Your responsibility will be to keep a running blog reflecting your answers to the questions and your thoughts on the readings.

Once you set up your blog, be sure to become a follower of this blog and send me in an email (ealy.hartford@gmail.com) the web address of your blog so I can become your follower.

I'm looking forward to a good semester and I hope you are too!

Dr. Ealy