Tuesday 13^th , 2016

THE NOVEL

Structural elements of a Novel:

1. Title;

2. Structure;

3. Characters;

4. Setting (space, time, environment);

5. Narrative techniques;

6. Use of language;

7. Theme.

Task: POWER POINT (10 SLIDES)

1. Nome capitolo e “credits”;

2. Title;

3. Characters;

4. Setting;

5. Narrative techniques;

6. Use of language;

7. Theme/s;

8. Peculiarities;

9. Open questions.

Suddivisione dei capitoli del libro “Nice work”:

PARAGRAPH 1 / GROUP 1 → till page 57

PARAGRAPH 2 / GROUP 2 → from page 60 to page 102

PARAGRAPH 3 / GROUP 3 → from page 103 to page 130

PARAGRAPH 4 / GROUP 4 → from page 131 to page 187

PARAGRAPH 5 / GROUP 5 → from page 188 to page 228

PARAGRAPH 6 / GROUP 6 → from page 229 to page 278

Analysis of page 21, Chapter 1, paragraph 2

This paragraph opens with the description of Robyn Penrose, a university professor. The writer points out her considerations about the concept of "character."

• “a finite, unique soul or essence that constitutes a person's identity.”

• “there is only a subject position in an infinite web of discourses.”

• “there is no such thing as an author, that is to say, one who originates a work of fiction ab nihilo.”

Lenguage = a way to build networks of discourses. → Nascono pensiero FORTE e DEBOLE, dal secondo ha luogo il Romanzo Post-Moderno (“Nice Work”), nato dopo il '68.

Thursday 15^th , 2016

CONCEPT OF CHARACTER

To revice the feature that helps us to analyze the character. You have to distinguish between flat and round.

• FLAT: Remains the same along the whole novel; it doesn't change and it doesn't show a development;

• ROUND: The one who develops along the story.

What do we mean by “characterization”?

It's the way a character comes to life so the intelligent reader should analyze the categories the narrator uses to create the character:

1. Physical description;

2. Social/Cultural background;

3. Job;

4. Relationship with the others;

5. What the others think of him (his reputation);

6. His lenguage.

Most of the time the categories are mixed up. Some are given more space than others.

The question:

How does the character comes to life?

He is made of language (like a cake!).

A narrator can use different techniques when he brings a character to life:

• TELLING: He tells the reader everything about the character. Everything the reader knows, all the idea the reader makes up in his mind. The character is filtred by the narrator.

• SHOWING: The narrator shows the character is action. Example: Through dialogue.

What is the position of the reader in the two cases?

Most frequent technique is the showing because the narrator can make a more personal idea of the character. If the narrator mainly uses the technique of telling the reader is less free to make up a personal idea.

Page 21, Chapter 1, paragraph 2

The narrator is introducing a new character using the TELLING:

1. She's very different from Vic Wilcox;

2. She doesn't belive in the concept of character (her cultural convictiones);

3. “That is to say” → her favourite phrase;

4. Her name (Robyn) → ideal person → socially committed;

5. Her surname (Penrose) → the reader might expect she is a writer;

6. Her job → she teaches at Rummidge University;

7. Her social status is not stable;

8. Her skills are mainly in the field of Literature;

9. Her specific convictiones → the character is a bourgeois myth.