DUE DATE FOR POSTS: WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28 7:30 AM
Respond to the passage by Donna Tartt. Some things to think about include the following:
What is the narrator's attitude towards death, and what evidence helped you come to this conclusion?
What IS the overall significance of the passage? What are the themes, central ideas, etc? Ultimately, what is the author's point in writing the piece?
What literary techniques are used, and how do they contribute to the overall significance of the work?
What stands out to you about the passage?
What confuses you? What questions would you like to pose to the group?
***Remember, you need to post TWICE, substantively. One post must be in response to the post of a classmate. 5 bonus points for any postings made on Monday.
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24 comments:
I think the narrator feels somewhat guilty about Bunny's death because he says he was partially responsible. He also says something along the lines of "This is the only thing I will ever think about". That says to me that he feels guilty, but not that he doesn't think he was wrong to be involved.
I think that the narrator wanted to get caught for killing Bunny. Henry and him didn't hide Bunny's body in the hopes that it would be found. The narrator felt so bad that he wanted the truth known.
It seems as though the author has a very nonchalant attitude toward death in the beginning, when Bunny was first killed--not hiding the body, making it look like an accident. But at the end, he appears to be more upset and angry with himself, when he mentions that the picture will never leave him and it is the only story he can ever tell.
As i was reading the story, I was wondering if the narrator had a part in killing Bunny, or if Bunny had accidentally died somehow and the remaining four, scared, ran away so as not to get caught and mixed up in it. I personally think it could go either way, but it never really comes out and says that the four killed him.
As I read the passage, I wondered what caused the four, including the narrator, to want to kill Bunny. Did he do something to make them feel that way towards him? Like Lauren I also wondered if the narrator had a part in Bunny's death or if he was just following Henry because in line 10 it mentions that it was "Henry's modest plan."
I believe that the narrator feels very guilty about Bunny's death. In lines 39-41 it mentions that he has tried avoid thoughts of Bunny's death, but his mind has "been there all the time."
I was looking over the prompt, and the second part of the question, about analyzing the literary techniques, stumped me. Does anyone have any ideas of literary techniques the author used?
In response to Sarah's question, I think the narrator uses a lot of imagery to detail to the scene. He describes the area around the body "loose rocks, the body at the bottom of the ravine with a break in the neck, and the muddy skidmarks of dug-in heels...". He also details the scene after the inncident- the four of them driving away. I would also say flashback since the whole story has already happened and he's remembering it.
Like sarah, I am having trouble trying to find the literary techniques.The only devices I can think of are the point of view and flashback.
Point of Veiw: When I googled it, I found that the narrator relates to the chorus in a Greek Tragedy. The tone created by the narrator gives the reader an insight on his attitude towards Bunny's death.
Flashback: In lines 46-54 it gives a flashback to the murder. The narrator's glance back at Bunny might reveal how he regrets being a part of the murder.
I'm not sure if that is right at all, but those are the only two things that I got out of it.
I like what lauren said about not really knowing is they actually killed him, or if his death was an accident. The narrator seems so scared at points it seems like it may have been an accident.
TO EVERYONE
As you do your second posts, be sure to include SPECIFIC details, passages from the text to support what you are saying.
Some of the opinions you all are posting are good, but you need to use support from the text.
To me, it didn't seem like there was very much in the passage dealing with the narrators attitudes toward death, except for the hints of regret toward the end. The first half of the passage at least, seemed more focused on the fuss and calamity created by the discovery of the body rather than the narrators feelings about it.
I agree with Sarah in the fact that the narrator seems to have a detached attitude at the beginning. However, one soon realizes that he feels regret about what he's done. he has serious guilt to the point he goes back to the place where they killed him in his mind.
I'm finding only a couple literary techniques used by the author. He uses imagery especially in lines 54- 66, where the narrator seems to be reliving his experience with the murder, he mentions " the lonely flakes of snow drifting through the pines" and "Henry driving clench-jawed through the potholes with the rest of us leaning over the seats talking like children". The author also uses a flashback when he remembers Bunny talking in the woods and Henry saying that they are looking for ferns. The author seems to use both of these to emphasize guilt. The narrator is remember every little detail, to the point where he can't move on, the only story he'd be able to tell of his past would be the murder as it's always on his or her mind.
I think that since the author says that he is partly responsible that he feels bad about Bunny's death. And then i since that the auther would not be mad if he got caught for the murder. It seems like the author leaves himself out there to get in trouble.
I agree with Sarah because i found myself wondering what made them want to kill Bunny. But then I started to think that because it was Henry's "plan" that maybe they were all just following Henry's lead. Maybe Henry is the only one who has a problem with Bunny.
I thought the author seemed somewhat guilty about Bunny's death. For example at the end he says "I suppose at one time in my life I might have had any number of stories, but now there is no other. This is the only story I will ever be able to tell."
I also think he was in denile. In lines 29-33 he talks about how he can't believe he walked away from the body and how he walks through all of the cameras, uproar, etc.
I also agree with Sarah, that he has a detached attitude in the beginning of the poem.
And I am with Rachel on the literary techniques. Those were the two I thought of also.
Also foreshadowing, the entire passage foreshadows what could later happen in the rest of the novel.
Alright, so I think that the guilt of Bunny's death rides the most on Henry's shoulders. It just seemed to me that the other friends were too close to commit murder. The flashback might indicate on line 56 that there was a close bond between the passengers. "...piling gratefully into the car and starting down the road like a family on vacation." According to the narrator, Henry was the only one described showing negative emotions toward Bunny.
I think Henry is responsible for Bunny's death, but the narrator feels partially guilty because he didn't prevent it.
My support:
>>>LINE 30-he feels partially responsible as indicated by the simile "walk through...like ants in a sugar bowl" without setting off suspicion. Suspicion of being an accomplice, I am assuming.
>>>LINE 59-the narrator is acting demonstrating innocence; "the rest of US leaning over the seats talking, like children".
Max, buddy, I have no clue what you said in your first post. But i think after reading your second post, that we're on the same page about the motives of the friends.
I agree with your statement, "Maybe Henry is the only one who has a problem with Bunny.", however.
You must still be taking in the game Sunday. You're school work is being affected by your love for Pitt. ;)
i think the narrator in the secret history feels some sort of shock, guilt, and fear, about the death of Bunny. Shocked that they got away with it, when the narrator says something like "I am partcially responsible" and am going the the cameras and the entire universe. What I think is meant here is that all these things are going on and no ones has no clue that the narrator has anything to do with it, this is why she is shocked. As for the guilt it comes as the years go by saying " I always glanced behind me to see if the body is still there", and like "this will be the last story i will ever tell", its almost like the narrator can't get the painful memories of the past out of her head.
I also agree with Ashley i thought the author was also in some sort of denile in the beginning of the story. I also agree that their is foreshadowing and flashbacks used in the story. That gives you hints into what really happened in the end of the story.
I feel that the author is numb to the whole situation. I think after Bunny's death he tries to convince himself that he was never really there, but then realizes that this is something he will live with for the rest of his life.
The narrator is very descriptive of Bunny's death, like it just happened. This i feel only furthers the narrators guilt and regret. Maybe he wishes he would have been brave enough to stop the murder of Bunny himself.
I feel like the narrator feels somewhat guilty for the death of Bunny towards the end of poem. However, in the beginning of the poem I feel like his attitude towards Bunny's death is more of indifference.
He discusses what they do with the body after the death as if is nothing that he took part in the death.
The imagery used throughout the passage as the narrator progresses with his story, slowly gets more and more dark depicting his innermost feelings on the death.
"the sky is dark over the shivering apple...."
I am pretty sure it was murder and not an accident however because they don't really discuss with Bunny why they are truly there where he is.
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