American Literature – Week 10

How do you understand Faulkner’s extraordinary statement in his Nobel Prize speech “the problems of the human heart in conflict with itself … alone can make good writing because only that is worth writing about, worth the agony and the sweat” ?

It is prudent to note that Faulkner’s statement is extremely prophetic and for myself, opens my mind to all aspects of life. I find myself reflecting on many instances when I felt a sense of agony or dismay and the aftermath of these memories. Upon reading Faulkner’s words I also am reminded of  the increased strength and growth which followed adverse times. When delving deeper into my psyche, I find that I begin questioning what Faulkner means when he says “worth the agony and the sweat” with the answer enlightening me further. The conclusion I came to is one that I find applicable to each individual. What I obtained from Faulkner’s words is that when faced with adversity in life, you reap the most benefits and develop further as a person when facing misfortune head on rather than avoiding the inevitable confrontation. In addition, I would also like to note that this quote gives me a renewed outlook when it comes to work ethic as well as providing me with a reaffirming my personal ideology; ‘work hard and good things will come’. All in all, I find Faulkner’s words extremely relevant in the society we live in, despite the passing of time.

Australian Literature – Week 9

This week I would like to create my own topic to discuss; and that is my thoughts on Patrick White’s “Down at the Dump.” Firstly I would like to acknowledge Patrick White’s outstanding career as Australia’s first winner of the Nobel Prize in literature as well as the inaugural Miles Franklin Award, two prestigious accolades which highlight the caliber of author White is.

One of the most interesting things about “Down at the Dump“ is White’s deliberate pairing of characters while purposefully contrasting them in a number of ways. This intricate style of writing allows for White to create complex characters as well as allows for their interactions to further develop not only the plot, but their characterisation as a whole.  For example, when analysing the character pairing of Meg and her mother we are enlightened as to their differing ideals in addition to the possible source of Mrs Hogben’s distaste towards her daughters actions; such character depth / intricacy can only be achieved through the pairing which White has implemented as it allows for each character to compliment their counter-parts progression.

American Literature – Week 9

Select the one modernist poem or text that you found spoke to you most directly. Quote the text and tell us how the text moved you.

One of the most striking parts of T.S Eliot’s ‘The Waste Land‘ is the 4th part titled ‘Death by Water’. Upon reading this text, I was greatly moved by the underlying meaning within the poem itself. Despite the poem seeming ‘flat’ when first reading it, ‘Death by Water’ struck me in a manner which I have experienced from only a few texts. This is due to the complexity of the text and the aspects of human life which it illuminates. At the start of ‘Death by Water’ we are introduced to a man named Phlebas the Phoenician who has recently drowned to death and is also the catalyst of my own reflection. Throughout the duration of the poem, Eliot utilises Phelbas in order for the reader to question their own sense of morality. The concluding sentence “Consider Phelbas, who was once as handsome and tall as you.” left the greatest impression on my after my second reading of the poem, this is due to the weight which I felt behind those words. For me, those words translated to ‘materials, money, everything superficial holds no bearing when it comes to what’s really important in life.’ Phlebas epitomises the superficial society which we now find ourselves in- where we focus on our appearances and status, attempting to enrich our lives with precious metals or lavish items rather than giving life meaning through acts which augment the soul.