Transition Day

IN CLASS ON THURSDAY
OK, so we got close today.  First period finished the 1-7 discussion and handed in the papers; the remaining classes also handed in the question responses, but we still have to pick up on #7 in 2nd and #6-7 in 3rd.  We will; I want to hear from everyone.

Also, all classes need to revisit Dr. Rank, once the disease situation is out in the open. Someone touched briefly today on his response to his terminal diagnosis, but we didn't discuss the nature of his illness.  What does he have, and how is it significant?  Note the connection of Dr. Rank with the tarantella--(you tell me. . . ); why is is particularly meaningful/interesting here?   We will speak of this briefly tomorrow, so give it some thought.  I think you can manage class tomorrow without bringing the big lit book, though.

And finally, with A Doll's House, be thinking of motifs/symbols/imagery--some of which we briefly referenced, some of which went unremarked.  I am not really asking you to go back over the play right now on some sort of exhaustive search, though I hope you noticed more than we were able to bring to light in class.  But what you need to do now is to read The Awakening with a dual focus; obviously pay attention to the pages in front of you, but in your mind's eye, be considering connections/throwbacks to the Ibsen play.  By the time you finish the novel, you should have an idea of all sorts of ways beyond character and situations in which these two works can be fruitfully compared.  I don't want to wait until you've read Chopin's book to spring that on you.

FOR FRIDAY
The Awakening has ridiculously short chapters.  You need to read chapters 1-8 for tomorrow, which in most editions is approximately 30 pages.