Literature1-QuotationID

​ Quotation ID: January 26, 2010

Just like you did on our recent quizzes -- and like you will do on the midterm -- take a look at this passage from something from the first semester. Identify it by text, speaker, context, and explain (briefly) how it evokes a theme of the course. You can connect it to other things we read if that helps, but the main goal here is to comment intelligently on how it fits into our thematic study of American Literature.

On the exam, the total writeup for each quotation is no more than 4 sentences. Here, because the whole class is working on it, we may write more. What we should not do -- here or on the exam -- is summarize or paraphrase.


 * We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for. To quote from Whitman, "O me! O life!... of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless... of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?" Answer. That you are here - that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. That the powerful play *goes on* and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?


 * Add your identification and comment below:**

Oh captain my captain said this the first day of his english class to the boys who heretofore had a very systematic experience with learning literature and poetry. This statement is important because throughout the semester he stressed the importance of creativity, and being an individual. His lessons greatly influenced his students to be themselves, even though society at that time stressed conformity. - not skin

Dead Poets Scoeity, Mr. Keating - skin

Mr Keating is encourageing individuality in the boys. this ultimately leads to Neil's death but in contrast, also leads to the rest of the boys experiencing life for themselves and getting the most out of it. -LEAH
 * **If we put all these together, we get an example of a robust four-sentence response:** In the film //Dead Poets Society//, the English teacher John Keating said this on the first day of class to the boys who until then had had a very structured experience with learning literature and poetry. This statement is an example of how Keating emphasized creativity and individuality, which the boys took to heart by forming their own Dead Poets Society and adventuring into romance (Knox) and drama (Neil). Even though Welton Academy stressed conformity and tradition, Keating used Walt Whitman as an example to show how forceful passionate nonconformity can be. This ultimately leads to Neil's death, but it also leads to the rest of the boys' experiencing life for themselves and getting the most out of it. **This response mentions the text, speaker, and context (1st sentence), and takes a few sentences to elaborate on the theme of how powerful nonconformity can be -- in good and bad ways, as Leah pointed out in linking this speech to the rest of the film. It also makes reference to Whitman, helping to explain why Keating quoted the poet in the original speech.**