Hi Everyone!
Hope you are having a great weekend!
As we discussed in class, satire is the literary are of diminishing or derogating a subject by making it ridiculous and evoking towards it attitudes of amusement, contempt, scorn or indignation. Satire does not attempt to harm or damage by ridicule, but rather to shock to gain attention and begin social change. The themes of satire are maintenance of standards, reaffirmation of values, and the necessity of reform. That being said, I asked you each to take a literary device, define it, and explain why/how it is used in satire. These devices are: tone, irony, exaggeration, distortion, understatement, innuendo, ambiguity, catalog, simile and metaphor, oxymoron, parable, and allegory. I'm interested to see your answers below. I'd also love to see what you have to say in response to Plato's Allegory of the Cave in comparison to the world established in Hard Times.
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ReplyDeleteIrony is a literary technique used to convey a meaning that is different from the on-the-surface meaning. It is used in satire when an author "pretends" to like and approve of something that he is actually ridiculing.
ReplyDeleteCatalogue is a long list that is usually found in an epic. It is used in satire to accentuate the impact of the satirical references, since lists are always memorable.
In the cave, prisoners learn only the things they are being forced to see. They cannot discover things for themselves until after they leave the cave. This relates to Gradgrind's school, in which he makes students study only bizarre "Facts," and stifles their curiousity.
Additionally, Socrates says, "Imagine once more, I said, such a one coming suddenly out of the sun to be replaced in his old situation...would he not be ridiculous?" Since light represents knowledge in this parable, and since darkness therefore represents ignorance, I think this part says a lot about the character of Sissy in Hard Times. Sissy knows of real knowledge, and therefore cannot tolerate or descend to the levels of ignorance preached by Gradgrind in his fact-based world/school. Though the circumstances are a bit different in Sissy's case (ie, unlike the prisoner in Allegory, she knew real-knoweldge before fake-cave-kowledge), this allegory says a lot about her as a character.
The freed prisoner in Allegory thinks back to his cave-life and while remembering his "fellow-prisoners," "pit[ies] them." Very similarly, Dickens notes that after Louisa gets engaged to Bounderby, "Sissy had suddenly turned her head, and looked, in wonder, in pity [!], in sorrow...towards Louisa" (Page 102, aka end of chapter XV)
Basically, even while Sissy stays with the Gradgrinds, they do not appreciate her view that the fact-based reality that they know is not really true. This is similar to the prisoner's return to the cave. "Men would say of him that he went and down he came without his eyes." This relates to how Sissy has knowledge gained through enlightening experiences, but still the Gradgrinds look down on her and her way of thinking.
Tone is a literary technique that is the way something is writing. It is the technique that reflects the desired attitude of the author towards the subject and towards the audience. The types of tone vary from formal, serious, informal, whimsical, to ironic. Tone is used in satire by imparting a critical or mocking feeling, due to the way a text is written. A satirical tone is seen in Hard Times, especially when Charles Dickens describes Mrs. Sparsit and Mr. Bounderby.
ReplyDeleteThe first time i read Plato's Allegory of The Cave was in a political theory course at Cornell, therefore my initial thoughts upon my second reading was primarily on the concept of an enlightened ruler and that not all are fit to lead in politics. Trying to link it to Hard TImes, however, was far from difficult.
The cave, or prison in which Plato's imagined people live in is like, as Emily said, the Gradgrind school. In such a cave people can only see the shadows or facts or people, they can see what they hold (thereby their profession, like a carptener and a trader) but not who they are. They cannot see each other faces, or express their feelings. They cannot even speak accurately due to the echos and lack of identitying voice to speaker. This setting is like the Gradgind school because it is a setting based on solely facts-a shadow cannot lie.
The Allegory of The Cave is further likened to Hard Times in terms of believing and straying from the way of facts. This is because one who "will require to grow accustomed to the sight of the upper world. And first he will see the shadows best, next the reflections of men and other objects in the water..." is similar to someone who sees more than shadows, or more than facts. Up above the cave, life is beautiful. I disagree with Emily in her comparison of the escaped prisoner to Sissy, i feel that it is more like Louisa. This is because when she strays from her fathers teachings and then returns, she faints-she is weak and debilitated. Similar to the prisoner who is forced to return to the cave and has "his eyes full of darkness?"
Like Emily, I was also assigned Irony, and as she said, irony is a literary device used to convey something contrary to its immediate appearance. Satire is a common style of writing used to bring about change or inspire reform on a specific subject, often through ridicule. The use of irony often aids this ridicule by showing the author's feelings towards the subject through wittily chosen words, carefully crafted dramatic situations, and juxtapositions. (In all honesty I did take this quote from wikipedia, sorry) Northrop Frye once wrote "in satire, irony is militant." I think this really illustrates how closely intertwined irony is with satire because it is such a common device used to further the author's message and display the criticism he/she is attempting to make. In Hard Times, we see this several times. As Dickens is clearly preaching against Utilitarianism, there are many specific attacks on its philosophies. When Gradgrind is talking to Louisa and she says she has never had a dream or a child’s fear or excitement, and goes on with how her childhood was devoid of wonder, imagination, and fancy, she is criticizing his general view of life. The situation is ironic as he fails to perceive the restrictions he put on his children’s lives and how the plan he has made to better their lives and make them more focused on study and education has actually stripped them of an actual childhood and any application of physical work.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I have a six hour test in the morning that I need to study for, so I will answer the rest of the question pertaining to the Plato article tomorrow.
Simile is the use of indirect comparisons, generally using "like" or "as;" metaphor is making direct comparisons between two things, not using "like" or "as." These devices are used in satire to point out ridiculous comparisons the author is trying to make, in attempt to derogate. It makes the reader remember the message, because readers would definitely notice hidden parallels if the author points them out.
ReplyDeleteI really like Emily's point about the people in the cave only seeing what they are told to see, and not being able to discover anything for themselves. To add to that, the shadows parallel more fact,fact,fact. A shadow is just the outline of a person, superficial, and not representing in any way what is "inside." That is how the children in Gradgrind's school are taught to see the world- just the outline, and not deep into people, learning about personality and creativity. Also, all shadows have the same, monochrome gray color- thus making everyone the same. People are just humans, not individuals. (I just read Russell's comment, so I agree with what he was saying too).
I also thought this line by Socrates seemed particularly pertinent: "the intention of the legislator, who did not aim at making any one class in the State happy above the rest; the happiness was to be in the whole State, and he held the citizens together by persuasion and necessity, making them benefactors of the State, and therefore benefactors of one another; to this end he created them, not to please themselves, but to be his instruments in binding up the State. "
That is exactly the dystopia Dickens is portraying. In trying to fulfill utilitarian "greatest good for society" values, people lose sight of the despicable means society faces. It becomes okay for most people to be bitter, competitive, poor, and lose sight of morals, as long as they provide for society.
Allegories and Parables in Satire:
ReplyDeleteAn allegory comprises a unique philosophical examination of human existence, where the general message is transmitted through fictional characters and plots that are highly symbolic and figurative in nature.
Parables are similar to allegories; they are short stories used to convey normative and empirical theories of morality, virtue, religion and ethics.
These devices go hand-in-hand with satire, according to our definition, since they are very effective means of transmitting a message to society that begs social reform or change, because of unenlightened philosophies of ways of living. Hard Times is a perfect example of the integration of these devices in satire. (1)We know that Hard Times is a satirical work; (2) Hard Times is a clear example of an allegory and an extended parable, or collection of parables, based on my definitions of these devices; (3) It logically follows that the two devices are well-integrated in satirical work.
We are presented with an industrial society during depressing times and given an intricate fictional plot with which Dickens transmits the philosophical fallacies of radical utilitarianism -- a way of living that states that an act is morally right if and only if it is optimific (produces the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people).
Plato's Allegory of the Cave transmits a philosophy that can be closely linked to the elements of Hard Times, namely, those of a sort of factual indoctrination as a means of education. Gradgrind demands nothing but facts; he teaches his students nothing but facts. In a sense, they undergo theoretical indoctrination without any practical examination. Similarly, the prisoners in the Allegory of the Cave see nothing but shadows--or facts, as it were-- of real life. In The Republic, Plato constantly stresses that in order to achieve true enlightenment, one must experience life for herself--that is, the mere teaching of facts will only lead to one harboring a false sense of life, and having no clue what things are like in the "real" world.
Plato and Dickens are preaching the same message -- that enlightenment only comes with self-immersion and experience, not indoctrination of facts -- and Dickens substantiates this claim when Gradgrind realizes the fallacies of his factual philosophy, leading him to totally change his way of teaching and living.
Hyperbole is a bold overstatement or extreme exaggeration that is intended to evoke strong feelings, or create a strong impression. However, it is not to be taken literally, as it is simply used to emphasize a true statement with the use of humor. This rhetorical device is used in satire because it allows the author to make the message even more ridiculous. With hyperbole, the author can exaggerate his opinions, thus making his job of inspiring change in readers an easier task. And because the overstatements often are humorous, readers will remember the author's message and be more motivated to make that change which the author is suggesting.
ReplyDeleteAn example of a hyperbole in Hard Times is the following: "It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage. It was a town of machinery and tall chimneys, out of which interminable serpents of smoke trailed themselves forever and ever, and never got uncoiled. It had a black canal in it, and a river that ran purple with ill-smelling dye, and vast piles of building full of windows where there was a rattling and a trembling all day long, and where the piston of the steam-engine worked monotonously up and down like the head of an elephant in a state of melancholy madness…” (Dickens 21-22). As shown in this example, Dickens exaggerates the depiction of the town so as to convey to readers the great extent to which the industrial revolution polluted Coketown, London.
Plato's Allegory of the Cave creates a very similar world to that of Dicken's in Hard Times. Plato writes, "Behold! human beings living in a underground cave, which has a mouth open towards the light and reaching all along the cave; here they have been from their childhood, and have their legs and necks chained so that they cannot move, and can only see before them, being prevented by the chains from turning round their heads." In these sentences, Plato describes the cave as a place in which darkness acts as a chain, holding people back from experiencing the light. I believe, just as Emily said, that the cave is similar to Gradgrind's school, in which facts acts as the chain, holding people back from experiencing the true values of life. Just as the prisoners are deprived of the beautiful world of light that lies outside the cave, the students at the school are deprived of the beautiful world of thought, wonder, and emotion. Because the Gradgrind school represents the mindset of the industrial revolution (as we said in class), the darkness of the cave can also represent the "darkness" that the industrial revolution brought upon many towns. Dicken's explains that Coketown's buildings were covered in smoke and black (dull!) colors. Therefore, Plato's cave connects to Hard Times in both a figurative way - the mindset of Gradgrind's school - and literal way - the appearance of Coketown.
I also liked Russell's point about how the Allegory of the Cave is similar to Hard Times in its discussion of straying from darkness, or facts. Plato says, "At first, when any of them is liberated and compelled suddenly to stand up and turn his neck round and walk and look towards the light, he will suffer sharp pains; the glare will distress him, and he will be unable to see the realities of which in his former state he had seen the shadows." This sentence perfectly likens to Louisa's experience as she "came out of the cave," or made the decision to stop following her father's system, but instead to follow her heart. After realizing that she had feelings for Mr. Harthouse, she went to her father and broke down in front of him, crying and pleading for his help. I enjoyed reading the Allegory of the Cave because it was really cool to see all the similarities that exist between Plato's world and Dicken's world.
Tone is a literary technique in which the voice of the author is exposed in a piece through diction and other techniques; it describes the author’s attitudes and beliefs toward the subject the author is addressing. In satirical works, tone is often sardonic or sarcastic, imbued with serious mockery, and is used to convey the author’s derision of something. Tone is one of the most obvious and effective ways to mock something – to satirize it. Perhaps its most obvious example of mockery is in Huck Finn when Twain criticizes society and hypocrisy with his tone.
ReplyDeleteSimilarly, in Dickens’ Hard Times, he employs a satirical tone to criticize the straining effect that industrialization and reason had on the social fabric of England. Dickens’ tone, especially in the first few chapters, is increasingly sarcastic when describing Gradgrind’s life of rationality and reason. His repetition of the word “fact” and his description of Gradgrind’s house are dry and caustic, obviously mocking reason and logic. Moreover, his tone forces the reader to perceive Gradgrind’s and Bounderby in a negative light. Thus, the reader must question the meaning and quality of Bounderby and Gradgrind’s lives. Conversely, when discussing the “Hands” and Stephen, Dickens’ tone softens, marking his sympathy for them. Hence, Dickens’ tone is used to satirize the ideals of the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution and it is through tone that Dickens makes his most biting social commentary.
In the context of Plato’s “The Cave” Allegory, there are many lessons to be drawn and parallels to be made between Hard Times and the allegory. Plato asks if “Will he not fancy that the shadows which he formerly saw are truer than the objects which are now shown to him?” I find this quote particularly important because it illustrates that truth is a human construct and changes for everyone and that a person’s truth can be warped by what he is taught. If the people in the cave never saw anything else, then the shadows on the wall are real and are their truth. Similarly, in Hard Times, as Austin and Emily said, the truth for the students in Gradgrind’s school – and unfortunately Tom and Louisa – is facts and facts alone. Their lives are ruled by logic, not emotion. Anything else is a foreign concept to them. Dickens (and Plato) point this folly out through their works and illustrate the importance of being able to think for oneself.
WADDUP AP LIT GANGSTAS,
ReplyDeletei also had irony, and like the two before had stated, irony is a device used to convey something different from it's original intended meaning. Irony is commonly used in satire because it is a method for the author to ridicule his "subject" and mock it in a way. Irony can also be humorous which is common in satire, especially in hard times. Irony can be seen through Gradgrind, whos philosophies are designed to better the lives of his children but in return make them far worse.
Allegory of the cave is clearly closely related to hard times. The cave can obviously be related to the Gradgrind school, as the people in the cave never experience true education or growth of spirit and at the Gradgrind school the effects are the same. The message of both pieces of writing is that one must experience life through their own eyes, formulate their own opinions, dreams, and wisdoms, and as a people we will all be successful. By escaping the "cave" people take one step closer to fulfilling their true potential and achieving enlightenment, and this holds true for the Gradgrind School.
Just on a side note the thing i found most interesting about the allegory which i could not really relate to hard times but thought it worth noting, was Plato's statement that occasionally the high ranking officials in society must travel back into the cave. This I believe is important because it makes a statement that the "Best" members of society and the people that hold the most power should always travel back to their roots and see what the common man experiences every day. This would give a large amount of our politicians today a much better perspective and i think would provide for a better world. Perhaps if Gradgrind took a walk in his childrens shoes he would have realized much earlier the error of his ways? i think so..
An understatement is the opposite of an exaggeration. The dictionary defines understate as “to state or represent less strongly or strikingly than the facts would bear out”. Basically, an understatement is when the writer/speaker deliberately makes a situation seem less important or serious than it actually is. An understatement can funny and satirical when it is obvious to the audience. In Hard Times, Dickens uses understatements to comment on situations. After the bank robbery, Bounderby explains that the money was originally placed “in the little safe in young Tom’s closet, the safe was used for petty purposes” (176). By saying that the safe was small and used only for petty purposes, Dickens is downplaying the importance of the robbery.
ReplyDeleteI thought Plato’s Allegory of the Cave had many similarities to Hard Times, most obviously in the transition from the dark to being enlightened. I agree with what the others have said that the people chained in the cave are like the students in Gradgrind’s school. They are ignorant of the wonders and imagination of real life because all they know are facts, fact, facts. They see glimpses of life, similar to the shadows the prisoners see, but are still restricted. Similarly, the Hands in Bounderby’s factory are accustomed to impoverished misery and unaware of their potential power (the light) if they joined together and complained. I think Louisa is most similar to the one prisoner who escapes and finally sees reality. Her father ingrained his theory of facts into her from a young age, never letting her experience true emotions. Therefore, when Louisa finally realizes her feelings for Harthouse- and metaphorically “sees the light”- she is totally confused. Plato explains that initial exposure to the light can be confusing, explaining Louisa’s collapse at her father’s house. Like the prisoner who returns to the cave, Louisa’s newly acquired knowledge and viewpoint is not accepted by everyone, namely Bounderby, who is harsh in his response to her.
To distort is to misrepresent or give a false or perverted meaning to facts. Distortion is used in satire to mock people's misconceptions about reality to show that a social change needs to be made. Distortions also point out the views of the people being mocked by the satire.
ReplyDeleteIn Plato's "The Allegory of the Cave", the visions of the prisoner's are distorted, and they can only see shadows, and so their truth and reality is also distorted. When the prisoners go and see the light, and they experience the sharp glare, they further believe that it is the shadows that is the reality. So, the truth is being hid and misrepresented to the prisoners. The prisoners perceive the shadows in the cave to be the truth, but Plato is trying to say that what a person's body perceives to be true, is not always real.
In Hard Times, Tom Gradgrind's philosophy of preaching only facts distorts reality. As Mr. Gradgrind finds out at the end of the book when Bitzer is trying to take Tom in for theft, there is more to life than facts. So, Tom's method of schooling distorts the real essence of life which is more of an ad-lib based on emotions in which the responses are not predetermined. By misrepresenting how people should live their lives, Dicken's is able to clearly mock and point out the idiocy of Mr. Gradgrind's method.
Hey y'all,
ReplyDeletemy term is distortion. Distortion, according to tbe site I used, means "a matter of using words (or phrases, insertion mine) in such a way that deviates from its standard meaning in an inappropriate manner." (http://philosophy.hku.hk/think/meaning/pitfalls2.php) However, I couldn't find how it could be used with respect to satire. As improvise, I think that distortion is used specifically to twist someone's intentions or perception.
In Allegory of the Cave, Bob Socrates (from Bill &Ted's Excellent Adventure) is saying that a person's perception is shaped, thus twisted, by his what he sees, feels, or observes externally. If you're chained down and forced to see only one thing, of course your mind would be shaped into thinking that what you're seeing is the only real thing because you have nothing else to compare your observations to.
The comparison between Hard Times and The Allegories is that no character except James Harthouse has seen the outside world. OF course, Blackpool was forced to leave. the members of the Circus and Cecilia have traveled far and wide. But these characters are, for the most part, not in the gist of the action. The main characters, especially Gradgrind Sr and Bounderby, believe that facts are the only way to go (think the school) and that the Hands want "vension soup served in a turtle shell with a golden spoon" (Bounderby's s****y speech).
more to be posted in a bit
Everyone, sorry to keep you waiting. be awed by the rest of my post.
ReplyDeleteTo continue my train of though from earlier, I quote Socrates, "Like ourselves, I replied; and they see only their own shadows, or the shadows of one another, which the fire throws on the opposite wall of the cave. And of the objects which are being carried in like manner they would only see the shadows. And if they were able to converse with one another, would they not suppose that they were naming what was actually before them? and suppose further that the prison had an echo which came from the other side, would they not be sure to fancy when one of the passers-by spoke that the voice which they heard came from the passing shadow?
to them, I said, the truth would be literally nothing but the shadows of the images."
In other words, most of the characters suffer from a distorted perception. Bounderby thinks that he is Mr. Macho who kicks tails and takes names simply because he "made" his fortune in Coketown, which is equivalent to the cave. Louisa, Tom, and many others who stayed to Coketwon for, as far as we know, all of their lives, so effectively, they haven't seen the outside.
It wasn't until James Harthouse came along that the characters are "liberated and compelled suddenly to stand up and turn his neck round and walk and look towards the light, he will suffer sharp pains; the glare will distress him, and he will be unable to see the realities of which in his former state he had seen the shadows; and then conceive some one saying to him, that what he saw before was an illusion, but that now, when he is approaching nearer to being and his eye is turned towards more real existence, he has a clearer vision, -what will be his reply?...And if he is compelled to look straight at the light, will he not have a pain in his eyes which will make him turn away to take and take in the objects of vision which he can see, and which he will conceive to be in reality clearer than the things which are now being shown to him?...he is...dragged up a steep and rugged ascent, and held fast until he 's forced into the presence of the sun himself, is he not likely to be pained and irritated? When he approaches the light his eyes will be dazzled, and he will not be able to see anything at all of what are now called realities."
Sorry about the extensive quoting, but the point is that James Harthouse=everything that can be viewed and Coketown=chains and shackles. Both serves to distort the other because Harthouse changes the mindset of Coketown while Coketown made him more mechanical. If not, Harthouse wouldn't have left Coketown just because some maid told him to.
Everyone, sorry to keep you waiting. Be in awe of my post.
ReplyDeleteSo, what i'm trying to say is that Coketown=the cave because the setting is limited to this town. as a result, what the characters perceive are only the shadows. i quote Bob Socrates again, "human beings living in a underground cave, which has a mouth open towards the light and reaching all along the cave; here they have been from their childhood, and have their legs and necks chained so that they cannot move, and can only see before them, being prevented by the chains from turning round their heads. Above and behind them a fire is blazing at a distance, and between the fire and the prisoners there is a raised way; and you will see, if you look, a low wall built along the way, like the screen which marionette players have in front of them, over which they show the puppets. And do you see, I said, men passing along the wall carrying all sorts of vessels, and statues and figures of animals made of wood and stone and various materials, which appear over the wall? Some of them are talking, others silent. and they see only their own shadows, or the shadows of one another, which the fire throws on the opposite wall of the cave? True, he said; how could they see anything but the shadows if they were never allowed to move their heads?...And if they were able to converse with one another, would they not suppose that they were naming what was actually before them? and suppose further that the prison had an echo which came from the other side, would they not be sure to fancy when one of the passers-by spoke that the voice which they heard came from the passing shadow? truth would be literally nothing but the shadows of the images.
Understatement is a literary device used to present something as being less important than it actually is; the author makes it seem less important. Understatement is a useful tool in satirical writing, especially when it is obvious to the reader, because it may provide humor. In Hard Times, Dickens uses understatement when he describes Tom’s safe: “In the little safe in young Tom’s closet, the safe used for petty purposes, there was a hundred and fifty odd pound” (176). Tom was in fact the person who was robbing money from the bank, but Dickens describes his safe to be used only for “petty purposes,” brushing off the fact that Tom actually robbed the bank, and his safe is used for more than just "petty purposes."
ReplyDeleteI think it is important to note that in Plato's "The Allegory of the Cave," he talks distinctively about light and darkness: "When any of them is liberated...he will be unable to see the realities of which in his former state he had seen the shadows." This states that the "realities," or "facts" (as Gradgrind would say) become distorted with emotions, imagination and creativity. This is Gradgrind's biggest fear, and he discourages any thoughts other than factual ones. Obviously, as many other people have stated above, the Gradgrind school and the cave, and the students at Gradgrind's school and the prisoners, parallel each other. Both prisoner's and students cannot reach their full potential, because they are restricted by facts, rather than what they see or believe. Both Dickens and Plato use satire in their works to suggest the importance of living life for oneself, and experiencing the world around you, rather than being held back.
I liked this quote from "The Allegory of the Cave" because I think it truly demonstrates the overall message of both works: "And if he is compelled to look straight at the light, will he not have a pain in his eyes which will make him turn away to take and take in the objects of vision which he can see, and which he will conceive to be in reality clearer than the things which are now being shown to him." To me, this quote is expressing the power one feels when they are able to go into the "light," or stray from only facts, facts, facts. If one can go into the light, and see for him/herself, things will become clearer for that person, for they are drawing their own conclusions and making their own inferences- they can make up their own minds about what they are viewing or experiencing.
hyperbole-any rhetorical device or figure of speech that employs exaggeration. It may be used to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression, but is not meant to be taken literally.
ReplyDeleteAn example: "my grandmother was the wickedest and worst old woman that ever lived" (16.)
plato implies that you only see what you know/are taught... but louisa and tom know that they believe in something greater than just facts. im not sure which i agree with, but i'd like to think we have the innate ability to think for ourselves despite what we can physically see.
also, the allegory of the cave evokes the question of whether or not we should bring others into the light - or if we should leave them in their blissful state of ignorance. in gradgrind's case, that would be the world in which only facts matter, and that his teaching is the best way. is is those who have seen the lights' responsibility to spread that light to those left in the darkness? when louisa tells her father how terrible it was and how the facts ruined her etc., her father is distraught and broken. he never thought of any other way. but was she right to tell him?
i can see it both ways... in one respect, mr gradgrind could have died happy and ignorant of what he had done to his daughter - and louisa could have kept it inside, maybe forgiven her father, and let him live peacefully.
but, i can also understand her need to tell him, and see the value in him knowing his wrongs and his effects on his daughter.
what do you guys think? 1. if you were in the dark, would you want to be brought out? and 2. if someone you knew was in the dark... would you feel responsible to enlighten him?
An innuendo is an insinuation or a suggestion. Innuendo's are usually (but not always) negative, insulting, or derogatory. As defined in the dictionary an innuendo is "an oblique allusion; a veiled or equivocal reflection on character or reputation." Innuendo and satire are very closely linked in that a satire can be an innuendo, suggesting or insinuating an idea. In Hard Times for example, Dickens insinuates and hints at his views on industrialized England and the loss of imagination and creativity through Gradgrind and his views. Dickens uses the children to show the loss of emotion and the ability to think freely during industrialization. Hard Times, a satire attempting to show the necessity to reform, is complete with innuendos and hints at this message.
ReplyDeleteAlthough this is pretty repetitive of what everyone else said in response to Plato's Allegory of the Cave, I found the commentary and discussion of shadows to be the most important part of the allegory. These shadows are not fully representative of reality; they merely show a portion of reality. They offer the cave dwellers only one point of view and restrict their ability to see and think for themselves. Much like Gradgrind's school's philosophy, these shadows contain no depth. They are solid in color, bland, and two-dimensional. Also, the cave itself is dark and restrictive. It prevents movement and exploration much like Gradgrind.
The definition of ambiguity is uncertainty or inexactness in meaning in language. It is used in a myriad of manners as it relates to literature. Many writers/ authors use ambiguity as a means of what I like to call pulling an Inception. The idea of ambiguity is to be vague or create a grey area or that of uncertainty in order for the reader to come up with thoughts for themselves. For authors ambiguity is usually used in tandem with intimation in order to lead the reader down the road of what the author wants to convey as a major idea or theme but make it seem like the reader has gotten there on their own.
ReplyDeleteIn Satire ambiguity is one of the most effective literary devices in proving a point. A satire is a humorous or comedic manner of promoting social change. If I were to read a piece of literature that flat out told me what to do and how to feel about certain subjects I would probably resent that work and that author. However, ambiguity, if used correctly, can help to deter me from those sentiments in order for me to feel like I came to that conclusion on my own. In being vague and not completely straight forward it keeps the reader guessing as to what the author is trying to say when in reality that were lead right into a trap. Ambiguity helps to spark social change by making people feel as if the ideas of reform were their own ideas.
ALLEGORY IN A CAVE: This philosophical repartee was definitely amusing. While reading it and trying to compare it to Hard Times the only thing that I could think about was Mr. Gradgrind. His philosophy of how the entire world was based in fact and everyone and everything should be governed by fact made me think of the men seeing the world through only the shadows. Socrates explains what reality really is. If men from birth have only seen life through shadows and one day are allowed to see the 3 dimensional world as we perceive it then they would most likely reject it as valid without a firm understanding of what it is that they are witnessing. The world around Mr. Gradgrind is covered by factual information which cannot be broken by the works of imagination. If he were to see something that was not based in fact he would discredit it and disregard it as reality. Very similar to what others said but i feel as if that was sort of where this question was going.
Ambiguity is a technique by which a writer deliberately suggests two or more different and sometimes conflicting meanings in a word, phrase, or entire work.
ReplyDeleteThis device could be useful in satire because if the reading is not sure what meaning the author is implying, they begin to question and maybe reevaluate their society.
I'm not sure but an example of ambiguity in Hard Times may be the authors point of view of the society. Until Louisa's breakdown the satire leaves the reader unclear about whether or not Mr. Gradgrind is right in thinking the way he does.
In Allegory of a Cave the shadows are representative of the limited way of thinking that is demonstrated in Hard Times. In the shadows they have one version of reality but it is not full and is lacking the varied perceptions they wind up having of the universe once they see the sun. Louisa recognizes the existence of the 'sun' early on in the novel and shows it to her father by the end.
To respond to elizabeth's question, i think it was necessary that Louisa brought MR. gradgrind out of the dark. he lived by these obscured guidelines his whole life and imposed it upon all of Coketown. I think it was necessary for her to broaden him and show him there was another way, especially when he was one of the sources of this way of thinking from the beginning.
Hyperbole, as has been said, is any rhetorical device or figure or speech that employs exaggeration. Not meant to take literally, it is used to evoke strong feelings or create a strong impression/emphasis. There's nothing I can add. In Hard Times, Dickens uses hyperbole to satirize and exaggerate characters to the point of caricature, so the morality of the characters and his ultimate theme is very obvious to the reader. Hyperbole is very obvious in Bounderby's repeated exaggerated stories about himself. Bounderby claims that he was born and lived in a ditch "as wet as a sop" with "a foot of water in it" (15).
ReplyDeleteBoth those who have experienced the sun and those who have only experienced the darkness find the other side strange and foreign. In the same way, most of the characters in Hard Times, in one way or the other, only experience a certain side of their lives and are otherwise limited. Gradgrind and Bounderby both only know facts and lack emotion, and Tom and Louisa are oppressed because they are likewise brought up this way. Stephen Blackpool and the Hands have never experienced happiness and prosperity. Sissy is unable to understand Gradgrind's philosophy.
The discussion question over the summer about the appropriateness of the novel is relevant to this. On the one hand, Hard Times is a blatantly obvious name, as many of the characters suffer physically, mentally, and so on. As observers who have had a relatively full spectrum that life offers, we can speculate that we would be very unhappy if we were in the same situation. But the characters have never had life otherwise, so life may not actually be that "hard" for them in that sense.
@Elizabeth Petra 1. It depends. On the one hand, I'd like to know and understand as much as possible. I'd like to truly know what reality is. But if reality is worse, I'm not so sure. I may well rather be blissfully ignorant than disillusioned. Much like the Matrix, come to think of it.
2. It depends, for the same reason
clark, i think we can be on a first name basis, but im impressed that you know my first and last name. i haven't seen the matrix... but i agree with your answer.
ReplyDeleteand er- i agree that he was responsible and needed to be broadened, but then he had to live with the guilt of destroying any chance for his daughter's childhood, and for ruining her emotionally. maybe this is bad but if i were louisa i wouldnt have broken down in front of him - maybe i'd say it to sissy but i'd probs forgive my father and keep him from knowing how detrimental his upbringing up me was to my emotional stability - because id know that he was well intentioned.
upbringing of me*
ReplyDeleteso to follow up with my response to Allegory of the Cave...
ReplyDeleteThere are definite parallels drawn between Plato's cave and the idealized world of Gradgrind's philosophy. Plato's cave is dark, devoid of real knowledge of the world, and the people inside it cannot really know things until they are outside of the cave. In Gradgrind's school, wonder is banned, children grow up studying facts and only facts, and have no real applied knowledge. From reading parts of David Copperfield, I know Dickens felt strongly about this idea of practical knowledge; education with real applied purpose in life that goes beyond the facts of a textbook. He thought it was just as necessary to be educated within the real world, to know things that will make a person understand life and work and society. In both Gradgrind's world and Plato's cave, the students/prisoners were forced to be sheltered from experiencing life and this "real knowledge" of the rest of the world. I also really like Erica's point about the shadows representing limited ways of thinking. Gradgrind was so narrow minded in his philosophy, closed off to the things he could have learned from Louisa or Sissy, that he was "in the dark" to enlightenment and the things Plato wrote could only be found in the light/sun.
also -- justin, sorry, i think i skipped your post before by accident. but i find that part the most interesting as well, and think maybe it relates to louisa going back home after her romance with harthouse. she goes back to her father where everything is facts and darkness - and brings him into the light, where mr gradgrind is able to see the error of his ways
ReplyDeleteDistortion is a method used in literature to mock false impressions about reality. When giving a character distorted beliefs, the author attempts to point out how ridiculous some aspects of life can be (eg societal standards, religious beliefs, etc).
ReplyDeleteI agree what Stephen said about distortion sometimes being a result of limited point of view. Because the people have such a limited perception, they forget about everything they have seen before. Being in a cave changes their definition of reality. A wide variety of stimulants are subject to interpretation, so it is easy for the prisoners to create many different “real” worlds. Just like Hannah said, the shadows are only a small section of what is real. This is the only basis the people in the cave have to create a reality. With no other concrete facts, the prisoners’ view of reality is extremely inaccurate and distorted.
Gradgrind's obsession with facts is a gross distortion of reality in Hard Times. His logical mindset is to such an extreme degree that it is unrealistic. His first line in the book is “All I want is Facts”. This statement – the epitome of his existence – is not a fact, which shows how impossible it is for a person to live that way. Emotions are an unavoidable aspect of life. Although people are capable of logic – reasoning based on fact- Gradgrind takes this a step further by analyzing every part of life without emotions. This doesn’t work, nor will it ever work. Some situations are completely arbitrary and have few facts to influence a decision. Gradgrind’s distorts the unavoidable influence of emotions over logic. Dickens uses Gradgrind to poke fun at the people who believe emotions are inferior to facts.
Understatement – the literary technique of deliberately saying something is not as serious or important as it actually is. The audience and sometimes even other characters in the work often react to understatement by realizing that the topic addressed is very important.
ReplyDeleteUnderstatement is used in satire to draw deliberate attention to subjects that the author thinks are important. By purposely brining up these subjects with this literary device, the author makes the reader realize that the topic is much more important than the understatement claims.
This is actually Kayla (my bro is just signed onto my computer.)
ReplyDeleteIrony is used in satire to highlight important details in a fashion that forces readers to think about the absurdity of the real-life situation.
Plato's Allegory of the Cave is all about illuminating what we see in front of us. In Hard Times, Dickens attempts to do the same by opening the eyes of his readers to the reality of factory work. I agree with what Christine said about Gradgrind's distortion of fact. Every person's truth is different although they may see the exact same thing. Emotion is factored into our own realities, but I believe that our emotions are actually formed as a result of our ethos instead. Gradgrind's reality is based on what he has seen of life around him and as a result, deducted that strict adherence to fact is the best solution to the problems that face people in life. His instillation of the fact-based mindset into his students is simply his way of teaching them what he sees is the best possible way for them to deal with their place in society. By exposing reader's to Gradgrind's point of view, Dickens makes the reader question whether fact is in reality all there is in life and question whether the status of the average factory worker is just a fact/figure or something more.
In The Allegory of the Cave, Plato talks a lot about light and dark, with the allegorical meaning of enlightened and unenlightened thought. Plato praises those enlightened ones who, above ground, are able to see clearly, guided by good.
ReplyDeleteThere are two interpretations of a connection between Plato’s Allegory and Dickens’ Hard Times. The first interpretation is one that Gradgrind and Bounderby would approve of. They believe that by cold rationality, logic, and pure fact, they are able to rise above the common masses’ emotional motives and illogical thought and actions. In this way, they believe that they have the gift of seeing things in a lighted manner, and that they are able to view the world more clearly than those who are stuck in the “cave” of irrationality.
Another interpretation is that the truly enlightened characters in this novel are the ones who reject logic in favor of the good that goes along with emotion. Sissy is more enlightened than Gradgrind and Bounderby because although she understands the concepts of logic and rationality, she rejects them in favor of the pure goodness of her emotions.