Task 1: Work with the painting shown and poem detailed on pg 129 of student handbook and follow the task requirement. Respond instinctively ( and not through googling for information) so that your natural and immediate connection can be determined. Don't write huge paragraphs--just enough to make your thoughts clear. But please remember to write grammatically! You are the cat's whiskers ---you are English Literature HL.
This is perhaps just what I needed. But I can't promise you about the grammar...
ReplyDeleteMissing your analysis---did you forget to write in ?
DeleteThis is sanika:
ReplyDeleteWhat thoughts and feeling does the painting evoke for you?
The painting gives me the feeling of loneliness. However this is no way negative. On the other hand, it makes me think of grace and gives me a kind of romanticist dreamy idea about solitude. In spite of this, I feel there is an underlying tone of sadness about it (probably because of the inactivity/lack of humans in the picture) which, when seen with the other elements, arouses a mixed feel of a kind of sadness and beauty that is present in the loneliness.
What seems to be the attitude of the painter to his subject?
The painter has painted his painting in black and grey. The structure of the building is quite realistic and the whole look of the house is one of organization and a kind of conventionality. The painter’s attitude towards the house can be seen as a mixed one. On one hand, the sky is clear (positive), but more than half of the house is covered in shadow (negative). The house stands alone (which usually gives negative signals) but the house is erect and has a glow of dignity (which counteracts the signals). The black and grey are a little depressing but the aura the house has and it lone surroundings gives it a charm and arouses fascination.
What might be the connection between the ideas of the Calalan poet and the painting that evokes this particular poetic exploration?
The connection is that the house in the painting is the one described by the poet as a house in which he wants to hold vigil against temptation and his craving for a piece of luck.
What things are very clear to you about the poem and which references are puzzling?
Some words in the poem were difficult to make sense of (‘phantasmagorical’) so they create puzzlement in my mind. The talk about luck and the kinds of luck is quite straightforward and the reference to the train tracks is quite clear too. The reference to ‘who-knows –what-lands’ is puzzling since I do not understand how they can represent a piece of luck since the poet says the lands are ‘at the mercy of ….heat’. The poet says about the Victorian house fantasy ‘without going crazy for what I can’t possess’ which gives me the impression that he knows about what he can and what he cannot have. After this, the phrase ‘original innocence’ is puzzling to me. The phrase ‘yet cut off’ is also puzzling since I do not understand the function of the word ‘yet’ in the verse. The reference to the Victorian house gives me a general idea about what the author is saying, but I cannot say for certain because the language is rather vague.
Good analysis considering you are not allowed to know the context! I like you recognising points of puzzlement. Do you think you would like to look up the background now?
DeleteBora
ReplyDeleteWhat thought and feeling does the painting evoke for you?
Since there is nothing around the building but the railroad, it seems like the building is situated in the rural area, away from the city. Although the building looks decent and sophisticated, there is sense of loneliness, because the house is standing alone in the wilderness. One can notice with the shadow that it is not during the midday or absolute night. The shadow is slanting, covering a side of the building. The sun is on the left; it is either dawn in the morning or dusk in afternoon. Depending on the time the theme would change -either hope or frustration. It would be good if I could have a look at the real painting with the colours (but since I was not allowed to research anything on the net…).
What seems to be the attitude of the painter to his subject?
The painter drew the building in great detail; shadowing of the house is carefully done to bring about sense of reality. This shows that the building is the important element in the painting. In the first sight, it looks like the painter did not have any personal view/perspective/bias about the house. It looks as if he transferred the image from reality to his canvas. However, his choice of colour reflects aura of lifelessness and loneliness (here I am assuming that the painter painted the house the way it looks like in the textbook, using only black and white). The painter has disinclination to approach the house (maybe the painter does not belong to the class where he can live in a building like this, or the painter has heard a rumour about the house). He drew the house from a distance, hiding from the scene. Base of the building is covered by the railroad and is covered out of sight. The painter is looking at the house from low altitude, behind the railroad.
What might be the connection between the ideas of this Catalan poet and the painting that evokes this particular poetic exploration?
I think “luck” in the poem signifies railroad. Poet describes different types of luck and differing nature of them. It could be benign, malignant,… exactly like the railroad since nobody knows where the railroad would take the passenger (I do not think people in 1925 had subways and metro where they would know exactly where the train would stop). Therefore, getting on the rail track signifies embarking on new life. In the poem, poet posits himself as a household of the house in the painting. The poet shows desire to explore the world and reach the place that are ‘untouched by human hand’. However, it is the house that is hindering, resisting him to embark on the journey. The house is too comfortable, safe, protective, and luxurious. If he get on the railroad but fails to find the place he longed for, he will ultimately experience difficulties and discomforts. There is no hundred percent guarantee that his journey would be successful. He decides to stick with the safer side –to stay. The house, therefore, operates as both protection and imprisonment. This is very ironical, because the railroad, which signifies new life, new journey is right in front of the house.
What things are very clear to you about the poem and which references are puzzling?
I had to read the poem a number of times to get the picture, and to understand what the poet is trying to convey. When I first read the poem, the few lines, I saw no connection at all with the poem and the painting. The poem was talking about luck, which has nothing to do with a house and the railroad. But as a read it again and again I could detect the metaphor, read between the lines. But I am still unclear about the last few lines of the poem.
When lucks were compared with certain animals, I found it confusing as well as interesting.
Bora as usual you are meticulous about your attempt.I like your exploration of the perspective. Do you think that would be better defined if you were allowed to research the background? Do so now ...
DeleteWhat thoughts and feelings does the poem evoke for you?
ReplyDeleteI find the painting quite eerie. I think that the lack of colours, the lighting and the isolation I associate with this painting is responsible for this mood. The house seems very cold, dark and mysterious.
What seems to be the attitude of the painter to his subject?
The house seems very eerie especially because of the lighting in the painting. It reminds me of a vampire. It is cold and beautiful, but also quite scary. I think that the painter is a little scared of the house but is still very fascinated by it. It is quite like how most people find vampires scary but fascinating.
What might be the connection between the ideas of this Catalan poet and the painting?
The poem creates positive emotions in me. However the feelings created by the painting are not something that I would call cheerful. So I think that painting (and the house) means something quite different to Ernest Farres. He probably sees this house as somthing that is desirable becasue it is untouched, away from the moise and disturbances of the city. Since "luck is placed within his reach", he believes that the "train tracks that hurl themselves against a tomorrow without an Achilles heel will lead him to this desirable house.
What things are very clear to you and which references are puzzling?
I find lines 11 to 20 very easy to understand. It is very clear that the poet fantasizes for a tomorrow filled with flawless things, perfect scenes.
I do not know terms like ad hoc, asp mean. Similarly I do not understand the contextual relevance of terms like easy street, a scorpion fish, a wild boar and a starling. Hence, though i know that broadly the poet is describing different types of luck, I cannot completely appreciate the descriptions.
I found the last six lines of the poem extremely confusing. For one, I did not know what the words vigil and phantasmagorical excactly meant. Moreover I was not able to comprehend the poet's tone towards the house. I did not understand what was the supreme example of original innocence.
Very honest attempt--I hope you found the exercise more challenging than frustrating:)Terms like erms like easy street, a scorpion fish, a wild boar and a starling. Have metaphorical ( literary) connotations as well as contextual.Why not explore the context now and find for yourself how that adds to your enjoyment.
DeleteReading what everyone else has written has given me different perspectives. I did not consider so many factors. It was a good experience.
ReplyDeleteThis is best of IB collab learning:) Welcome to IBDP HL Lit my friend!
DeleteI agree with you, Grusha! I have never done this before... This is a new way of learning! I love it :)
Deletethis is Promit:
ReplyDeleteWhat thought and feelings does the painting evoke for you?
when i first looked at the image it gave a rather vague and confusing impression. Firstly the picture is painted in black and white that shows that the building is quite old and it has many distinct stories which are connected to it , it even gives me a mixed emotion about the house, first that the sky is clear which shows positiveness but when i look at the house it is mostly in shadows which gives out a certain negativeness, but i think the painter wanted to give the house a very shady appearance, a kind of house which u would think twice to approach.
it even gives a positive signal as the house is still solid and it stands it ground with dignity, so for me the painter has many emotions attached to this house. the painter also succeed to show that the house is standing alone and also give an impression of loneliness.
what seems to be the attitude of the painter to his subject?
The painter's attitude is neither positive nor negative its a mixed emotion, he might have had positive and negative experiences in the house and thus the mixed attitude and it is also evident that the house might have been very dear to him thus painting it and giving it a very dignified and solid look, a look of importance and belonging. but the painter also wanted to show that the house stands alone and that it is very lonely, thus it even gives me an impression that the author might also be very lonely.
what might be the connection between the ideas of the Catalan poet and the painting that evokes this particular poetic exploration?
Both the painter and the poet gives me a feeling of loneliness, in the poem there is a line in which the poet says that the house is vacant and almost as if a phantom resides in it, and even in the poem the house standing alone without anything surrounding it gives a same impression, according to me the house also seems a bit haunted thus the shady character given to the house by the painter, but i even think that both the painter and the poet wants to get hold of this house as it is both away from the city and it is away from all the nuisance, it even might be evident that the poet might see this house as a good luck and ignoring the shady character that the painter has tried to portray.
what things are very clear to you about the poem and which references are puzzling?
to me the first half of the poem or the introductory lines are very clear to understand, the poet wants us to understand certain things about luck and i even think that it is very creative that the poet tries to describe misfortune as a bit of danger, thus comparing it with wild animals that are quite dangerous, but the later half of the poem is quite challenging to understand and i failed to understand some of the parts of the poem like "i imagine who knows-what plains........ still not weather proofed"
was hard for me to understand, the way he describes the house is very fascinating.
Interesting response!I like your comparative analysis of the poem and painting.Do you think exploring the context will be a good thing now?
DeleteArnav here =)
ReplyDeleteWhat thoughts and feelings does the painting evoke to you?
- The painting creates a feeling of depression in my mind. The color of the painting being grey helps evoke the sense of depression. Grey is a color which is associated with loss or depression. Other than that, the painting also creates a feeling of strength, as there is nothing else to be seen around the house. It stands there tall and handsome, as neat as a pin.
2. What seems to be the attitude of the painter to his subject.
- The subject in the painting is the house. The attitude of the painter is very hard to understand. There is contradiction in the painting. On one hand, the color of the painting seems to be depressing as it is completely gray in color, but on the other hand the house is very bold when compared to the surroundings. Normally in a very deserted place like the painting, the house would be an old, weary one but this is not the case. In my opinion, the author wants to send a very important and noble thought. No matter how tough the surroundings are, one should stand out, one should be unique. No matter how tough the circumstances are, one should always stand tall and face the problem.
3. What might be the connection between the ideas of the Catalan poet and the painting that evokes this particular poetic exploration?
- The connection that I see between these two beautiful pieces of art, is the sense of being lost and lonely. The poet uses words like "phantasmagorical" and "vacant" which gives me this idea.
4. What things are very clear to you about the poem and which references are puzzling?
-What I absolutely did not seem to understand and what puzzled me the most is the usage of luck in the poem, I don't see the connection between the painting and the usage of luck.
The ending part of the poem, "I recognize myself holding vigil inside a huge Victorian house, vacant foreboding, phantasmagorical," are very clear to me as the usage of words like "vacant" and "phantasmagorical" are clear to me and they make sense in context of the painting.
I admire your diligence in trying to make sense of something that is clearly disconcerting for you. But did it not help to make the effort and confront the challenges? Look at the context now.
DeleteHey guys :) It’s Arthi… ^^
ReplyDelete(a)What thoughts and feelings does the painting evoke for you?
The black and white of the painting as well as the solitary nature of the house immediately brings to mind a different time in history – far from today. The unique architecture resembles a house from perhaps the Victorian era or similar. Yet, there are train tracks indicating the presence of modern ideas and technology. It seems as if the artist is attempting to contrast the past with the present in an inconspicuous manner.
(b)What seems to be the attitude of the painter to his subject?
The artist seems intent upon expressing the contrast between the two prominent features of his work- the house and the train track. The detailed shading emphasizes the difference between light and dark, again opposites, just like the old house and the new railroad. Interestingly, while the house itself looks realistic, the sky above it seems too bare to be natural. The isolation of the house from the rest of the world brings about an element of mystery and solitude to the work.
(c)What might be the connection between the ideas of this Catalan poet and the painting that evokes this particular poetic exploration?
The poem emphasizes the theme of contrast apparent in Edward Hopper’s work. The idea of existence without flaw- without an Achilles heel, is something coveted by mankind since eons. It is in every way an insatiable yet impossible desire. The poet seems to long for something original and untouched by man. He imagines himself in a Victorian house, ‘vacant’ and ‘cut off from the world’ which seems within grasp until we notice the railroad, a means of travel and exploration, an utter anomaly in the context.
(d)What things are very clear to you about the poem and which references are puzzling?
It was easy to understand the various ideas surrounding the theme of luck. Yet, I couldn’t make sense of the reference to “a scorpion fish, a wild boar, a starling.” It seemed out of place to mention “a vision of train tracks” when speaking of luck. The two ideas seemed completely unrelated, as if the poet was unaware of his digression from the main subject. I also found the reference to “original innocence” quite confusing.
A fine analysis. I like your attempt to explore the dichotomy and contrast between the poem and the painting.Do you think that the metaphors that were difficult to realte to are symbols of luck in another culture? Explore the context now through research.
DeleteArthi, I think that the 'vision of tracks' is in reference to the first line of the poem "I fantasize that luck is placed within my reach". So I think that everything he said about luck, is a side track of the poem. So his vision of the train tracks is the same as his fantasy of luck being placed within his reach. He wishes that he can achieve that vision.
DeleteAfter reading what everyone wrote, I found that one thing that most of us did not understand is the reference to the animals in line 10. I agreed with Promit’s inference that these animals refer to bad luck because the poet contrasts these animals to luck “that leaves you on easy street”. Here is what I found about these animals.
ReplyDeleteAn asp is a poisonous snake that was considered as royalty by the ancient Romans. So maybe this refers to the kind of luck that seems good, but turns out to be bad.
The systematics of scorpion fish are complicated and unsettled. So this probably refers to the kind of luck that leaves one feeling very unsettled.
Wild boars are omnivorous scavengers that eat everything they find. So this is probably the kind of luck that “eats away” one’s life.
Starlings are sociable birds and seem very nice. I could not see how this could be related to bad luck!
I just took one aspect of each of these animals. Maybe I took the one that seemed to make most sense to me. This is probably where I bring in my “culture” to my interpretation. It would be interesting to see if any of you have any other interpretations based on other (or same) characteristics of these animals!
I think the railroad track and luck are closely related to each other. as i have written in my reflection, I think the poet is trying to convey the uncertainity that lies under starting on new journey.
DeleteI think that original innocence can mean 2 things. The first is a positive state of being, a lot like enlightenment, where one does not worry about what one cannot possess though he/she is cut off from the world. So this is what the poet wants to achieve with his vision.
ReplyDeleteThe second can be interpreted as being ignorant. You don’t go crazy for what you can’t possess because you are cut off from the world and you don’t know what you are missing. As they say, ignorance is bliss.
I am more inclined to believe the first interpretation.
I still can not understand the last three lines. I thought the poet, wishes to embark on a new journey in search for "orginal innocence" but unable to do so because of the uncertainity and possible 'bad'lucks.
DeleteBora from what I have understood,his first line "I fantasize that luck is placed within my reach" is next directly connected to the 11th line "I have a vision.." So all the references in the middle form a side track to the poem.
Deleteokay, i see that. yes the vision, the dream of the poet is closely related with the railroad track.
Deleteon the last part of the poem, the poet says "for what I can't possess yet cut off from the world, supreme example of original innocence"
isn't he already cut off from the civilization? what do you think?? why would the poet want to have something that he/she already possesses?
He is not yet cut off from civilization. He wants to be. That is his vision :) And so I think that he wants to achieve inner peace
DeleteYes!! ATTENTION!! THE PAINTING IS NOT IN BALCK AND WHITE!!!! IT HAS COLOURS!!! Edward Hopper was famous for oil painting and he often used colours to paint his paintings. yeah~~ my assumption was right!!! I wrote previously in my reflection above:'(here I am assuming that the painter painted the house the way it looks like in the textbook, using only black and white).'
ReplyDeleteJust google the image: "House by the Railroad by Edward Hopper". you will get the colours of the painting.
most of you guys who based the interpretation on colour of the painting will now come up with different views :)I am excited!
You are right. The original painting does not seem half as eerie or mysterious. It reminds me of the Kings Cross station in harry potter and the deathly hallows for some reason.
DeleteNow I can see why the Ernest Farres considers this house as desirable. It looks quite welcoming even though it is isolated. This makes my view stronger that he wants peace in isolation, "cut off from the world, yet without going crazy for what he can't possess". Sounds like Nirvana to me!
Well, this definitely changes things :) A lot of our analysis was based on the assumption that the painting was in black and white!!
DeleteTime indeed plays important role.1925, which is after the first World War, US went through urbanization and Edward Hopper did not really welcome the change. He rejected the European influence in US.
ReplyDeleteI found on net that there was modernist art movement at this period. Edward Hopper fell under category of "realism".
Well, but i don't think this new piece of inforamtioin is going to affect my point of view. I should probably search more on the poet and the poem. Then I will be able to find connection, i guess. ^^