BANKING UNIVERSITY HO CHI MINH CITY FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES AN INSIGHT INTO BRITISH AND AMERICAN LITERATURE Nguyễn Quang Nhật Nguyễn Hoàn Vũ Phan Lê Vĩnh Thông HO CHI MINH CITY, 09/2020 1 This book consists of 14 chapters and is designed to meet the needs of students at Faculty of Foreign Languages, Banking University HCMC. Its essence includes critical reading, analysing, evaluating, and discussion of selected literary works of British and American culture. These works (or chapters of these works) are also chosen by the author of the syllabus of British and American literature at Faculty of Foreign Languages, Banking University HCMC. Readers first get exposure to fundamental literary issues.
Then, these famous works are examined from multiple viewpoints, not only for themes, narratives, and styles, but also through application of critical theories. Through intensive, close reading, students will understand diverse experiences, languages, forms, and genres. It is also a discussion-centered coursebook mandating that students have a high level of personal investment. The objectives are for students to gain an awareness of themselves, other cultures and other individuals; to gain an ability to think critically and to express ideas orally and in writing; to gain aesthetic sensitivity; to further develop their intellectual curiosity, and could be challenged by the remarkable range of knowledge available through literature.
The material presented here borrows from William J. Long's “English Literature” and Kathryn V. Spanckeren’s “American Literature”. It is meant to serve pedagogical purposes with careful citation and acknowledgements.
Good luck and best wishes! 0 Table of Contents PART 1 FUNDAMENTALS OF LITERATURE .5 CHAPTER 1: AN OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE. Definition of “Literature”. Elements of literature. Common literary devices/ Figurative languages.
20 CHAPTER 2: FORMS OF WRITTEN LITERATURE. Dramas and films. How to analyse a film, drama, or a prose. 46 CHAPTER 3: LITERATURE ANALYSIS.
Definition of literary analysis. Criteria and requirements. 53 PART 2 BRITISH LITERATURE.54 CHAPTER 4: AN OVERVIEW OF BRITISH LITERATURE. The history of English language.
Historical periods of British literature. 64 CHAPTER 5: HAMLET – WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. Analysis of Hamlet. Meaning of the soliloquy.
77 CHAPTER 6: DAFFODILS - WILLIAM WORDSWORTH. The poem “Daffodils” or “I wandered lonely as a cloud”. Meaning of the poem. 88 CHAPTER 7: WUTHERING HEIGHTS - EMILY BRONTE.
Emily Bronte and Wuthering Heights. Summary of Wuthering Heights. Summary of Chapter 15. Analysis of chapter 15.
KNOW-ALL - WILLIAM SOMERSET MAUGHAM. William Somerset Maugham. 112 CHAPTER 9: ARABY – JAMES JOYCE. Summary of Araby.
123 PART 3 AMERICAN LITERATURE .127 CHAPTER 10: AN OVERVIEW OF AMERICAN LITERATURE .128 CHAPTER 11: RIP VAN WINKLE - WASHINGTON IRVING. 147 CHAPTER 12: I HEARD A FLY BUZZ WHEN I DIE – EMILY DICKINSON. The poem “I heard a fly buzz when I die”. 157 CHAPTER 13: ROMAN FEVER – EDITH WHARTON.
173 CHAPTER 14: FLIGHT – JOHN STEINBECK.188 4 PART 1 FUNDAMENTALS OF LITERATURE 5 CHAPTER 1: AN OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE I. Definition of “Literature” Broadly speaking, "literature" describes anything from creative writing to technical or scientific works, but the term commonly refers to works of creative imagination, aesthetic, and/or humanistic purposes such as poetry, drama, fiction, and nonfiction (Terry Eagleton, 1996). It may also contain political messages or beliefs. Task 1: Match the benefits of literature with each description.
To exercise our brains from the insights of others B. To explore other cultures and beliefs C. To appreciate individuals at a deeper level D. To further our mastery of language E.
To explore ethical complexities and learn better ways to behave F. To learn how to support our points of view and trust our own interpretations G. To know we aren't alone 1. History, anthropology and religious 2.
Literarure helps us to expand our minds studies provide a method of learning about with each exposure to those who differ from the cultures and beliefs of others from the us. We may still reject their unique beliefs and outside. Literature, on the other hand, allows assumptions, but we're one step closer to us to experience the cultures and beliefs of understanding them. others first-hand from the inside looking out.
When we explicate literature, we build a 4. Literature hones our language skills and solid case in support of our opinions, and we teaches us valuable techniques for build self-confidence in our own communication. Thus, literature becomes an interpretations of language. important tool to sharpen our linguistic skills.
World literature contains most available 6. Literature teaches us better courses of knowledge about humanity and interactions action and more effective responses to with the world at large. Some most situations. It forces readers to challenge their important lessons are subtly expressed in simplistic ethical conceptions and sometimes literature.
Great literature has hidden their outright condemnation of others' actions. meanings that we have to dig and analyze to Ethical exploration is a mature endeavor; it is find the gold. not for the thin-skinned. Elements of literature a) Theme Theme is the main idea or message about humans, society or life in a literary work.
In literature analysis, it should be stated in the form of a message (a full statement). Task 2: Decide which option is a better description of the theme in each situation. Know-all by William Somerset Maugham The story of Mr. Know-all holds a belief The story of Mr.
Know-all is about the that humans tend to judge other people by theme of cultural and racial prejudice. This stereotypes and races rather than examining the prejudice exist among human beings and should true character of people as individuals. Hamlet – Shakespeare Hamlet is a revenge tragedy involving One theme of Hamlet is the seamy human Hamlet and his responsibility to avenge the world where deception is imevitable, and there murder of his father. is explicit connections between the moral legitimacy of a ruler and the health of the nation.
The Tale of Kieu by Nguyen Du The main message of the story is moral The main message of the story is a respect issues when the main character managed to save towards women and desire for women’s freedom her family and the innocence of her soul from all the norms of a male-dominated society, regardless the circumstances she faced. which reinforces an oppression as a result of Confucian tradition and the patriarchal society. Daffodils by William Wordsworth The main theme of the poem “Daffodils” The poem enchanted the beauty of nature is about the beauty of nature. The author is which could empower people to put human shown to be lonely, but when he thinks back to problems into perspective and transform their the Daffodils, he is happy and content.
sadness into joy for more motivation to survive. Araby – James Joice The central theme of the story is the The central theme of the story is the disappointing transformation of humans when maturity change in terms of understanding about confronting with reality. The boy undergoes human relationship and the challenging reality. emotional growth, changing from an innocent This is a major step toward adulthood when boy to an adolescent when he goes to a bazaar.
people coming of age and dealing with reality. 7 Task 3: Write one theme for the following Vietnamese fictions. When the light is out (Tắt Đèn – Ngô Tất Tố) …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. The A-Phu couple (Vợ chồng A Phủ – Tô Hoài) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Mountains and Rivers of the Southern Country (Nam quốc sơn hà – Lý Thường Kiệt) …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. b) Plot Plot is a sequence of events that occurs to characters from the beginning to the end of a story. Elements in a plot: Exposition/Introduction: This is the beginning of the story, where characters and settings are established to explain or summarize background information. Rising action: It occurs when a series of events begin to get complicated.
It is during this part of a story that excitement, tension, or crisis is encountered. Conflict/ Complications • Internal conflict: It is a struggle which takes place in the protagonist’s mind and through which the main character reaches a new understanding or dynamic change. • External conflict: It is a struggle between the protagonist and another character against nature and some outside force. Climax: This is the moment of highest interest and emotion, leaving the reader wondering what is going to happen next.
Falling Action (or the winding up of the story): This part occurs after the climax has been reached and the conflict has been resolved. 8 Resolution: This is the end of a story, which may occur with either a happy or a tragic ending. Denouement: A French word meaning "unknotting" or "unwinding," denouement refers to the outcome or result of a complex situation or sequence of events, an aftermath or resolution that usually occurs near the final stages of the plot. Open Plot: Open plot is one of those things where the author never gives a definite ending, and is very vague about what happens.
You can use your imagination for what happens to the characters. Closed Plot: A restricted sequence of events in a play, novel, or film. Example: Cinderella 9 Task 4: Identify the required element in each literary work. Climax - The Tale of Kieu by Nguyen Du ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Conflict - Romeo and Juliet by W. Falling Action – The last leaf by O. c) Characterisation Characterisation refers to the way how an author or poet uses his/her description, dialogue, and action to create in the readers an emotional or intellectual reaction to a character or to make the character more vivid and realistic. Some types of characters are are: • Protagonist: The main character on whom the author focuses most of the narrative attention.
• Antagonist: The character against whom the protagonist struggles or contends. • Static Character/Flat Character: A simplified character who does not change his or her personality over the course of a narrative. • Dynamic Character: a character whose personality changes or evolves over the course of a narrative or appears to have the capacity for such change. • Round character: a well-developed character who demonstrates varied and sometimes contradictory traits.
• Foil: A character that serves by contrast to highlight opposing traits in another character. • Confidant: A character in a drama or fiction, such as a trusted friend or servant, who serves as a device for revealing the inner thoughts or intentions of a main character. • Antihero: A protagonist who is a non-hero or the antithesis of a traditional hero. While the traditional hero may be dashing, strong, brave, resourceful, or handsome, the antihero may be incompetent, unlucky, clumsy, dumb, ugly, or clownish.
10 • Stereotype: A character who is so ordinary or unoriginal that the character seems like an oversimplified representation of a type, gender, class, religious group, or occupation. • Stock Character: A character type that appears repeatedly in a particular literary genre, one which has certain conventional attributes or attitudes. d) Setting The setting of a literary work encompasses a number of different elements: • Time: refers to day or night, summer or winter, and the historical period. Period is the common historical eras that scholars use to divide literature into comprehensible sections.
Dividing literature into these arbitrary periods allows us to better compare and contrast the works in different ages, to more easily trace chains of influence from one writer to another, and to appreciate more readily the connection between historical events and intellectual trends. • Place: implies the location of inside or outside, country or city, specific town and country, Cultural milieu (urban, rural, multicultural, ethnic, diverse), and real or fictional areas, • Social situation: implies the social status and situation of not only the main characters but also the minor characters who take little part in advancing the plot, and even from those whose presence contributes to the realism of the work.