Meta

The term metafiction is defined as such:

Metafiction, also known as romantic irony in the context of Romantic works of literature, uses self-reference to draw attention to itself as a work of art, while exposing the "truth" of a story. "Metafiction" is the literary term describing fictional writing that self-consciously and systematically draws attention to its status as an artifact in posing questions about the relationship between fiction and reality, usually using irony and self-reflection. It can be compared to presentational theatre, which does not let the audience forget it is viewing a play; metafiction does not let the reader forget he or she is reading a fictional work.

How does this term apply to The Real Inspector Hound?

Sets

There are many places where plays can take place. Sometimes people do Theater in the round, black box theater, street theater, regular theater, theater in the park....etc.

Theater is really all around you - as is performance. You play a character everyday in a certain setting. Your character changes when your setting does - at least mine does. I'm a completely different person at home than I am at school.

I think that setting makes the play - what do you think? Do you pay attention to setting when you watch a play? What does it do for you?

Who is your favorite!?

The Real Inspector Hound  is a play within a play, if you have not figured that out yet... :) The play within the play is particularly bad. Just awful. However, there is a unique twist towards the end...and you end up questioning your characters. It's very similar to The Mousetrap - a famous play that people were sworn to secrecy upon seeing.

Therefore, the characters in this play are different than they normally would be...as they are actors playing actors (for the most part).

While you have been doing your character analysis - who has become your favorite character?

I played Felicity while I was in college - so she is naturally mine. I also like how she uses her body for humor. She is typically a buxom woman and is usually dressed in sexy clothes - and much of her humor comes from making fun of that. She was an exciting character to play.

These are a few of my favorite things

On monday you will get a chance to read my favorite story - and you will be critically thinking about and analyzing this story.  (I can't wait because it's a good one).

What has been your favorite short story we have read so far during our super short unit? Do you have one that stands out to you the most? If so, why? Was their symbolism in your story? Did that make a difference for you?

It's all about the theory

If you were to choose one of the three theories that we worked with today to use on a daily basis (because you're cool and run around analyzing literature all the time) what theory would you use?

I haven't taught you this theory, but I prefer Performance Theory. Performance theory is simply the study of how life and human interaction is basically the action of portraying societal roles - and how these roles are different depending upon which setting a person is in. There is much more to it than that, but that's the theory in short. If you would ever like to geek out and learn about it, hit me up.

So, long story short....which theory provided you with a more rewarding understanding of the story? Did it matter at all?

Roses and Time and Voices

I think that the stories today kind of go hand in hand: both of them discussed freedom in one way or another.  Emily, in some ways, lives her life completely free....she doesn't even pay taxes, and does what she pleases. However, she let's life pass her by. She dies having wasted the freedom she always had -  by locking herself up in a house....like a caged bird.

The wife in "A Story of an Hour" longs for freedom, never has it, finally gains it and boom DEAD. 

I think that both of these stories can be considered feminist of sorts - one positive and another negative. It's almost as if both of these stories represent the voices of many women....those that realize they a free and those that long to be so....Anyway.... Segue to voices.....

In the first paragraph of the story, we see that Faulkner uses a first person plural narrator. Why do you think Faulkner prefers this? How does this affect your understanding of the story?

And it was all Yellow

I think a lot about titles - you heard me discuss that in Feed.

How would this story change if the title was The Orange Wallpaper or The Baby Poop Yellow Wallpaper. 

Does changing the title change the mood of the short story?