The Kugelmass Episode
Woody Allen
p. 349
Is It Ironic, Alanis?
Analyze the lyrics for Alanis Morissette’s
song “Ironic.” Is it actually ironic?
Consider the text’s definition of irony: an
“incongruity in a character’s behavior or in
society’s traditions. . .used to offer
significant insight into human nature.”
Anticipatory Questions
If you could jump directly into a book
you’ve read or a movie you’ve seen, what
book or movie would you choose, and with
which character would you choose to
spend time? Why?
Mini-lesson
Meta
• “after; beyond; with; adjacent; self-”
• “concept which is an abstraction from
another used to complete or add to the latter”
• What are “metaphysics,” “metacognition,”
and “meta-language”?
• What do you think “metafiction” means? Why
would an author write metafiction?
Mini-Lesson
• Metaphysics: abstract philosophical
studies : a study of what is outside
objective experience
• Metacognition: awareness or analysis of
one's own learning or thinking processes
• Metalanguage: a language used to talk
about language
Metafiction
• “beyond fiction”
• “fiction which refers to or takes as its subject
fictional writing and its conventions”
• “fictional writing which self-consciously and
systematically draws attention to its status as an
artifact in order to pose questions about the
relationship between fiction and reality . . .
explores a theory of writing fiction through the
practice of writing fiction” (Patricia Waugh,
Metafiction: The Theory and Practice”
Mini-lesson: Madame Bovary
Emma Bovary - The novel’s protagonist, the Madame Bovary of
the title. A country girl educated in a convent and married to
Charles Bovary at a young age, she harbors idealistic romantic
illusions, covets sophistication, sensuality, and passion, and lapses
into fits of extreme boredom and depression when her life fails to
match the sentimental novels she treasures. She has a daughter,
Berthe, but lacks maternal instincts and is often annoyed with the
child. Occasionally, guilt or a memory of her simple childhood
causes her to repent, and she becomes devoutly religious and
dedicates herself to her husband and child. Such fits of
conscience are short-lived. Emma’s desire for passion and
pleasure leads her into extramarital affairs with Rodolphe and
Leon. In addition, she runs up enormous debts against her
husband’s property and commits suicide when she realizes she
will be unable to repay them.
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/bovary/characters.html
Approach to Reading
Divide into 10 groups. Assign each group
one page of the story (omitting the short
final page). Choose a few consecutive lines
of dialogue on the page (4-8 lines), assign
parts, and read it aloud various ways until
finding a way that befits Allen’s humor and
the story as a whole. Read the lines aloud
to the class. Describe the challenges
inherent in delivering comedy (thereby
examining the effects of humor).
Journaling and Responding
Record ten specific instances of irony in
the story. Then identify the type of irony
for each and consider what points Allen
might be trying to make about society.
Close Reading
Consider the following questions:
• To what degree is “The Kugelmass Episode”
metafiction?
• What role do the literary allusions serve?
• How does Allen play with the levels of narrative
reality?
• How do these levels of reality affect the reader?
• What might he be suggesting about the nature of
fiction?
Discussion and Analysis
• Write a line from your journal on the board. For each,
the class will discuss what is being implied about
society.
• Explore a personal connection with the metafictional
aspect of the story: Why is Kugelmass interested in
meeting Emma Bovary? What function does she play
in his life? What does this suggest about his
relationship with fiction? To what extent do we
identify and connect with the characters we encounter
in fiction? What role do they play in our lives? What
does this suggest about our relationship with fiction?
To what extent can fictional characters and their
stories change the lives of their readers?
AP Exam Preparation
In his 1877 “An Essay on Comedy,” George
Meredith stated: “The test of true comedy
is that it shall awaken thoughtful
laughter.” Write an essay which discusses
the degree to which Meredith’s quote
applies to “The Kugelmass Episode.”
Extension
Hypothetical scenario: Woody Allen is
making a film version of “The Kugelmass
Episode.” Make the CD soundtrack by
choosing or creating music which befits the
mood and tone of the story and then justify
your choices. You may have a single theme
song or several songs to reflect various parts
of the story. For an extra challenge, you may
attempt to reflect the metafictional aspect of
the story in your choice of music.