The False Gems--Annotations
Direct and Indirect Characterization
POV
Title significance
Irony
Themes: money corrupts; pitfalls of materialism
Social Criticism: “When a man is poor, his life is content,
but when a man is wealthy and prosperous, his life is
satiated with sorrow and he yearns for happiness.”
Recurring Theme: “Appearance vs. Reality”
When you finish reading: Answer “For Discussion” 1-4 on
pg. 488 (in your composition book) be ready to discuss!
Ode on a Grecian Urn--Annotations
Metaphors
Symbols
Paradox--the urn appears in the real world subject to time and
change, yet it and the life it presents are unchanging
Tone shifts
Diction
Describe the scenes presented on the urn
Theme: “How is truth to be defined?”
Contrast between “two worlds”:
1. The real world
1. Human life
2. The world depicted on the urn
2. Life depicted on the urn
Recurring theme: “Appearance vs. Reality”
Night Face Up--Annotations
2 settings—Modern World and Savage World
Perspective
Light and dark imagery
Point of view shifts
Title significance
Cortazar’s analysis of two worlds in terms of human
behavior and physical environment
Themes: “Where does truth reside in this story?”
Recurring theme: “Appearance vs. Reality”
Allegory of the Cave--Annotations
Define: Allegory and Parable
What is Plato’s attitude toward the idea of
Enlightenment?
Theme: Truth vs. illusion—what we perceive as
real from birth is false based on our imperfect
interpretations of reality and goodness.
Recurring theme: “Appearance vs. Reality”
Plato’s Theory of Forms
The Ethical Problem: How can
humans live a fulfilling, happy life
in a contingent, changing world
where every thing they attach
themselves to can be taken
away?
Plato’s Solution: Humans have
access to the realm of forms
through the mind, through reason.
This gives them access to an
unchanging world, invulnerable to
the pains and changes of the
material world. By detaching
ourselves from the material world
and our bodies and developing our
ability to concern ourselves with the
forms, we find a value which is not
open to change or disintegration.
Plato’s Theory of Forms
The Problem of Permanence and
Change: How can the world
appear to be both permanent
and changing? The world we
perceive through the senses
seems to be always changing.
The world that we perceive
through the mind, seems to be
permanent and unchanging.
Which is most real and why does
it appear both ways?
Plato’s Solution: We perceive a
different world, with different
objects, through our mind than we
do through the senses. It is the
material world, perceived through
the senses, that is changing. It is the
realm of forms, perceived through
the mind, that is permanent and
immutable. It is this world that is
more real!
Appearance vs. Reality Micro-Seminar
Read and annotate pgs. 5455. Look for key discussion
ideas presented in these 2
pages that reflect the theme
of “Appearance vs. Reality.”
Then, decide which of the 4
stories we’ve read BEST
supports this theme.
Be ready to share with
EVIDENCE from the text!
“The False Gems” (p. 483)
“Ode on a Grecian Urn” (p. 46)
“The Night Face Up” (p. 7)
“The Allegory of the Cave” (p. 49)