For Monday: Kwaidan, pp.81-117

The"Love and Death" group should answer TWO of the following questions. 
The students in this group are: Danielle M, Kara C, Sydney W, Bekkah T, Madison G, Erica M, Heather B, Raven J, Jack A, and Mya C

THE STORIES: The Story of Aoyagi, Jiu-Roku-Zakura, The Dream of Akinosuke, Riki-Baka, Hi-Mawari, Horai

Q1: In "The Story of Aoyagi," Aoyagi's soul is tied to a tree that, once cut down, immediately takes her life. We see the same personification of the natural world (trees, flowers, snow) throughout this collection. Why might the Japanese be interested in stories where nature itself can come to life and impersonate people--and even be your own wife? 

Q2: Why do so many of the stories in this book feature a priest, or have the main character shave his head and become a priest at the end of the story? What role do priests/monks seem to play in this culture (besides the obvious one) that makes them such an important theme in these stories? 

Q3: One of the great lessons of Japanese (and many Buddhist societies) is of the transience of life--how brief and fragile it is. How do the stories suggest we deal with a world that begins and ends so quickly--and unexpectedly? Use at least one story to illustrate this.

Q4: In the last story, which is more of an essay, "Horai," the author remarks that in Japanese art, "[the] atmosphere is not of our human period: it is enormously old...It is not made of air at all, but of ghost--the substance of quintillions of generations of souls blended into one immense translucency" (116). What does he mean by this? How can art (old paintings, stories, etc.) be full of the air of "ghosts," and why is it difficult for us to breathe? How does this story, or others in the collection, help explain this?

For Friday: Kwaidan, pp.35-77

For Friday, the “Rainbow” Group (the third group) should answer TWO of the following questions. The members of this group are: Cody G, Kentajj A, Mariana E, Kate C, Tim V, Savanna T, Skyler H, Callie C, Taylor J, Jaren S, Kyle F, and Babette R. 

READ THE FOLLOWING: Of a Mirror and a Bell, Jikiniki, Mujina, Rokuro-Kubi, A Dead Secret, Yuki-Onna

Q1: Throughout the stories, Hearn (an American by way of England) struggles to translate the culture and customs of Japan through these colorful, exotic stories.  One of the most significant ideas is found in the story “Of a Mirror and a Bell,” when he explains the concept known as “nazoraëru.”  What does this word mean, and how might it capture something of the Japanese perspective on the invisible powers that shape the world?  Do we have something similar to this in Western/American culture?

Q2: Several of the stories end very abruptly, either with the statement, "I really cannot tell you with what it was filled!" or "But the priest alone knew what was in it; and the secret died with him." This is a very unsatisfying way to end stories for most readers, so why do these stories deny the solution to the mystery of the story? What might this suggest about the culture, or the nature of ghost stories themselves?

Q3: Though these stories have little of the sexual conflict of Lysistrata, how do some of them depict the tension between men and women (or husbands and wives)? Why might some aspects of marriage or relationships be taboo in this culture? How do the stories address these issues, especially stories such as "A Dead Secret" and "Yuki-Onna"?

Q4: Many of these stories also embody the "finger and the moon" analogy we discussed in class; that is, the finger points to the moon, but the finger is not the moon--it merely guides one to the moon in the sky. How might some of these stories reflect this philosophy? Especially considering the difference between perception and reality? 

For Wednesday: Kwaidan, pp.3-31: Q's for "Revenge" Group

The following questions are here to help guide you through Wednesday's reading, but are mandatory for the "Revenge" Group to answer. Their members are: Liv C, Marissa M, Tara S, Jordan H, Kele P, Cody T, Estelle L, Anthony Y, Casi B, Zach W, Brookelyn L

READ the following stories: The Story of Mimi-Nashi-Hoichi, Oshidori, The Story of O-Tei, Ubazakura, and Diplomacy. 

Answer TWO of the following:

Q1: In the story, "Diplomacy," the narrator writes that "if any person be killed while feeling strong resentment, the ghost of that person will be able to take vengeance upon the killer" (29). Why might a culture believe that dying a 'good death' is more important than how (or when) you die? Do other stories comment on this as well?

Q2: What sense of good and evil (or justice) do these stories offer? Do they follow an obvious sense of right and wrong, or are people punished or rewarded in a less obvious way? Is there a story that seems to offer a clear, recognizable moral; or does a specific story stand out for being more arbitrary in its 'happy ending'? 

Q3: Throughout the stories, Hearn (an American by way of England) struggles to translate the culture and customs of Japan through these colorful, exotic stories.  One of the most significant ideas is found in the story “Of a Mirror and a Bell,” when he explains the concept known as “nazoraëru.”  What does this word mean, and how might it capture something of the Japanese perspective on the invisible powers that shape the world?  Do we have something similar to this in Western/American culture? 

Q4: What do these stories have in common with Western (or American) ghost stories such as something by Poe, or Dracula, or even horror movies like The Exorcist or The Haunting? Are these stories equally concerned with being 'scary' or shocking? Or is this supernatural element more superficial, and more of a "finger" than a "moon"? Use a specific story to support your response.

For Friday: Writing about Pride and Prejduice

For Friday's class, we'll do a quick Comprehension Exam (in name only) looking for connections between the 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice (Austen's 1814 novel) and our two works in class: Sappho's poems and Aristophanes' Lysistrata. Hopefully, some of our discussion will give you ideas to help approach your first paper assignment, due on Monday (see assignment below).

Here are some ideas to consider about the connections we might discuss on Friday:

* Why is Pride and Prejudice a comedy in the same way as Lysistrata is? Obviously they have very different plots and ideas, but how are both making fun or satirizing their respective worlds?

* How are Greek women a lot like women in early 19th century England? What problems do both of them have? 

* We discussed that Lysistrata is a play about fear (which makes it funny); how is Pride and Prejudice also a story about fear, particularly for the women? What are they afraid of most? How do some of their fears come true in the movie?

* How is Elizabeth Bennet similar to either Lysistrata (the character) or the voice of Sappho in the poems? What similar ideas or attitudes do both express? 

* Elizabeth Bennet can't withhold sex from the men of her time, but what can she withhold from them that is equally powerful? How does she do this in the movie?

* How might some of Sappho's advice apply to the women in the movie? Which character might most benefit from it?

* Why do men and women have trouble communicating in the book? Is it at all similar to the communication problems we see in Lysistrata? 

Paper #1: The Lost Play of Sappho (Due September 23rd)

NOTE: The handout had a typo--it's due September 23rd, not October 23rd! Sorry! :) 

Sappho’s poetry has all the elements of theater that we’ve seen in Aristophanes: dialogue, humor, songs, and choruses (and penis jokes!). Maybe her poems were not meant to be poems at all, but are passages from a long-lost play that would have been staged alongside Lysistrata and other Greek dramatists?

PART I (The Play):

• Arrange several fragments from Sappho (anywhere from 4 to 8 of them) into a short “scene” from a play. (You can slightly edit the fragments if you want, but you can’t add lines—only subtract).
• Your scene should have at least two speakers, but can have more. Each fragment should be a speech/dialogue from one of the speakers.
• Give the characters names and tell us where they are. It can be modern—they can be at ECU, or at a football game, or in ancient Greece. Just make sure the characters and setting complements what is being discussed.
• Use the fragments to determine who the characters are: what conversation/argument are they having? How does one poem answer the other? How does it create a mini drama—or comedy?
• Use poems from throughout the book: don’t just use all the poems next to one another. In fact, that might not make sense as a conversation between two or more people.
• Use Lysistrata as a model: you can even use poems as a ‘chorus’ that responds to the action of the two characters. Be creative and listen to the poems and think about what story they tell you.

PART II (The Notes):

• In a follow-up 2-3 page paper, provide scholarly ‘notes’ for your production. Why did you choose the poems you did? What story did you think they were telling?
• Examine a few of the poems to show how they respond to one another and what they reveal about your characters’ personality and ideas.
• You might also offer some insight to the actors: what kind of actor should play these roles? How should they say the lines? What lines are funny—and which ones should not be played for laughs? Remember, this is supposed to be staged, so how should it look to the audience?

REQUIREMENTS

• Must have two parts: the actual play (2-3 pages, at least) and the Notes (2-3 pages, at least); if you’re missing one or the other I won’t grade the paper
• You must use the fragments verbatim in your play (unless you cut a few lines); do not add your own dialogue.
• You must briefly quote from a few poems in your Notes. Cite them according to MLA format, which looks like this:
• In one of Sappho’s fragments, she writes, “neither the honey nor the bee for me,” (Penguin 45).
• DUE MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23^rd BY 5pm

For Wednesday: Lysistrata, Day Three (see below)

No reading for Wednesday unless you haven't finished the play (in which case, be sure to finish it!). We'll discuss another big idea or two from the play that we didn't have time for on Monday. I'll also be giving you your first Paper Assignment on Wednesday, so you won't want to miss it! :) 

As usual, we'll have a Comprehension Exam on Friday, so be sure to bring your book both days!  

For Monday: Finish Lysistrata (pp.161-193)

Even though we're going to spend a few more days on the play, it's short, so go ahead and finish it for Monday's class. Remember that we DO NOT HAVE CLASS ON FRIDAY. So these questions/reading are for the following Monday. :) 

The "Love & Death Group" (Group A) should answer TWO of the following:

Q1: Lysistrata has very specific ideas about how to fix Athenian society, though the men don't want to hear it. According to her, what are some of the biggest problems with how men act and/or run society? What would she want to fix or abolish if she got power? (you might also consider how this relates to some modern issues we still have today!) 

Q2: What is the role of the various Choruses in the play? How do they differ from the individual characters? Do we have anything like this in our own shows and movies today, or this is truly a uniquely Greek custom?

Q3: According to this play, what do the men most fear about women? What would be the danger of letting them run the country for a few days or weeks? Do they fear their incompetence or mismanagement? Or something worse?

Q4: How does the play affect a reconciliation between men and women? Do you think this will be a lasting peace--or a momentary truce? Is sex enough to save the world? In other words, how serious do you think this play truly is?