Quote Drop!
We covered Ambrose Bierce's "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" today, which is a story that I absolutely love. You could argue that it is a satiric view of Romanticism, perhaps interspersed with elements of dark comedy. Certainly Peyton Farquhar's fanciful dream of escaping his execution seems to mock the old Romantic highly improbable "miracles," as Twain called them, only to dash the reader's hope later with that 180 degree turnaround. Has anyone else who's read this laughed at the end? I mean, I don't believe the ending was meant to be funny so much as a slap in the face to Romanticism. However, I found the irony in the ending highly amusing. "Yay! I've escaped! Oh, look! My lovely wife. I'll just give her a hug... Well, shit." I also find it funny that we're taken through that whole routine before Bierce steers us into a dark alley, slams us up against a brick wall, and makes off with our hope and naivete.
Burduck also read to us from The Devil's Dictionary for about 15 minutes. I'd forgotten just how much I loved it.
Anywho, I'll shut up and give you the quotes.
American Lit.
1. "It's everyone's favorite pastime: a hanging! Get some background music. Swinging in the rain."
2. "Did you all get Valentine's yesterday? Oh, look at you! I'm sure you got thousands of them. I got a few from the School for the Blind."
3. "Howells was a guy who had a wonderful sense of humor, like I used to. I don't anymore."
Most of the quotes today come from our last day of Poe in Gothic lit. We got off on a huge tangent and after about 20 or 30 minutes staggered dazed back to the original subject.
Gothic Lit.
4. "I just like the word wacky. Be sure to use that in your papers."
5. "Ancient Egyptians- they were from Egypt."
6. "The Quakers! We've got them. They eat oatmeal, too."
7. "There's only so much I can remember, like where I put my hair."
8. "Art on art! That's how they make little arts."
9. "I didn't say he smells; I said he's in a spell."
10. "Oh, fiddlesticks."
11. "Wouldn't that be a good name for a band: Fetid Pudding? Their hit song would be 'Try Soap Next Time.'"
12. "Well, you catch on like flypaper!"
13. "Quick! Go out and buy him a personality!"
14. "Fetid Pudding! That's a good idea! Another song, 'Primordial Ooze.' Oh, and 'Ointments Don't Seem to Help." Scratch'n'sniff CDs. Collect all 10! You know, this is starting to sound oddly clever."
15. "He cut his hair and shaved and looks almost human now."
16. "C'mon, Mouse Boy! You gotta be there. We'll even bring you some cheese. And some D-Con."
17. "Remember, you don't want to look like a bad essay."
18. "Fetid Pudding! A whole new category: odor rock."
Burduck also read to us from The Devil's Dictionary for about 15 minutes. I'd forgotten just how much I loved it.
Anywho, I'll shut up and give you the quotes.
American Lit.
1. "It's everyone's favorite pastime: a hanging! Get some background music. Swinging in the rain."
2. "Did you all get Valentine's yesterday? Oh, look at you! I'm sure you got thousands of them. I got a few from the School for the Blind."
3. "Howells was a guy who had a wonderful sense of humor, like I used to. I don't anymore."
Most of the quotes today come from our last day of Poe in Gothic lit. We got off on a huge tangent and after about 20 or 30 minutes staggered dazed back to the original subject.
Gothic Lit.
4. "I just like the word wacky. Be sure to use that in your papers."
5. "Ancient Egyptians- they were from Egypt."
6. "The Quakers! We've got them. They eat oatmeal, too."
7. "There's only so much I can remember, like where I put my hair."
8. "Art on art! That's how they make little arts."
9. "I didn't say he smells; I said he's in a spell."
10. "Oh, fiddlesticks."
11. "Wouldn't that be a good name for a band: Fetid Pudding? Their hit song would be 'Try Soap Next Time.'"
12. "Well, you catch on like flypaper!"
13. "Quick! Go out and buy him a personality!"
14. "Fetid Pudding! That's a good idea! Another song, 'Primordial Ooze.' Oh, and 'Ointments Don't Seem to Help." Scratch'n'sniff CDs. Collect all 10! You know, this is starting to sound oddly clever."
15. "He cut his hair and shaved and looks almost human now."
16. "C'mon, Mouse Boy! You gotta be there. We'll even bring you some cheese. And some D-Con."
17. "Remember, you don't want to look like a bad essay."
18. "Fetid Pudding! A whole new category: odor rock."