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Post by Mr. Thomas on Dec 5, 2013 18:02:42 GMT -5
Impracticality of the hero model?
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Post by robertmaruca on Dec 5, 2013 19:31:34 GMT -5
Don Quixote
A. While I was reading the story of Don Quixote it reminded me a lot of the book I read ovder the summer The Alchemist. First of all both main characters are from Spain, and second both characters are desperate for adventure and excitement. Santiago and Don Quixote are also both inspired by their passions. Santiago had a passion for traveling and Don Quixote had a passion for reading adventure books and trying to reenact scenes from them. I also started to remember that when I was younger I would pretend to be a knight or some hero and I would play with either my brother or friends. This book really made me remember me childhood.
E. I thought it was pretty comical when Don Quixote started naming his horse and himself. I also liked it when he tried to make a helmet for himself. Overall to me the most comical part was when he thought windmills were giants. I thought these parts were funny because it showed us how much he wanted to be like the knights in the books he had read.
G. If I were Don Quixote would feel upset because there is nothing to do in his boring town of La Mancha. I also have to admit that I would do the same thing if my life became so boring and monotonous. I think Don Quixote thinks highly of himself even though he pretends to be a knight slaying giants and saving women. Don Quixote really showed us that this is what he wants to do in his real life because he tells us about his passion for adventure and books.
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Post by chrisnoble on Dec 5, 2013 19:43:35 GMT -5
D. I liked the quote that Don Quixote said: “and if I make no complaint of the pain it is because knights-errant are not permitted to complain of any wound, even though their bowels be coming out through it” (page 1014). I liked this quote because it shows that Don Quixote is strong. He was just in a horse-riding accident that could have killed him and he wasn’t complaining about it because he felt he wasn’t permitted to complain about his injury.
E. When Don Quixote attacked the windmills, I was completely surprised. “With lance braced and covered by his shield, he charged at Rocinante’s fullest gallop and attacked the first mill that stood in front of him. But as he drove his lance-point into the sail, the wind whirled it around with such force that it shivered the lance to pieces. It swept away with it horse and rider, and they were sent rolling over the plain, in sad condition indeed” (page 1012). I had no idea this was going to happen and it caught me by surprise. I don’t know why Don Quixote thought the windmills were giants, even after Sancho told him they were windmills. I don’t know if Don Quixote was trying to be funny or serious, but it was a little foolish because it ended in injury for him and it could have been a lot worse.
I. I agree with Robert about his comments about the similarity between Don Quixote and The Alchemist. The two stories are very similar now that I think of it after I read Robert’s post. When I think of these two stories, I think of them taking place in the desert or open land, away from the city.
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Post by martinsteffens on Dec 5, 2013 20:43:51 GMT -5
Martin Steffens
Mr. Thomas
English 10
December 5, 2013
Don Quixote
C) I was confused when Miguel de Cervantes goes on and on about the name of the guy. I honestly do not care whether his name is Don de Quexana or Don de Quesada. The story would have made just the same sense if it was either name. I was also confused with the part in which the author is talking about which knight is better or more courageous. I do not think it would have changed the outcome of the story.
A) Don Quixote’s battle with the windmills reminds me of the story of David and Goliath to me. Honestly the Literary Analysis on page 1012 pointed it out to me. In the story of David and Goliath, David has to beat Goliath who is a giant and the obvious favorite. Don Quixote is feeling that something big and evil is around the corner even though it just a windmill. Don Quixote is ready for battle with his lance and shield ready for a blow and this quote helps my statement “With lance braced and covered by his shield, he charged at Rocinate’s fullest gallop and attacked the first mill that stood in front of him. But as he drove his lance-point into the sail, the wind whirled it around with such a force that it shivered the lance to pieces.”
I) I have noticed the header put on this chapter by Mr. Thomas: “Impracticality of the hero model?” I completely agree with the statement by saying that the hero model is being used by the theoretical possibilities more than the actual purpose of the hero model. Miguel de Cervantes actually makes fun of the hero model by using parodies of many different steps. He did not use the hero model like most other authors in this piece.
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Post by alfredfrederic on Dec 5, 2013 20:44:18 GMT -5
C) What does, “He lost his wits” mean? Does it mean he went insane? If so how did he go insane? Was it from the lack of sleep? Or did he just go delirious as described in the text? Towards the end what happened? He attacks a windmill and gets stuck in it? What does he name his horse? Towards the end what happens to him? Is he dying or his going to get back up and keep on going? What was the point of him attacking the windmill in the first place? Was that just his insanity talking or what?
E) Don’s insanity is surprising. He actually believes himself to be a medieval knight. He even goes as far as making his own armor and renaming himself to sound like a knight. How does his insanity work? Does it have to do with all the books he read? Doesn’t he seem to actually try to become a knight because of his insanity? Why did he not get any sleep because of the books? That’s what caused him to become insane in the first place. Why didn’t anyone stop his bad habit before it became too late? Or did no one notice till he had already gone insane?
I) I disagree with Robert when it comes to Don’s being tired of the town. Some people actually like the monotony of the town. Maybe it’s because he just did something different that caused him to end up going insane. Sometimes the same stuff can be good.
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Post by eddieditolla on Dec 5, 2013 21:10:04 GMT -5
Eddie DiTolla
Mr. Thomas
English 10
12/5/13
Don Quixote
D. The first set of lines that I liked were “In a village of La Mancha, which I prefer to leave unnamed, there lived not long ago one of those gentlemen that keep a lane in the lance-rack, an old shield, a lean hack, and a greyhound for hunting” Pg. 1007. I liked this set of lines because it reminded me of parts of the Odyssey when Penelope calls Troy the city that shall not be named, the bow hanging on the wall and a shield, and most of all Argos his dog that helped him hunt. Another set of lines I liked were “The high heavens, that of your divinity divinely fortify you with the stars, render you deserving of the desert your greatness deserves.” Page 1008. I liked this set of lines because the obstacles you face and overcome you will be placed with the stars of the world and that you deserve the greatness as big as the desert. Lastly, the last set of lines I liked were “He commended, however, the author’s way of ending his book, with a promise to go on with that interminable adventure, and many a time he felt the urge to take up his pen and finish it.” Pg. 1008 I liked this set of lines because it reminded me of the Odyssey of how it is just a really long adventure of Odysseus going home.
C. One question that I have is why the author did in the first place about what the guy’s name was and after say it really doesn’t matter in the book because it is scarcely affected? Another thing I thought was why the guy would think there would be giants in the middle of the desert?
H. The scene I chose is at the beginning of the new chapter VIII. It is when they are out on the desert and they see the thirty to forty windmills. They are all on horses and it is dry out with tumble weeds going across the dessert with very little grass and very hot. The windmills look like mini shacks with big mills going around in the desert wind.
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Post by kyleconnolly on Dec 5, 2013 21:22:21 GMT -5
A) One connection that I was able to make with this book was a book I had read in freshman year, Fahrenheit 451. In this book Guy Montag was in a world where books weren't common at all, but he began to bury himself in the books, which almost cost him his life. In this story, Don Quixote was beginning to do the same. He was losing his mind because he was reading so many books. "In short, he became so absorbed in his books that he spent his nights from sunset to sunrise, and his days from dawn to dark, poring over them; and what with little sleep and much reading his brain shriveled up and he lost his wits."
D) One quote that I really liked was the conversation between Sancho and Don. Sancho not understanding how Don can possibly imagine how a windmill is a giant, and him trying to explain was interesting to me. "'Look your worship,' said Sancho. 'What we see there are not giants but windmills, and what seem to be their arms are the vanes that turned by the wind make the millstone go"
I) I not only agree with Robert that some of Don Quixote's actions were comical, yet were almost like a flashback for me. I would do the same thing as a kid, and I think that a lot of kids did the same. It's funny cause he's a grown man, but to me I don't see the problem, all he's trying to do is make his life more interesting, make it more fun and enjoyable. I would always play games with my brothers and cousins imagining things that weren't real, even do it by myself if I was really bored. For a grown man to do this it is strange and unusual, but I understand Don Quixote.
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Post by nicholasleong on Dec 5, 2013 22:00:19 GMT -5
Nicholas Leong
Mr. Thomas
English 10
11/5/13
Discussion board
C. One questions that I had is lines 1 and 2 where it says “ One of those gentlemen that keep a lance in the lance-rack, an old shield, a lean hack, and a greyhound for hunting” the real question I am trying to get at is what is a lance and what they mean by a lean hack. I can assume that a lean hack must be some type of ax maybe or one of those weapons that just have a sharpened blade on the edge of the stick. Another question that I have is how can he support his family if he spends most of his money and ¾ of his total income to buy a pigeon just to eat. The last question that I had is what a mutton is.
I. I agree and disagree with Robert Maruca where he says “If I were Don Quixote would feel upset because there is nothing to do in his boring town of La Mancha. I also have to admit that I would do the same thing if my life became so boring and monotonous. I think Don Quixote thinks highly of himself even though he pretends to be a knight slaying giants and saving women. Don Quixote really showed us that this is what he wants to do in his real life because he tells us about his passion for adventure and books” I agree with the second statement of Rob because I do think he thinks highly of himself and I don’t blame him. I disagree with the first part because in every town or every boring thing, you can always find something to do.
E. One thing that surprised me was how the book said that he got so absorbed into the books that he spent all day and night reading the books. This surprise me because I could never spend that long reading books because I will always find something to do even if its even more boring than reading.
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Post by VonGarcia on Dec 5, 2013 22:57:49 GMT -5
C.) Why doesn’t the author give out the name of the village? I also wonder why Quesada or Quixada (whichever one his real name is) find trouble reading the books and understanding them. “But there were none he liked so well as those written by the famous Feliciano de Silva, for their lucidity of style and complicated conceits were as pearls in his sight.” (Page 1008) If the town was very boring, then why couldn’t Don just move to another town where he could be more happy?
E.) I didn’t like how the story felt like it jumped from thing to another too swiftly. The story also has kind of random stuff popping out like the sentence about Aristotle on page 1008. “though Aristotle himself could have made out or extracted nothing.” There are also really weird phrases. For example, “Many an argument did he have.” (page 1008) This sounds like Yoda from Star Wars. I found it funny when he named his horse and when he thought that the windmills that were on the plain were actual giants.
I.) I agree with Robert. I think that he is really bored in this village. I think he should look further and find somewhere where he can live a life that he actually likes what he’s doing every day. And he should find somewhere he can be a knight because that’s what he really wants to be since it tells us how he read books about chivalry.
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Post by victorpasquin on Dec 6, 2013 0:04:44 GMT -5
C) I don't understand how Don Quixote gets distracted by thinking about other things if he is so infatuated with books of chivalry. All he did was read on chivalry, so why can't he concentrate enough to finish one of the stories he read? Is he becoming bored after reading the same topic over and over and a long period of time. "He felt the urge to take up his pen and finish it just as its author had promised. He would no doubt have done so, and succeeded with it too, had he not been occupied with greater and more absorbing thoughts."
D) I like the first couple of lines in the story. All of the adjectives being used to describe what is happening and a man. Before introducing Don Quixote, a group of different descriptions are used to describe Don Quixote as a person. I feel like it gives me insight to what is going on and what Don Quixote looks like. Don Quixote isn't introduced until we are informed of what his daily life is like and what his lifestyle is like. "A stew of rather more beef than mutton, hash on most nights, bacon and eggs on Saturdays, lentils on Fridays, and a pigeon or so extra on Sundays consumed three quarters of his income."
I) I agree with Robert and Kyle. I agree in the sense that Don Quixote has many comical moments throughout the story. Building on that, I don't think that he means to be funny and this is just him being him. I think that reading as much as he did might have made him antisocial and quirky.
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