OUTLINING A THEMATIC CONCERN. Example: The Pose by Anwer Khan Thematic Concern: Modern and Traditional Knowledge

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1 OUTLINING A THEMATIC CONCERN Example: The Pose by Anwer Khan Thematic Concern: Modern and Traditional Knowledge

2 THEME The relationship between traditional and modern knowledge is apparent in the text, The Pose. i. The story outlines a story of how a young female from India irrationally decides to pose as a mannequin. ii. iii. Then refers to how the protagonist (young woman) feels about strangers new perspective of herself. Concludes with an altered viewpoint of how difficult it is to balance her traditional (family honor) and the modern (college student) outlooks.

3 P.O.V- THE POSE i. The point of view in this text is the 3rd person limited omniscient. ii. iii. iv. This means the story is told by an outside narrator that knows and understands thoughts and feelings of the protagonist. Example: She was happy No one had looked at her so appreciatively before. P.O.V. can read her thoughts, meaning it shows her feeling powerful (e.g. receiving the adulation of her subjects ). v. Towards the end, tone shifts to feeling powerless (e.g. family's honor exposed so shamelessly ).

4 LITERARY DEVICES The Pose uses many literary devices such as similes and personification to add depth to the two viewpoints of the protagonist. Simile Like a kind and caring queen receiving the adulation of her subjects. Personification His eyes seemed to say: Incredible!

5 SIMILE Example; Like a kind and caring queen receiving the adulation of her subjects. i. Protagonist feels dominant ii. This observation is unusual because women are not usually authoritative in India, making it a newer outlook on life. iii. This quote demonstrates the modern aspect of the theme of this story.

6 PERSONIFICATION Example His eyes seemed to say: Incredible! i. The cop is objectifying the main character ii. This quote is reflecting the old-fashioned sexist view of how women are seen in traditional Indian households. iii. This quote demonstrates the traditional aspect of the theme of this story.

7 THE SINGING SILENCE By Yvano and Zoe

8 LITERARY DEVICES Pov: 1 st & 3 rd person The story is told from the narrators point of view which would signify the aspect of 1 st person. Example: Old Vicente of Formentera was perhaps the happiest man I ve ever known. It is also told in 3 rd person, because there are parts where the narrator retells the situation in the eyes of an observer. Example: Vicente knew that he would never have the money to buy an amphora, but what was to prevent his finding one? Allegory was presented in this story. Vicente has the search. It is not what one finds, it s the search. The Conflict in The Singing Silence is firstly the constant life changes for Vicente, then secondly, the accident with the broken Amphora, and lastly, the unsuccessful search and the African wind storm. Through the story we think Vicente will go out at sea and find the Amphora and send it off to the nice american traveller. Though, at the end, this so called nice traveller, turns out to have given Vicente a fake address, and Vicente who went looking for another Amphora, unexpectedly was lost out at sea by the African storm. These were unexpected events thrown in at the end of the story, leaving the reader in awe.

9 THEME: TRADITIONAL VS. MODERN KNOWLEDGE There were two types of knowledge that were displayed in this story, traditional and modern. Traditional pertains to an older, more classic morality and modern pertains to a more contemporary way of morality. We can look to the character of Vicente for an example of traditional knowledge, and the character of the American Mr. Abraham Lincoln Smith as an example of the contrary. Vicente promises to find another Amphora He keeps this promise, and does everything in his power to retrieve the object that he has promised to replace. The American showed a sense of modern knowledge by lying. He gave Vicente a fake address because he felt annoyed by his persistence to replace the vase.

10 VICENTE: TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE Vicente is an old man who by accident broke an ancient vase called an Amphora. He immediately felt bad about the situation and promised to find another one. By finding another Amphora, it requires the old man to go out to sea and swim deep down in search for an ancient object. This shows traditional knowledge because it displays a highly regarded sense of honour, pride and gratitude that Vicente possess. Vicente being an older man will see these traits as tradition and will carryout them in the highest respect whereas the American see them as choice of action which sets the difference between the two.

11 MR. ABRAHAM LINCOLN SMITH : MODERN KNOWLEDGE Mr. Abraham Lincoln Smith was a rich American traveller who s morals differ from the traditional, in comparison to Vicente s. His disregard for Vicente s efforts at replacing the broken amphora shows that he does not hold the same values towards one s honour and respect. Yes, he was mad at first about the vase being broken, but then sort of rubbed it off his shoulder. This action really shows a difference between what the american and what Vicente believes. Vicente who was older, had it in his mind and heart that he needed to replace something he found as a treasure, whereas the american just brushed it off his shoulder, because it didn t mean that much to him. Another point would be that, it s not just the object that has broken, it s the fact of Vicente fixing what pretty much happened in his hands.

12 COMPARING THE TWO TEXTS

13 STYLISTIC DIFFERENCES Two works: The Pose, and Singing Silence. Theme: traditional and modern knowledge. 3 rd person vs. 1 st person P.O.V.s

14 POINT OF VIEW: 3 RD PERSON VERSUS 1 ST PERSON The Pose uses 3 rd person omniscient limited P.O.V., while Singing Silence uses 1 st person. In The Pose, a 3 rd person P.O.V. that can see into the protagonist s feelings is used to communicate the theme of modern and traditional knowledge through her own thoughts and experiences like realizing she enjoys being admired until faced with her traditional family honor. In Singing Silence, a 1 st person point of view is used to tell a story from an outsider s point of view. This P.O.V. is used to get the theme across by telling the differences in Vicente s demeanor from a bystander s perspective. Though the two show a character changing and reconsidering traditional and modern values, one peers into their mind, and one is told from the outside.

15 CONFLICT: The Pose and Singing Silence are both examples of person versus self as well as person versus society. P Vs. Self Both have self conflict, balancing modern versus traditional views. ( Singing Silence's Vicente deciding he should quit his job, The Pose protagonist suddenly deciding to take a risk) The Pose is P Vs. Society because her outlook on her values are heavily impacted by her traditional family. For example; What if [her brother] saw [her] Wouldn t he drop dead? Singing Silence is P Vs. Society as Vicente struggles with fitting as he changes occupations and moves around a lot, as unapproving bystanders call him loco, este hombre, a little crazy.

16 WHAT DO THESE DIFFERENCES ADD UP TO? The narration in Singing Silence is far less personal than that of The Pose. In Singing Silence, two people represent the theme of traditional vs modern knowledge, Vicente and Mr. Abraham Lincoln Smith, while in The Pose, the female protagonist represents both viewpoints. It seems as though in The Pose, the two viewpoints are developed through someone s thoughts, instead of it being soley represented in Singing Silence. Both end with the same moral: it is difficult to balance the two viewpoints.

D24. Core Analysis Frame: Fiction. Examine Setting. Analyze Characters. Examine Plot. (continued on page D25)

D24. Core Analysis Frame: Fiction. Examine Setting. Analyze Characters. Examine Plot. (continued on page D25) Core Analysis Frame: Fiction D24 These questions will help you understand any story you read. For more advanced, in-depth analysis of each element, use the following frames: Setting Plot Author s Craft