English/Literature

• UNIT 4: Setting and Cultural Context

  THEORY:

  • Setting: the physical and social context in which the story occurs, the time, place, and environment that frame the characters.
  • The symbolic setting: often settings are chosen to provoke a particular association; for example, an abandoned house could symbolize isolation or decay.
  • Setting can be used to evoke a particular mood or atmosphere.
  • Setting is complex and multilayered. Often stories have more than one setting, each with a unique meaning.
  • Cultural context: the values and beliefs that shape the characters’ actions. This could include historical, national, regional, religious, gender, and racial values.
  • Many authors, such as Diaz and Joyce (and Faulkner), deliberately chose to focus their writing on a specific culture in order to better illuminate and understand it.

  CONTEXT:

  • “Eveline”
    • Biography on James Joyce: major works, themes
    • Historical context: Ireland circa 1890-1920
    • Cultural context: Catholicism, alcoholism, the working poor, emigration
  •  “Fiesta, 1980”
    • Biography on Junot Diaz: major works, themes
    • Historical context: Hispanic immigration to the Northeast
    • Cultural context: Catholicism, the DR, family ties and loyalty, patriarchy

  WRITING SKILLS:

  • Writing in the Second Person: addresses the reader directly and makes assumptions about the reader’s experiences, values, or beliefs. It is too casual and conversational for academic writing.
  • Revising Second Person viewpoints: deleting the word or phrase, revising the verb form, or substituting “me” for “they”
• Discuss the reasons Eveline why wants to leave the country. What are the factors in Eveline's life that make leaving difficult for her?

• What does Frank represent to Eveline?
• Do you think Eveline will ever allow herself to be truly happy or deny herself happiness to keep the promise she made to her mother?
• Does Yunior suffer from actual motion sickness? If not why does he throw up his father's vehicle?
  
• How does Rafa serve as a foil (character opposite to another character) to Yunior?
• Do you find it odd that Papi takes his sons with him to the Puerto Rican woman's house?
• Do you believe Mami knows about Papi's affair?
  

150 words each question pick 2 questions,

http://urhalpool.com/apr2009/index.php?lang=eng&pageid=junotdiaz_fiesta