The Student Room Group
Reply 1
Can no one really give any suggestions? Not even where to get some more critical comments from?
Reply 2
Is anyone at all studying this novel for A2? We've been told to study it as part of the Comparative and Contextual Study Unit. I intend to compare it to Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck by the way. It's a fairly recent novel (Postcards) and there is very little in the way of supplementary notes or any sort of help on the internet (or York Notes for that matter). Not that I desperately need these notes, but I like to look at a second, or third opinion on the novel. So what did you guys make of it? Although I don't blame you if you haven't read it, it doesn't seem like many people are studying it at A2. Opinions much appreciated.
Reply 3
This post was from a long time ago but I'm also studying Annie Proulx's 'Postcards' and have been having trouble finding notes on it. I always like to have extra notes to look at for an extra point of view. Is anyone else studying it this year for A2??
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Reply 5
Anyone else studying this novel?

I wish I could say that I was surprised by the lack of notes on the internet, however, after reading it myself, I found it the most tedious, boring book I have ever read.

I think that I shall have to re-read it before the exam because I cannot remember too much of it to comment in the exam.

We could use this as a sharing of ideas and notes perhaps?
Reply 6
Yeh I'm studying this novel and I find it quite gripping. The prose is excellent and the storyline is unrivalled in any modern day literature. I'm not surprised you don't appreciate it, it tends to require one of a certain calibre to fully understand the tone of it. Indeed you should read it again promptly if you intend to succeed.
Reply 7
I'm also studying this novel, there is a depressing lack of notes available on the internet, it's lame! I'm also studying The Grapes of Wrath for comparison, not through choice of my own, my teachers. It's not too bad. Does anybody have any inclination of what kind of question may come up?
definately! i much prefer color purple, grapes of wrath, i know why the caged bird sings i just find the story sooo dull!
Questions they can only ask Proulx and Tender,

What ways do the authors talk about the American Myth,
Thats basically all their asking you to do.

Proulx
Gritty Chewy language, the voice of agrarian america through the coloquial idiolectic of the blood family, the oral formuliac tradition, the multiple narratives make it read more like a story to be read aloud than a novel. Tragedy is loyal a tragic hero, is he even a hero? Fluctuating economic landscape - postwar depression, culmination of dremes destroyed in the beggining with 'orgasmic jerking' a proleptic allusion to the futile expectations that the American Myth embodies. Is loyal an inversion of the American Adam, he's homosexual, a metaphor and an authoritorial dennuciation of the inequalities of American society. The contrast between modernity and traditionalism to highlight the lack of sprituality in objective materialism. Racial equality, the automatic conclusions jumped too about the Indian, use of native americans in American litriture, Cookoo's Nest Chief Bromden surreal voice of reason - irony? - Why - Indians spiritual connections- spritually fulfilled, unlike Loyal, who's sexual impotence and phalocentric image of corroding metal - authors voice showing the inherent flaws and hypocrasies of American society. All men are created equal - foundationalist groundings - No all men are not created equal. The opressive force of capitalism - Bildingsroman - Picaresque Proulx's sweeping view of landscape - What I see chapter ; voyuerstic. Polyphony of the text many voices appearing to highlight changing nature of society and the different voices, American litruture - attemping to capture the essence of Americans on the page (proulx interviews) Disfunctional family unit - moving away from traditionalism, only blood and physical bonds tie them together due to an economical nessecity.

Compared with Tender is the Night

Fitzgerals oft qouted as the created of Jazz Age litriture - prosiac language - heavily influences by cinema - attempts to create a double vision , the text must be read in two different lights the decandance of the rivear is undercut by the gross consumption of the individuals and Fitz's economic grounding in the past can be seen in the economic imagery, i.e American exporting their economy and culture across the world - the beach comes alive with the Americans - questions the nature of equality in society - reflective and semi autobiographical - Dick diver seen at the height of his social power - this is acting - flawed? A pawn to the warren family - the later book suggests so as Dick is rendered sexually, financially, phyically useless by Nicole in favour of Tommy barban - The Incest Motif - A symbol of accumulation in the sickest sense - Warren must have his daughter just as Rosemary must obtain various items - the Use of lists as cited by David Lodge 'art of fiction' is a trope to emphasize the sheer nature of consumption in American society - The book shows the materialism and happyness are not the same - America has placed emotions and feelings in objects - Is ruthless in its material aquisition - Dicks fall from grace represents America's the depress of the 1930's and the wall street crash - Just as Loyal is seen on the precipice of aquiring his aspirations Dick is too - His infatuation for Rosemary and 'daddys girls' is again an incestuous motif - however his alchoholism and his unfulfilled potential are akin with Postcards


My random wafflings after a bio exam..... hope this helps in some way to anyone???
Questions they can only ask Proulx and Tender,

What ways do the authors talk about the American Myth,
Thats basically all their asking you to do.

Proulx
Gritty Chewy language, the voice of agrarian america through the coloquial idiolectic of the blood family, the oral formuliac tradition, the multiple narratives make it read more like a story to be read aloud than a novel. Tragedy is loyal a tragic hero, is he even a hero? Fluctuating economic landscape - postwar depression, culmination of dremes destroyed in the beggining with 'orgasmic jerking' a proleptic allusion to the futile expectations that the American Myth embodies. Is loyal an inversion of the American Adam, he's homosexual, a metaphor and an authoritorial dennuciation of the inequalities of American society. The contrast between modernity and traditionalism to highlight the lack of sprituality in objective materialism. Racial equality, the automatic conclusions jumped too about the Indian, use of native americans in American litriture, Cookoo's Nest Chief Bromden surreal voice of reason - irony? - Why - Indians spiritual connections- spritually fulfilled, unlike Loyal, who's sexual impotence and phalocentric image of corroding metal - authors voice showing the inherent flaws and hypocrasies of American society. All men are created equal - foundationalist groundings - No all men are not created equal. The opressive force of capitalism - Bildingsroman - Picaresque Proulx's sweeping view of landscape - What I see chapter ; voyuerstic. Polyphony of the text many voices appearing to highlight changing nature of society and the different voices, American litruture - attemping to capture the essence of Americans on the page (proulx interviews) Disfunctional family unit - moving away from traditionalism, only blood and physical bonds tie them together due to an economical nessecity.

Compared with Tender is the Night

Fitzgerals oft qouted as the created of Jazz Age litriture - prosiac language - heavily influences by cinema - attempts to create a double vision , the text must be read in two different lights the decandance of the rivear is undercut by the gross consumption of the individuals and Fitz's economic grounding in the past can be seen in the economic imagery, i.e American exporting their economy and culture across the world - the beach comes alive with the Americans - questions the nature of equality in society - reflective and semi autobiographical - Dick diver seen at the height of his social power - this is acting - flawed? A pawn to the warren family - the later book suggests so as Dick is rendered sexually, financially, phyically useless by Nicole in favour of Tommy barban - The Incest Motif - A symbol of accumulation in the sickest sense - Warren must have his daughter just as Rosemary must obtain various items - the Use of lists as cited by David Lodge 'art of fiction' is a trope to emphasize the sheer nature of consumption in American society - The book shows the materialism and happyness are not the same - America has placed emotions and feelings in objects - Is ruthless in its material aquisition - Dicks fall from grace represents America's the depress of the 1930's and the wall street crash - Just as Loyal is seen on the precipice of aquiring his aspirations Dick is too - His infatuation for Rosemary and 'daddys girls' is again an incestuous motif - however his alchoholism and his unfulfilled potential are akin with Postcards


My random wafflings after a bio exam..... hope this helps in some way to anyone???
Questions they can only ask Proulx and Tender,

What ways do the authors talk about the American Myth,
Thats basically all their asking you to do.

Proulx
Gritty Chewy language, the voice of agrarian america through the coloquial idiolectic of the blood family, the oral formuliac tradition, the multiple narratives make it read more like a story to be read aloud than a novel. Tragedy is loyal a tragic hero, is he even a hero? Fluctuating economic landscape - postwar depression, culmination of dremes destroyed in the beggining with 'orgasmic jerking' a proleptic allusion to the futile expectations that the American Myth embodies. Is loyal an inversion of the American Adam, he's homosexual, a metaphor and an authoritorial dennuciation of the inequalities of American society. The contrast between modernity and traditionalism to highlight the lack of sprituality in objective materialism. Racial equality, the automatic conclusions jumped too about the Indian, use of native americans in American litriture, Cookoo's Nest Chief Bromden surreal voice of reason - irony? - Why - Indians spiritual connections- spritually fulfilled, unlike Loyal, who's sexual impotence and phalocentric image of corroding metal - authors voice showing the inherent flaws and hypocrasies of American society. All men are created equal - foundationalist groundings - No all men are not created equal. The opressive force of capitalism - Bildingsroman - Picaresque Proulx's sweeping view of landscape - What I see chapter ; voyuerstic. Polyphony of the text many voices appearing to highlight changing nature of society and the different voices, American litruture - attemping to capture the essence of Americans on the page (proulx interviews) Disfunctional family unit - moving away from traditionalism, only blood and physical bonds tie them together due to an economical nessecity.

Compared with Tender is the Night

Fitzgerals oft qouted as the created of Jazz Age litriture - prosiac language - heavily influences by cinema - attempts to create a double vision , the text must be read in two different lights the decandance of the rivear is undercut by the gross consumption of the individuals and Fitz's economic grounding in the past can be seen in the economic imagery, i.e American exporting their economy and culture across the world - the beach comes alive with the Americans - questions the nature of equality in society - reflective and semi autobiographical - Dick diver seen at the height of his social power - this is acting - flawed? A pawn to the warren family - the later book suggests so as Dick is rendered sexually, financially, phyically useless by Nicole in favour of Tommy barban - The Incest Motif - A symbol of accumulation in the sickest sense - Warren must have his daughter just as Rosemary must obtain various items - the Use of lists as cited by David Lodge 'art of fiction' is a trope to emphasize the sheer nature of consumption in American society - The book shows the materialism and happyness are not the same - America has placed emotions and feelings in objects - Is ruthless in its material aquisition - Dicks fall from grace represents America's the depress of the 1930's and the wall street crash - Just as Loyal is seen on the precipice of aquiring his aspirations Dick is too - His infatuation for Rosemary and 'daddys girls' is again an incestuous motif - however his alchoholism and his unfulfilled potential are akin with Postcards


My random wafflings after a bio exam..... hope this helps in some way to anyone???