Literature, Class 10: Period 3, Thursday, March 19

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

Miss Bennet was seated upon the edge of her desk as always, but this week, she was holding a stick of chalk in her right hand. "First, allow me to offer my apologies on abandoning you last week," she said, bowing her head slightly. "I woke up feeling quite horrible indeed, and discovered I would be unable to be with you. I do hope you had interesting discussions in my absence."

"There is an ancient curse," she said, "which, translated from the Chinese, is simply: may you live in interesting times. That isn't a mistranslation; if one takes a moment, it becomes clear what the proverb's affliction will be. In life, most individuals wish for comfort, and security. Times which are interesting are likely to involve war, famine, disaster, or similar catastrophes. One can hardly imagine that any would wish for those ills to befall him, no matter how dull his life may be before.

"This isn't to say that any wish for a life that will be dull. However, if one finds one's self bored, one can choose to rectify that in small ways: more exciting hobbies, perhaps, or setting aside more time for travel. Interesting times do not allow for such luxuries. They create hardship, suffering, and most likely, loss.

"At the same time, interesting times do provide quite a useful backdrop for fiction. The first requirement of a story is that it have a plot." Miss Bennet wrote Plot onto the blackboard. "Placing characters into dangerous situations will likely keep the reader's attention. That is, unless the author has done an insufficient job of making one care about the characters' fate. It is a poor novel indeed where one wishes quite earnestly that the main character will indeed have consumption, as she fears, or, failing that, will be trampled by a runaway carriage while crossing the street."

There was another word scribbled on the board: Characters. "Stories need characters; any will do, though compelling characters will make for a better read than bland ones. Readers may forgive a story its poor characters if the plot is sufficiently engaging, and may excuse a flimsy plot if the characters are intriguing. Ideally, one should not have to choose.

"Just as interesting times are not necessarily those that one would wish to experience, characters in fiction are not necessarily people that one would like to have over for a tea-party. One might admire a particularly ruthless man's adventures while knowing that, if one were to meet him, one should keep close eye on one's jewelry-box. Similarly, one might adore a sweet girl as one's closest friend, knowing at the same time that any novel of her experiences would be largely mundane.

"Lastly, all stories must have a setting." Setting was now scribbled underneath the other two words. "The setting is the backdrop against which the story takes place; a small village in the countryside, or a bustling city on the outer moon of Jupiter. A story could take place entirely in a bare prison cell, or comprise a tale of galaxies at war with one another. The setting must be articulated clearly to the reader; however, it should only provide the backdrop for the plot and characters to move. Some stories create such elaborate settings that such might substitute for plot; some readers are content with these lush worlds, while others will grow tired with nothing more to entice them. Again, ideally a story would have an engaging plot, fascinating characters, and a descriptive setting, but finding all three in balance might prove difficult."

"The point is simply this: what one reads about, one may not wish to experience personally. Nor would one necessarily enjoy a book about one's own life. After all, one could be living said life, which should be far more engaging than any book could hope to be. Barring that, one would be entirely too familiar with the plot. Characters that one might like, fictionally, one might find to be far different, in person. Settings which provide interesting environments in which the characters might play might also be places that one wishes one should never go." She lifted her shoulders. "This isn't to say that one can't wish to live out a plot, or visit a setting, or meet specific characters. Only that what qualifies for good, in fiction, is not equivalent to what qualifies as good in life."

Comments

Sign In (LIT-9)

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

As someone who is clearly in the middle of a Plot of some variety. Barring that, one in an interesting setting.

Re: Sign In (LIT-9)

[flashesforinfo.livejournal.com]

Angela Montenegro

During the Lecture (LIT-9)

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

Write notes, engage in brief conversation with your classmates.

Re: During the Lecture (LIT-9)

[flashesforinfo.livejournal.com]

Angela was doodling on the edge of her notes, and wishing class would go faster.

She had an Onsen trip to be looking forward to after this, and would much rather be there now.

Re: During the Lecture (LIT-9)

[chic-harper.livejournal.com]

Harper was still sulking over her destruction of Justin's sweater over the weekend. She sat in the back of the room and pouted.

Re: During the Lecture (LIT-9)

[stupid-toasters.livejournal.com]

Lee scribbled a few notes down but mostly listened. This class tended to pack his brain full of things.

Re: During the Lecture (LIT-9)

[thismaskiwear.livejournal.com]

Francine hadn't come by with baked goods yesterday, and Katchoo was wondering if she'd do it today, when she headed for work after this.

She wasn't exactly an optimistic person, so she was kind of brooding over the prospect.

Oooh, surprise.

Re: During the Lecture (LIT-9)

[finding-x-dream.livejournal.com]

Agnes took detailed notes. Plot, setting, characters, interesting...

Just like Fandom Island.

Discussion #1: Plot, Setting, Characters (LIT-9)

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

Which of the three do you find yourself reading for, most frequently? Which will you excuse being paper-thin, if the other(s) are compelling? Which wouldn't you? What balance do you find most frequently in the works that you enjoy? Do specific genres tend towards certain patterns, in this regard?

Re: Discussion #1: Plot, Setting, Characters (LIT-9)

[flashesforinfo.livejournal.com]

"I read for the characters, mostly," Angela said, after considering that for a moment. "I'm more likely to put up with the rest if I identify with the characters."

Re: Discussion #1: Plot, Setting, Characters (LIT-9)

[chic-harper.livejournal.com]

"Even if the characters are lousy and the setting is kind of bland, a good plot can pull it all together and make something readable," said Harper.

Re: Discussion #1: Plot, Setting, Characters (LIT-9)

[likethegun]

"I can put up with all kinds of characters for a really well thought out plot," Sam said. "I think that's a really hard part of writing - you can have great characters, but if they're not doing anything exciting, some of the quality goes away."

Re: Discussion #1: Plot, Setting, Characters (LIT-9)

[thismaskiwear.livejournal.com]

"Characters," Katchoo said without further elaboration; she was busy doodling in her notebook and didn't bother looking up. She was nice like that.

Re: Discussion #1: Plot, Setting, Characters (LIT-9)

[finding-x-dream.livejournal.com]

"They're ALL important," Agnes answered. "I suppose setting is the only one I'd mind being a bit thin, if I were looking for something to hold my interest."

Discussion #2: Reality vs. Fiction (LIT-9)

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

Which novels have you read that you would gladly immerse yourself within? Which ones would you give anything not to? Are there characters you wish you could have tea with, or others that you would like to slap? How about situations in real life that would make for compelling fiction, as opposed to those times which are so dull none would care?

Re: Discussion #2: Reality vs. Fiction (LIT-9)

[shiniernyours.livejournal.com]

"You lot never seem to go to the bathroom in books," pronounced Bender. "Fictional meatbags only use it for sex, or to get murdered by Ralf their evil stepbrother, with the electric blender, for the family fortune." Just for instance.

Re: Discussion #2: Reality vs. Fiction (LIT-9)

[finding-x-dream.livejournal.com]

"There aren't many characters that I WOULDN'T want to slap," Agnes pointed out. "And -- well, outside of this island, of course -- real life is mostly a few interesting situations that would make for so-so fiction interspersed with months of boredom. I've noticed that any time time needs to pass in a story, the author summarizes."

Authors didn't have the luxury of doing things that defied common sense, like moving an entire country eighteen years into the future.

Discussion #3: Interesting Times (LIT-9)

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

Do you live in them? Would you wish to? (Are you quite certain?) What do you think of this curse, or for that matter, one of its corollaries: May you find what you are looking for?

Re: Discussion #3: Interesting Times (LIT-9)

[likethegun]

"Yes, I do, and no, I wouldn't wish my interesting times on my worst enemy," Sam said. "I would gladly live the kind of life that no one would want to read a book about, as long as it was long and happy."

Re: Discussion #3: Interesting Times (LIT-9)

[thismaskiwear.livejournal.com]

Still doodling, Katchoo just let out an eloquent snort; she so wasn't talking about the interesting times she lived in.

But she would consider wishing them on certain people.

Re: Discussion #3: Interesting Times (LIT-9)

[finding-x-dream.livejournal.com]

"No, of course I don't live in interesting times," Agnes declared. "I find large numbers of people inexplicably turning into children for a weekend to be insufferably dull."

Speak to the TA (LIT-9)

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

When she has pinged in.

(... Wow, I did not hit "post." WTG, self.)

Re: Speak to the TA (LIT-9)

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

She was there, and taking careful notes of course.

Speak to Miss Bennet (LIT-9)

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

She would be delighted to converse with you.

OOC (LIT-9)

[clevermsbennet.livejournal.com]

First: so sorry about last week. RL did a number on me.

Secondly: supposedly, the curse is apocryphal, and Wiki calls it an urban legend. Which is disappointing, because I've always kinda liked it.