Monday, May 14, 2012
The Sea Still Rises
So tonights reading of chapter 22 was short, but also had some important scenes in it. On page 223 in the first chapter we start in the wine shop with Madame Defarge. What does the rose on her head mean? We also meet a new character called The Vengeance. Why do you think Dickens uses this name for her? Also do you think this suits the attitude of her character that we have seen so far? On page 225 there is a passage about the women. I thought this was very interesting. What did you guys think about this passage? Another passage that I thought was interesting was the death scene on page 227. What were your reactions to this scene? Feel free to answer all of these questions or go on a completely different route.
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Madame Defarge is sort of the head of the revolution, she is in charge. The rose on her head shows customers when it is safe to talk about the revolution, and when it is not. The Vengeance is a character who embodies the attitude of the French revolutionaries. She is angry, and seeks "vengeance" on the upper class.
ReplyDeleteThe passage about the women was pretty interesting. My favorite line is "Rend Foulon to pieces, and dig him into the ground, that grass may grow from him." Dickens cleverly continues the reference to Foulon's famous words, "then let them eat grass." I was interested by this because it sounds an awful lot like "Let them eat cake," which Marie Antoinette said. I think Dickens did that on purpose.
I thought it was ironic when they put grass in Foulon's mouth. This was my favorite part of the death scene. It was funny, but at the same time very gruesome, and showed that the revolutionaries weren't messing around.
This chapter in the book was full of revenge. It starts off with Madame Defarge in the beginning in the wine shop without the rose on her head. The rose on her head shows when and when its not a good time to talk about the revolution. I think that Dickens used the name, The Vengeance, because throughout this entire chapter, everyone is seeking revenge, especially on the Foulon. Next, Madame Defarge leads the revolutionaries to the Hotel de Ville to meet Foulon. I have never "read" or "seen" so many women with so much fire held in them. This scene showed how angry and tired the women were throughout this time. They took whatever chance they could get to get back at the upper classes. It showed how serious they were about what kind of situations they were all in, especially when they shoved grass into Foulon's mouth. That part showed me that they would do anything to get revenge.
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 22, Madame Defarge shows strange characteristics. When she is in the wine shop for instance, “Madame Defarge wore no rose on her head, for the great brotherhood of spies…“ (p.223). The rose she keeps on her head symbolizes whether people can stay or leave the wine shop. When the rose is off, everyone in the shop can stay and socialize. When the rose is on however, it means she wants everyone out of the wine shop, most times because she wants to talk to someone who has just walked in. The rose is basically her way of controlling the shop. The new character we meet, The Vengeance, is Madame Defarge’s accomplice. I thought Dickens used this name because she resembles the concept of revenge or retaliation in some sort of way. Although we don’t necessarily know her past, her name might have important meaning and possibly significance to the story.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter was quite interesting. It showed that the storming of the Bastille wasn't a one time thing, and that the Revolution is really up and on right now. As for the rose, it determines whether it is safe or if it is not safe for the people in the bar to talk freely and plan the revolution.
ReplyDeleteThe Vengeance is a very interesting character, especially when you consider that she is a "Plump, rather short wife or a starved grocer, and the mother of two children withal" (P 224) The name and her physical structure are so contrary. One would think that Madame Defarge would be nicknamed "The Vengeance." However, she has done evil things to get that name, so she will probably end up being a force to be reckoned with.
The passage on the women was dark and long, along with being very descriptive. It compared them to being the foot soldiers, while the men were the officers. I have never really thought of the revolution in that particular way before. As for the death, it was darkly humorous how the man died with his mouth stuffed full of grass. His nephew then was taken, despite an armed escort.
This chapter does an excellent job of highlighting the vulgarities of the revolution.
Dicken's passage about Madame Defarge no longer to wear a rose on her head reflects the state of the revolution at that time. The rose was a sign to those Jacques in the wineshop that an enemy spy was among them, and they should clear out. However, as the revolution is now in full swing, "the great brotherhood of the spies had become, even in one short week, extremely chary of trusting themselves to the saint's mercies." No longer did the planners of the revolution have to hide their plans because they now have the power to kill any spy who might attempt to gather information from them.
ReplyDeleteVengeance, as she is known, is a character that embodies the ferocity of the women of the French revolution. The passage on Pg. 225 exemplifies this. While the men certainly hungered for the death of the aristocracy, the women mindlessly sought revenge for the lives of those they loved. "Hear me, my dead baby and my withered father: I swear on my knees, on these stones to avenge you Foulon!"
The chapter opens with Madame Defarge in her wine shop. Again, we notice a rose that Madame Defarge puts in her hair. Depending whether the rose is or isn't in her hair, it lets customers know if they can be in the wine shop socializing and planning the revolution. Also, in this chapter, the reader meets a new character named Vengeance. She is exactly what her name makes her out to be. She is vengeful. She, among many others in the revolution, wants revenge on the Aristocracy and power in their nation for mistreating them. Vengeance for example lost her young child because her leader, Foloun, did not help or properly treat Vengeance and her baby. “Hear me, my dead baby and my withered father: I swear on my knees, on these stones, to avenge you on Foulon!” (Page 225.)
ReplyDeleteI don’t think Vengeance is just one character. She embodies what many of the women probably felt during that time of the revolution and how desperately they wanted revenge on the aristocracy. I thought this chapter did a good job of that and really showed the ferocity of the women. On page 225, “The women were a sight to chill the boldest.”
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ReplyDeleteIn the week since the storming of the Bastille the attitude in the wine shop has become very tentative. Madame Defarge isn't partaking in the usual revolutionary activities because of the fear of being hanged by the French government. The absence of the rose is representative of the very brief state of calm after the storm and the cautious mood of the revolutionaries. The news of the hated Foulon sparks the angry mob again and the revolution advances. The Vengence is named because she represents all the deprived peasants seeking vengence on the aristocracy.
ReplyDeleteAt the end of the chapter Dickens describes the state of affairs post-murder in Saint Antoine. The peasants lives return to a state of hunger and malnutrition but they are in slightly better spirits because of the action against Foulon. The fact that quenching a thirst for blood puts the peasants in good spirits makes more violence inevitable.
There has been some subtle signs in the past few chapters indicating a revolution, Defarge's rose being one of them. She wears it to make aware that she is part of the revolution. 'Vengeance' seems like an interesting character. The name seems fairly self explanatory - Vengeance is a thought in every revolutionary's mind - overthrow the government, and punish the government and the higher classes. I also found how they killed the fouler interesting - hang him, and fill his mouth with grass, which is funny because he ignorantly told peasants to eat grass if they are hungry. It's also interesting how it took multiple hangings to kill the fouler, I wonder if that means/shows anything.
ReplyDelete