10/13 Open Prompt Edit

2006, Form B. In many works of literature, a physical journey - the literal movement from one place to another - plays a central role. Choose a novel, play, or epic poem in which a physical journey is an important element and discuss how the journey adds to the meaning of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary.

     In The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan, the characters have to undertake a journey from a small village to a large city, and from there, they go to a place in which the doings of the whole world are worked. This epic journey not only helps the characters grow, but symbolizes that growth itself.

     When our main characters, Rand, Mat, and Perrin, are introduced, they are mischievous farm boys, excited for a yearly festival. Rand's friends are teasing him about Egwene, the girl he's in love with, who, this year, is considered a woman. The village and the daily day to day workings of their lives symbolize simplicity. As they're getting ready for the long awaited festival, things are quite exciting, which foreshadows the excitement to come. The journey has not begun yet- they are still in their peaceful, sheltered hometown-still innocent.

     That night, dark creatures that were originally thought to be fictional attacked the village and the outlying homes. Rand makes a journey back to the village and is greeted by total chaos. This is where things start. This small journey symbolizes a shaking-he must move now to save himself, literally and figuratively. 

     Moraine, a mysterious lady in the village, has taken a liking to the three boys, and deems it imperative that they leave as soon as possible. Without explanation or trust, Rand must leave his now severely injured father to a yet unknown location. This sudden shock  is the true start of his journey, and him not knowing his destination symbolizes the uncertainty he has about his future. 

     As they flee, they are pursued daily by more and more enemies, and this makes their journey harder while hardening their resolve. The physical burdens as well as the darkness they start to see shows us how they are slowly losing their innocence as they travel to new lands.
     Out of desperation, they take refuge in a ghost town. The characters being forced to take refuge in a place of darkness symbolizes the nature of their journey, as well as how their minds no longer have the lightness of before.

(here is where I finished earlier)

Response to Course Material

So, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead is nothing like I've ever read before. Seriously. It's confusing and great and everything in it makes me really concentrate, like "this has a meaning to it that I can just barely grasp, but when I try to think about it...it slips my mind." It's profound but...I sometimes can't wrap my head around it.

It seems to present death in a way unlike any other thing we have read. In The American Dream, death was more psychological and emotional than physical- the loss of your humanity and dignity. In Death of a Salesman, death was something that was the ultimate end to all your problems, a way out. In Hamlet, death was abundant- a way to solve your problems. In this play, however, death is something to be scared of. It could come to you at any moment, and suddenly-you're nothing. Eternity and death, proclaimed as two of the worst things- and it's just the absence of is.

We have never really covered death as a literary topic in any class, and now I think that would be a really interesting course to take.