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Assassination (Metafiction Project)

Assassination Also the main idea is basically that Lee Harvey Oswald and John Wilkes Booth switch places after they shoot Kennedy and Lincoln respectively ----- John was watching the collapse of the confederacy in real time, under the command of President Lincoln. He had visited Ford’s theatre this morning, and received news that Lincoln and Grant would be attending the play that night. He realized that if he didn’t take this opportunity, he might never get another chance.. He already regretted his hesitation at the inauguration, but now might be an even better time to strike. He needed to prepare. ---- Lee was fed up with the state of things. Since having returned from the Soviet Union, he and his wife had been ostracized for their politics and harassed by the FBI, and fascists in the military and US government had led to anticommunist and imperialistic attacks against Cuba, spearheaded by the President. Something needed to be done, and with the announcement of a presidential moto...
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Physical Manifestations of Psychological Experiences in Kindred

     When we were discussing the end of Kindred, we discussed Dana losing her arm, and especially  how that was a reflection of her experiences throughout the book, and how she lost part of herself at the plantation. This general theme, of mental experiences and trauma expressing physically, is not only present at the end of the book, but throughout the whole book.      In the first chapter, when Dana initially travels back, she ends up getting a gun pointed at her head, and while she doesn't actually end up getting injured, the gun represents a threat of physical injury, just like the travelling then represented only a threat of mental injury. As she keeps going back to the plantation, her mental state, as well as eventually Kevin's, gets worse and worse. This is reflected physically, in the injuries they receive. The following time Dana goes back, a white patrolled attempts to rape Dana, and Dana has the chance to gouge his eyes out with her fingers...
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Non-Chronological Storytelling in Slaughterhouse Five

     One of the most unique parts of Slaughterhouse Five is the non-chronological view of the story that we get through the protagonist, Billy Pilgrim. The book explores many of the consequences of this, including the fundamental breakdown of cause and effect and even the concept of free will, and what this does to both Billy, who once had a linear view of time, and the Tralfamadorians, who always viewed time non-linearly. I think that this non-linear view of time is actually helpful for Billy, but I'm not entirely convinced that overall, this view is helpful.      A large amount of people like Billy, who experience huge amounts of death, in both WWII, Vietnam, or more recently the wars in the middle east, have very traumatic experiences from the lack of care about human life in these wars. To Billy, the Tralfamadorian perspective offers a much more easy handling of the death he saw with the Dresden bombings. For the Tralfamadorians, death isn't really a b...
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The Blending of the Real and Unreal in Mumbo Jumbo

     Throughout Mumbo Jumbo , Ishmael Reed offers several fictional narratives that are crucial to the plot of the book, including the Hoodoo elements, and the historical narrative in chapter 52. These elements drive forward both the plot and the general themes of the book, but if these elements are just offered forwards, readers are unlikely to be convinced by the reality of these elements. However, Ishmael Reed uses the inclusion of many real, historical elements, which drives forward the readers' belief of the fictional elements, and ultimately, the themes and overall message of the book.      Throughout the book, real events, such as the US invasion of Haiti, or the election of Warren Harding, frame and actively shape the plot of the book, and the actions that the fictional characters take, even without being major elements of the plot. When Reed offers his historical narrative in chapter 52, with the millennia long war between Atonism and Jes Grew, th...
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How Capitalism Corrupts Tateh's Art

     One major focus of our discussions in class has been Tateh and his transformation over the book from a street artist into the rich filmmaker Baron Ashkenazi, and how that is reflected on and changes his art. Some people in the class have made the argument that even though his financial status, and his position of power, have changed, this doesn't reflect on the intentions, morality, or validity of his art, and I disagree with this statement. The reasons why The Baron makes films are vastly different from why Tateh was making silhouettes at the start of the book, and the difference between these reflects on the art, as well as on Tateh himself, so much that it's almost like he is a seperate person by the end of the book.      I think that the fundamental difference between Tateh and his art at the start of the book, and the Baron at the end of the book is the type of art they make, and how they make it. Tateh starts out making silhouettes by himself, a...
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Are Coalhouse's Actions Justified?

     In the past two days in class, we have been discussing the character of Coalhouse Walker, and his actions regarding his car and the death of Sarah. Whenever anyone talks about why Coalhouse did what he did, they always start with "I don't endorse violence or terrorism, but ", and I started to think about why everyone does this, and this brought me to the question: Is terrorism or political violence inherently bad?       First, I think we should start with the definition of terrorism.  The U.S.  Code of Federal Regulations  defines terrorism as "the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives." I would argue that actions that fit this statement are not inherently morally wrong, and I think that most people would agree, at least with some actions. I think that nearly everybody would say...
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