Violence
What are the two types of violence that Foster outlines in his chapter from How to Read Literature Like a Professor? What are they, and how does he advise us to dissect their meaning?
Type 1 (injury from another character) and Type 2 (narrative harm). To unveil the deeper meaning of the violence, Foster advises us to examine the struggle that occurs, especially considering what a force within the struggle might represent and what it might be struggling against.
How is symbolism different from an allegory, and what are the two types of symbolism Foster outlines in his chapter from How to Read Literature Like a Professor? Explain both.
Allegories are meant to teach a single lesson, while symbols are always more layered and multifaceted with various interpretations. The two types are common symbols (recurring across cultures and texts) and contextual symbols (unique to a story).
In Letters from Zedelghem, Vyvyan Ayrs carries a physical deformity, his syphillis scar. What does his syphilis represent for his character and his motivations?
Ayr's syphilis is no mere coincidence: he's marked with a physical deformity and illness in order to show his desperation to leave a lasting legacy as an artist. This represents a core motivation for his reasons to exploit Frobisher.
In An Orison of Sonmi-451, it's later revealed that the fabricants at Papa Song's Ark in Hawaii are actually systematically destroyed and recycled to be recreated as Soaps, the nutritional consumable for Fabricants. What does this case of violence reveal about Neo So Copros?
The deconstruction and recycling of Fabricants at Papa Song's Ark reveals the larger corporacy of Neo So Copros, where order and control matter more than truth.
In Letters from Zedelghem, Robert Frobisher publishes his "Cloud Atlas Sextet," which reappears throughout the other stories in Cloud Atlas. What does the musical piece represent as a symbol?
The Cloud Atlas Sextet, as evident in its recurring appearances throughout the other stories and the inclusion of "Cloud Atlas" in its title, represents the interconnectivity between human timelines and how periods in history are never entirely disparate from one another, including the present and the future.
Throughout Cloud Atlas, the comet birthmark scar reoccurs for our primary and secondary antagonists (Frobisher, Luisa Rey, Sonmi-451, and Meronym). What does this scar symbolize?
It acts as a symbol for both the human faults of the past and human hope for the future, as each birthmark carrier is tasked with enacting positive change that will persist through ripple effects in the future and remedy the course of human civilization affected by evil action.
In The Pacific Journal of Adam Ewing, Dr. Goose says, “The weak are meat the strong do eat,” while he picks up the teeth for the purpose of humiliating the marchioness who shunned him. What larger theme does this quote reveal beyond the violence that underscores it? (Hint: pay attention to what Dr. Henry Goose does later in the story and the word "eat")
“The weak are meat the strong do eat" not only signifies the predatory cycle where the strong prey upon the weak with violence, but also human greed, as shown by how Dr. Henry Goose poisons Adam Ewing to steal his money for his own selfish gain (this is also the case for other characters throughout the story).
In Sloosha’s Crossin’ An’ Ev’Rythin After, Sonmi's orison serves an important role in the character development arc of Zachary. Through the orison, Zachary is able to connect with Meronym's character and learn the truth. What does the orison symbolize?
The orison symbolizes connection across time and culture, and the importance of truth. Zachary can connect with Meronym, setting aside their differences, and learns the truth of the world, carrying along this precious human history to his child in the end.
At the end of Letters from Zedelghem, Frobisher eventually commits suicide with a gun after his fallout with Vyvyan Ayrs and Eva, and escapes to a hotel to work on his music. What does Frobisher's suicide reveal about him and his struggles, and what larger theme do they convey? (Hint: pay attention to the reason for his suicide and isolation)
Frobisher's suicide reveals Cloud Atlas's larger theme of the struggle between human society and the individual. As Frobisher is cast out of his family, Cambridge, and Zedelghem, his only escape is his artistic work, which can only be perpetuated through his suicide to ensure Ayrs will not take ownership of his piece.
In An Orison of Somni-451, mountains play a great role in the journey of Sonmi-451 and her pursuit of knowledge and truth (ex., Mount Taemosan and the mountain where the colony lives without technology). What do these mountains symbolize?
The mountains act as a symbol for the pursuit of truth and enlightenment. Regarding Sonmi-451, they represent the path for her as "the one who ventures outside of the cave" in Plato's Allegory of the Cave, as she seeks to find out the real reality that Neo So Corpros is covering up.