Transmedia Draft of Canterbury Essay



The story-teller.

Introduction Paragraph:

• Overall arching theme of Canterbury Tales
• Provide background on all stories and common characteristics
• Begin to specify the Cook's tale, background/personality of main character
• Thesis

1st Body Paragraph:

• Larger theme and purpose of Canterbury Tales ~ moral aspect
• Go into detail of the common tale characteristics, specifying mostly with the Cook's tale
• Explain techniques used, satire, irony, humor, rhyme, tone, diction/syntax, etc. in and out of the Cook's tale and cite some examples

2nd Body Paragraph:

• Describe physical appearance of main character ("well-built and short" stature and possesses a brown complexion, lives life by partying and having fun with the ladies. Reveler doesn't take his apprentice role seriously because he just commits himself to gambling and stealing from his own master. He only wants to remember and experience a luxurious life because he was fired from his job and still married a rich, beautiful woman to show off to everyone else and live a stable life) 
• Describe the situation + problems the main character has (gambling, playing with women, drinking)
• characterization techniques- in/direct, tone



Perkin was adulterous, constantly surrounded
by women, and a gambler.





 

• in/direct examples ("A rotten apple is better thrown away before it spoils the barrel.")

3rd Body Paragraph:

• Explain the type of tale, moral
• Affects of SES, gender, etc.

Conclusion Paragraph:

• Overall Canterbury Tales, characters represent a group, social, gender, etc. unfairly or incorrectly
• Restate thesis statement
• Restate the use of literary techniques 

 

 

 

 

Musical Element:

Small portions of this song seem to relate to the attitude and personality of Perkin. He seems to think that life is just one big party, what he doesn't realize is that he is still a kid making childish decisions. All he wants is to live a life of luxury, without thinking of the consequences. Perkin's needs to have all the ladies, all the champagne, and in the end, a trophy wife merely for the joy of showing her off. He drinks, he gambles, he cheats, he steals, a bad idea for an apprentice, especially doing it to his master. The song kind of depicts the reflection that Perkin will one day have, regretting all his reckless decisions.

 

 

"cause I'll be cracking bottles open, pouring champagne...

Life is one big party and I love the one I'm at. ( I know)"

"let's just get this party over,

and I know that we've been drinking,

I see that you've been thinking bout
the old days, well, I'm dreaming
 bout
he ones when we'll be singing bout
the love we had, the love we lost"



"I know we were young and reckless,

pretty girl hanging on me like a necklace

Kinda tripping knowing we did it unprotected
now I can't sleep cause I'm so damn restless"



"No regrets of all the things I've said

But I'm still growing up and I'm still a kid

Can't tell me you don't miss those days
Back in the day now I'm backing away

cause I'll never move on if you ask me to stay"

 



CANTERBURY OUTLINE

Guiding Questions:
1. What Tale did you choose?  Why?  What appealed to you?
I chose the Cook's Tale because it was a very interesting story that had that touch of comedy and dynamic demonstration.

 2. Describe the main character.
Perkin Reveler is an apprentice who has a "well-built and short" stature and possesses a brown complexion. He is a man who only lives life by partying and having with the ladies. Reveler doesn't take his apprentice role seriously because he just commits himself to gambling and stealing from his own master. He only wants to remember and experience a luxurious life because he was fired from his job and still married a rich, beautiful woman to show off to everyone else and live a stable life. 

 3. How do Chaucer's choices in diction and syntax create the tone of this Tale?
Chaucer's puns and humorous remarks concerning the horribly-lived life of the shallow-minded Perkin Reveler creates his satirical tone used throughout the tale.

4. How does Chaucer characterize the protagonist (both in content and technique)?
Chaucer uses both indirect (for establishing the Cook as a shallow, arrogant, and ultimately worthless man whose life consists of meaningless events and achieves no authentic fulfillment) and direct characterization (for appearance in regards to wardrobe, facial expression, etc.).

 5. What storytelling genre does this Tale represent?  Why?
The Cook's tale is a fabliau because it is characterized by having a vast array of characters such as peasants and clergy, which are singled out for criticism. The common themes in a fabliau is often sexual and we are able to observe this in the fact that Perkin Reveler spent his time with joyful women and ends up moving in with a friend and his prostitute wife.

 6. How do the characterizations and events in this Tale represent the larger theme/s &/or purpose/s of Canterbury Tales?
The purpose of Canterbury Tales is to criticize and expose society and its many roles through satire. This is what he illustrates in the Cook's Tale, the hypocrisy and irony in the fact that the apprentice devotes himself to his wrongdoings and in a way betrays his master.

 7. How would you change/improve the Tale if you could?

 8. How would the Tale be different if the career, or SES, or gender of the title character were different?
 The tale would not be the same if it were a female because the cook lives somewhat of a reckless lifestyle full of dancing and robbery, and that wasn’t typical for a woman to do during that time period. If it were a woman, she would probably be heckled for her actions.

 9. As you analyze the Tale, what ideas or writing techniques make it especially effective in conveying its message?
The tone of this Tale seems merry, representing the Cook's (Perkin Reveler) lifestyle and easy going personality. Chaucer's poetic form of writing creates a less than serious tone, juxtaposing the seriousness that the used satire creates. The satire is used to show this married man's adultery lifestyle.

 10. How can you use any of the techniques you read to improve your own writing?
I would like to improve my way of conveying a message through satirical methods, as Chaucer does throughout his tales. Another thing that would be critical for my writing is being able to convey said message completely, without finishing the entire story. Chaucer was unable to complete this specific story, yet the message of the Cook's hypocrisy, his adultery lifestyle, and all his wrong-doing are clearly visible in the small fragment. Something that would be interesting to learn would be the rhyming pattern, and being able to recreate this form of writing with ease.

Collaboration: Yesenia Beas, Lupita Pliego, Edgar Rodriguez, Jisu Yoon, Sophia Gomez and Millie Angulo

THE POINT OF CANTERBURY TALES IS...

Thesis:

Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer is a satirical story about a multitude of societal roles. Throughout his work Chaucer is able to provide his readers with a motley of examples of hypocrisy, and overall the "not ideal" representation of a certain group of people through crude humor, irony, and other literary techniques.

GREEN EGGS & HAMLET

a) What do you know about Hamlet, the "Melancholy Dane"? 
- I honestly know nothing about Hamlet, except the one thing Dr. Preston keeps mentioning in class, "Hamlet is not a young boy with a decision making disorder, he knows what he wants to do from the start, he knows that he must kill his stepfather.."

b) What do you know about Shakespeare? 
William Shakespeare is the author of many popular and well-known theatrical plays, such as Julius Caesar, Romeo & Juliet. Shakespeare is well-known for using iambic pentameter to compose most, if not all, of his plays.

c) Why do so many students involuntarily frown when they hear the name "Shakespeare"? 
Students do this because of the length of Shakespeare's work, as well as the way it is written (iambic pentameter, diction, colloquialism of his time, etc.). Shakespeare's work is difficult to understand, and if I, personally, were not guided through his work, the entire meaning and such would go right over my head.

d) What can we do to make studying this play an amazing experience we'll never forget?
Something that may be fun, if all students actually want to participate, would be to set up a form of "play" reading, taking up specific characters and acting out their lines/parts, and occasionally stopping for clarification and questions. Something that would not be fun is having to memorize any of the play, with the language it is written in it makes it too difficult.

Vocabulary #5

shenanigans - noun secret or dishonest activity
ricochet - noun a glancing rebound; verb spring back; spring away from an impact
schism - noun division of a group into opposing factions
eschew - verb avoid and stay away from deliberately; stay clear of
plethora - noun extreme excess
ebullient - adj. joyously unrestrained
garrulous - adj. full of trivial conversation
harangue - noun a loud bombastic declamation expressed with strong emotion; verb deliver a harangue to; address forcefully
interdependence - noun a reciprocal relation between interdependent entities (objects or individuals or groups)
capricious - adj. determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason; changeable
loquacious - adj. full of trivial conversation
ephemeral - adj. lasting a very short time; noun anything short-lived
inchoate - adj. only partly in existence; imperfectly formed
juxtapose - verb place side by side
perspicacious - adj. acutely insightful and wise;mentally acute or penetratingly discerning
codswallop - noun nonsensical talk or writing
mungo - noun cloth made from recycled woven or felted material
sesquipedalian - adj characterized by long winded words
wonky - adj. inclined to shake as from weakness or defect; turned or twisted toward one side
diphthong - noun a vowel sound that starts near the articulatory position for one vowel and moves toward the position for another

Tale of a Canterbury Tale

The Monk's Tale

Summary: The monk begins with a somber but didactic tone, he begins to list religious symbols and how they fell into adversity, without the possibility of getting out (ex. Lucifer, Adam). The monk then goes on to teach another lesson, the idea that woman should be kept in the dark or lest she'll betray you, this is indicated through the story of Samson and slightly by the story of Hercules. The monk always begins by broadcasting and showcasing the men, raising them on a pedestal and naming them glorious, then he goes on to show how they fall. The motley of stories also depicts that man should fear God, or suffer his wrath. Zenobia is the first woman mentioned in the monk's tale, she is described as perfection, strong and beautiful, striking fear in any man's heart, undefeatable. Eventually, Zenobia is defeated, and with her two sons is chained and forced to labor, the end of her powerful reign has come. Count Ugolino of Pisa, his story serves to show how one man and one lie can ruin another's life, Count was incarcerated with his 3 kids (under 5 years) and forced to die of starvation, his kids telling him to eat their flesh as he had once given life to them, a story about lies and sacrifice. The final sections of the tale speak of tyrannical leaders who got what they deserve, people becoming rebellious and attacking, or simply Fortune taking its toll (ex. Nero, Holofernes, King Antiochus).

1. Explain the central character of the tale by analyzing five (5) examples of indirect characterization.
The central character in this tale is Fortune (Destiny or God). Fortune is characterized as patient but wrathful, "she" will allow things to slide to a certain extent, but will lay down her hand at some point.(C) When she lays down her wrath she will take all you have, all you don't deserve, all you got by unscrupulous means. (A/B) Fortune isn't completely wrathful, she will also lead you to opportunities, places where you will gain some advantage, but she will not stop the power or money from going to your head, she will allot you opportunities, but will not stop your self-destruction. (D/E)

• A. "Whenever Fortune chooses to forsake,
  She takes away one's reign, one's wealth also,
  And friends as well, though they be high or low."
• B. "So Fortune's wheel can govern what shall be
  And out of gladness bring mankind to sorrow."
• C. "Now it befell that Fortune wished no longer
  To suffer Nero's pride, such haughtiness;                 
  For although he was strong, she was the stronger."
• D. "In his own time, of greater reputation,
  Not one more arrogant in his high station,                
  Than Holofernes. Fortune kissed him to it
  With wantonness, led him through every nation,
  Until he lost his head before he knew it."
• E. "Fortune had so ensconced him in his pride
  That truly he believed he might attain
  The very stars that shone on every side,"

2. What is Chaucer's purpose in telling this character's tale?  Is he satirizing society, giving the voiceless a voice, or trying to accomplish a different goal?  [Support your argument with textual evidence.]

Chaucer tells this tale as to assert that the monk is somewhat a hypocrite. Within his story, the Monk attempts to assume a didactic tale, talking about the evils of disobeying God, of letting the world and its materialistic ideals go to your head, and even that of lying, yet he himself isn't the idealist monk. Chaucer uses this tale to satirize a societal role, that being the role of a religious man.

• "Lo, Adam in the field of Damascene:
  By God's own finger created was he
  And not conceived by sperm of man unclean.
  He ruled all Paradise, except one tree.                   
  No man on earth has held such high degree
  Since Adam, who, for his misgovernance,
  Was driven from his high prosperity
  To labor and to hell and to mischance.
• "This king of kings was arrogant and vain;
  He thought that God who sits in majesty
  Would never take from him his great domain.
  But he lost that dominion suddenly,                       
  And after like a beast he came to be"
• "The reason that he'd been condemned to die                
  Was the bishop of Pisa (in that day
  Ruggieri), who had told of him a lie;
  The people then rose up against his sway
  And had him put in prison, in the way
  That you have heard. The food and drink he had            
  Was not at all sufficient, safe to say;
  What little bit he had was poor and bad."

Character Study (II)

Lupita, after attending and participating in multiple clubs/activities had fully discovered her university, and had finally found her niche. She was comfortable, with her new friends and some of her old, and ultimately with her current situation. Her favorite "hang out" spot, the area where she went for silence and solitude, was the school library, where she could completely indulge herself in new reading material, where she could go study, and where she encountered new (or old)  and interesting people.

One day, as Lupita headed out of a lecture towards her favorite area, several books in hand, and library/ID card at the ready, she stumbled. Frowning she began to gather her many books, realizing that this was only the continuation of the bad events that had occurred that day, beginning with waking up late, skipping breakfast (which means grumbly stomach), missing the bus and having to walk several blocks to school. She wondered out loud, "Can anything make this day good?" Just then a petite shadow crossed over her books, as she looked up the sun blocked out the face of this mysterious on looker. The female asked, "Need some help there?" The voice seemed to have a familiar ring to it, a kind, strong voice, a voice she had heard many times throughout her high school English classes. As she regained her footing and looked directly at the speaker she connected the dots, the voice belonged to her strong minded and equally witted, high school friend Yesenia!

Lupita had no idea that they were at the same school, having lost touch after high school they had not known much of what the other had done or where they had gone. The two young women decided to catch up, and inviting Edgar, the outgoing and outspokem friend, and Sophia, the kind-hearted and bubbly friend, they all decided to go to a club, by Edgar's recommendation.

After only an hour came the realization that the club scene was not for Yesi, as her friends sweetly called her, and Lupita, so they quickly bailed and went to a taco place down the street, a family owned business where the two could actually hear each other and communicate what they had done in the last couple of months. After a three hour conversation, the girls had come to their final subject, how much they missed their family, and more importantly, their family in Mexico, the ones they hadn't seen in years! The girls kept yelling about how they wish they could set foot on Mexican soil soon, their yelling became incessant and obviously attracted attention. Soon a young, tall, Hispanic man approached them, and grabbing a chair and sitting on it backwards, he began to ask them about their NEED to go to Mexico. The two young ladies, rather annoyed by his presence, yet surprised by this courage, sat stunned. The man continued to coax them, and Yesenia, being the brave and take-no-bullshit type of person, asked the boy, "What's it to ya?" The young man, whose name was Roberto, and was the "annoying classmate" everyone encounters in college, nonchalantly replied that he would make them an offer. The girls waited, anger and annoyance beginning to surface. "How would you guys like to accompany me on a trip to Mexico, all expenses paid, for 2 months, so I- I mean we- can study the heritage and culture?" The girls, always having had an interest in Mexican culture agreed, to his surprise, rather quickly. Roberto did not expect this, as he often thought the two girls despised him, for his superiority and intelligence. Yes, arrogance at its finest. Anyways, their adventure, Roberto informed them, would commence in one week.

Adios California.