Well, to be honest, I'm a bit sad that this book is finished now. The play was a really good representation of the Transcendentalist spirit and an eye opening piece of work. I hope we get to read something of this caliber again. =) Well, let's get to the weeks questions.
This Week's Assignment:
Read Act II of The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail. Then discuss the following on your blog.
Question One: Many of the conversation in this book contain examples of irony. List a few and explain why each is ironic.
To be entirely honest, I had quite a bit of trouble finding a few examples of irony. However, one of the examples that I found I think satisfies the requirement. I found it quite ironic how, at first, Henry is trying his hardest to be outside the box and be what other people don't expect him to be. (Though this may not have been a primary goal of his, it was certainly achieved.) Then, near the very end of the play, his spirit and his way of being was exactly how other people expected him to act, which I think may have been the opposite of his desired effect, if there was any.
Also, I found it ironic as well when people viewed Henry as a bit of a simpleton. You know, living out in the woods and the such. Then, however, we find out that he is the most enlightened of all of his fellow people. And not only that, but they say that they have a great relationship with God. However, after seeing their cruel ways of acting (A.K.A discouraging questions and beating down those who had the audacity to question the world around them) I felt that Henry really had the strongest bond with God.
Question Two: List the three most important characters. Choose a present day actor/actress to take the role of each. Explain why you would make these casting decisions and base you answer on the words and actions of each of the characters from the play.
Oh boy, this was a bit of a hard one. You have no idea how long I spent looking up pictures of actors and actresses to try and fit the role of the people. However, I think I came up with a pretty good cast list, if I do say so myself.
Of course, the MOST important character would be Henry David Thoreau. To portray him, I believe that stage actor Jeremy Hays would be the absolute best H.D.T. that you could get. He's best known for playing the hotheaded rebel, Enjolras, in the Broadway version of Les Miserables. I was lucky enough to go and see him, and my immediate reaction while reading this was that their characters are similar. Both want change for the better and both disagree with the governments decisions. I just think that Hays and the characters would make an incredible match.
The second most important character that I would want to cast would be John Thoreau, Henry's brother. I would cast Owen Wilson with this role. Not only does he and Hays have a resemblance with one another, but Wilson has a similar disposition to John. Both seemed like fun loving guys, but they can also be serious when a situation calls for it. I don't know, he just seems like a great person to fit the role.
Finally, I think that Edward Emerson was also an important character in the play--mainly because he shows the next generation and the kind of people that Thoreau wanted to effect. I think that Joel Courtney would be a good fit for the role--he has the same type of boyish charm that Edward had, yet he is in a state of adolescence that portrays him more effectively. Just remember, these are my picks, so ya'll can disagree and the like. =)
Question Three: Does Henry's protest prove successful in the end? Explain.
I do believe that Henry's protest was successful. He changed the life of the people that he met, such as the ex-slave that he encountered and Bailey--his jail mate in the cell. He gave Emerson something to think about and mull over. All in all, I think he achieved a new type of enlightenment while changing the world about him for the better, and also by changing himself for the better as well.
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