YOW+Quote+Activity

Existential Questions “Why did He raise us up out of the clay, to acquire good god expedient skills and then send us back so soon to be dust?” Anna Frith – Page 135.

In this quote, Anna questions life and human existence and wonders why we are brought into this world when people die too soon before their time. Through this quote, Brooks explores the theories of a divine being creating man or a natural existence of human kind. By using the words ‘clay’ and ‘dust’, Brooks associates humans with nature, implying that humans are all natural beings. In this quote, Anna’s inner conflict between her faith and scientific thinking is becoming evident and is starting to make her wonder and want to know answers. A similar quote is spoken by an elderly man by the name of James Mallion “Why should one like me who is weary of his life and ready for the harvest, be spared, when all the young ones are plucked ripe?” This quote is also an example of the apple/fruit motif.

Feminist Undertones “We had each other wild and hard right there against the gritstone floor” Anna Frith – Page 277.

This quote shows demonstrates that woman can take control too and are sexual beings just as much as men are. It demonstrates that woman have a higher status than what is usually considered and highlights woman’s equality with men. The fact that it doesn’t say “he had me”, but it says “we had each other” implies that men and woman are equal and shows that Anna and Michael at this moment are equal, Michael doesn’t have control over Anna. Anna’s social ideologies have changed and class/gender distinctions do not matter to her anymore because she has learned that gender and wealth does not determine what kind of person an individual is.

class distinctions

 'i saw them that afternoon through Anys's eyes shackled to their menfolk as surely as the plough -horse to the shares' page 55

 Anna is trying to perceive the world through Anys perspective, realise that men are able to withold from women ,in which is perceived as if women were 'shackled to their menfolk' revealing the gender roles in the village of Eyam

** Sacrifice ** “To save our lives here, my friend, I believe we must undertake here a great burning.” – Michael Mompellion pg 239 This demonstrates the sacrifice that they have to make in order to get rid of the plague. By burning all of their belongings they hope to burn the plague which had been dominating them throughout the year. This also signifies the burning of their old ideologies; the burning of their religious beliefs and senseless superstitions that had been overpowering the villages for hundreds of years and the burning of evil amongst the people. It was time to adopt a more logical way of life. ** Age of Enlightenment ** “Why would I marry? I am not made to be any mans chattel...I have something very few woman can claim; my freedom.” – Anys Gowdie Pg 54 The Age of Enlightenment is held to be the source of critical ideas, such as the centrality of freedom, democracy, and reason as primary values of society. Brooks illustrate the beginning of the age of enlightenment with Anys Gowdie a woman unlike the other during that era. She was a pragmatic person who believed in the practical way of life and would dedicate her time in her practice of remedies using herbs. She is seen as an independent person who refused to marry like other women in her time claiming that her freedom was too precious to give away. Contempt: **Quote ** “How dare you smike at me you insolent slattern” – Miss Bradford <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Page: 15 **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Themes ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Intend conflict between Mr Mompellion and Miss Bradford **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Authorial choices ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Brook creates an emotional repression towards how bad mannered Miss Bradford is and also Michael Mompellion not honour to see Miss Bradford. **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Character development ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Michael Mompellion isn’t respecting Miss Bradford and how inflame Michael is towards Miss Branford

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Metaphor: **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Quote ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">“Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.”- Michael Mompellion <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Page: 19 **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Themes ** <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Happiness, laughter <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"> and health living thought-out the house/family. **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Authorial choices ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Brook uses fruitful vine as wife’s to represent that they are the ones that bring happiness, laughter and healthy living to the house and Olive shoots as children around the table to represent ... (whats a olive shoots? LOL)

Dogma

“Dark and light, dark and light, dark and light. That was how I had been taught to view the world. The Puritans who had ministered to us here had held that all actions and thoughts could be only one of two natures: godly and right, or Satanic and evil.” – Anna Frith, Page 55

This quote highlights the unquestionable religious view that everything was either good or evil. Brooks uses the motifs of light and dark throughout the novel, in this instance they represent good and evil, but also that some people are “in the dark”, while others are enlightened. Considering the strict restrictions of this dogma, Anna wonders what it would be like to live freely like Anys.

Determination

“Let the boundaries of this village become our whole world. Let none enter and none leave while this plague lasts” – Mr. Mompellion, Page 104

Mompellion demonstrates his determination to appease God through his quarantine of the village. The extent of this determination is emphasised when he declares, “let none enter and none leave”. Furthermore, this shows that Mompellion is willing to sacrifice others for his own intentions, which are later exposed to be quite sinister.

<span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">Scapegoat: <span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">“there were 12 people. .. have it yet, witch!” (p.89) <span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">The author explores the conflict between religion and science where Mem becomes a scapegoat for those who cannot accept scientific advances. Mem is an embodiment of new thinking.

<span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">Reflection on pupose: <span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">“If God saw fit to send this scourge, I believe it will be his will that one face it where one was with courage and thus contain its evil.” (The Thunder in His Voice) <span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">The author highlights Michael’s faith in God and that he is questioning the purpose of the plague. Michael sees the plague as pestilence.

<span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">Conflict between supernatural and religion <span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">“I do not, in my heart, believe in it, and yet I bought this charm” (Kate Talbot) pg.145 <span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">Brooks increases superstition because Kate Talbot declares the spell was given to her by Anys Gowdie. Brooks portrays the spell was given to her by Anys Gowdie. Brooks portrays that if God won’t help the situation then witchcraft might. God will not always help those in need. The ‘Devil’ can question whether God is doing the right thing or if society should deal with matters on their own. Conflict between religious faith and natural science. Kate Talbot does not believe in withcraft however does not believe in herself either. Kate only wants to cure others who deserve it, yet says the spell has failed her.

<span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">Change in status: <span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">“I have something very few women can claim … not surrender it.” (Anys Gowdie) pg <span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">Brooks portrays Anys as a woman who grows stronger and has freedom. Rewards her for having a scientific viewpoint. Explores theme of freedom – able to be independent. Status of women is unequal, can only achieve status through marriage. Science is progressive, just like the emancipation of women. Anys goes against social norms and ideologies and uses herbal remedies. Anys is independent and individual.

<span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">Conformity: <span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">“If we balanced the time we spent contemplating God and why he afflicted us with more thought as to how the plague spread and poisoned our blood, then we might come nearer to saving our lives.” <span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">Explores themes of conflict between religion and faith and natural science, discarding old beliefs and customs. Brooks explores how Anna changes in the course of the plague and demonstrates how she starts to experience inner conflict between what is accepted (religion) and what is ignored (science). Anna starts to question her faith in god and turns to science for the dealings of the plague. She opposes the accepted beliefs and religious views in the village and begins to take the situation into her own hands for a cure.

<span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">God Versus Nature: <span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">“Perhaps the plague was neither of god nor the devil, but simply a thing in nature.” <span style="font-family: Calibri; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">Not everything revolves around god and the devil. The plague was just a part of nature. Human nature is a powerful force. The author makes a strong comparison between god and nature. That the plague was a test on the characters beliefs, whether it was sent by god of just a part of life. In the end man is powerless against the force of nature. Anna questions her faith in god and gains a better perception on nature.