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Pride and Prejudice in 6 episodes (1995, eng.. | Academic English | VK 

Norman Rockwell, The Triple Self Portrait 

a self-portrait made by the American painter Norman Rockwell in 1960.

Rockwell shows himself reflected in the mirror through the distorting lens of his own perception.

It’s one of the most iconic self-portraits in American art.

The glasses : → look opaque. They are fogged, he can’t actually see his reflection in the mirror // impossibility of an artist to get an accurate image of something.

The smoking trash can  / dustbin: Rockwell often dumped the ashes from his tobacco pipe into the trash can. (one of his workshops accidentally burnt down)

 The gilded mirror decorated with a large American eagle that holds the US flag in its claws = As if to say: My art embodies America ?

Golden frames are often seen in museums for famous classical paintings = auto-derision

He imagined his portrait among the famous works of art in classical museums.

The helmet is a reminder to himself not to be deceived by appearances. He bought it in a Paris antique shop, thinking it was an ancient Roman soldier’s, only to realize later that it was a French firemen helmet

On Rockwell’s easel, are pinned photos of self-portraits by (from top to bottom): Dürer, Rembrandt, Picasso and Van Gogh.

They are his references (+ portraits in the book). The artist’s signature is part of the composition, on the uncompleted canvas.

A “mise-en-abyme” :  placing a copy of an image within itself, often in a way that suggests an infinitely recurring sequence.

The reflection in the mirror is more realistic and less flattering. He looks younger on the canvas.

The portrait of the painter with his back/ bottom to us : not a flattering position.

 CONCLUSION

This painting is very complex because there are different levels of reality.

→ encourages us to think about the authenticity of representations. The only accurate portrait of the artist may be the combination of the 3 representations. He also shows that artists lie when they represent themselves.

Doc 2 : Andy Warhol self-portrait

Andy Warhol realized this self-portrait in 1986 shortly before his sudden death in 1987. He elevated his own face to the status of an icon. It belongs to a series of other self-portraits.

He encourages us to stare into his darkened eyes and analyze every square inch of his emaciated face. (to stare at : fixer du regard, dévisager )

a 40-inch square format in scarlet red and yellow. The artist's skull-like face oscillates between telling us everything about him or telling us nothing. It is both a self-representation and a self-examination. We are invited to focus on the sharp contrasts between light and darkness.

He presents himself as a construct and is tackling one of the great themes of art : the aging master taking a last look at himself. Vanitas aspect of this portrait : to remind us that he will die.

Understanding David Bowie's characters

D. Bowie was a musical chameleon. His fictional characters conveyed fear, joy, confusion and ecstasy.

He remains one of the most polarizing figures in music history.

When he was a teenager he was adrift. His family was ridden with mental disorders (schizophrenia and several suicides)

He felt a sense of isolation from a very young age.

1st success : Space Oddity (pun with space Odissey)

oddity = weirdness = strangeness

The main character is Major Tom, an astronaut setting on a dangerous journey to space and who ends up stranded there.

It's a song about facing fear = a story many people can relate to.

He also voiced his issues through Major Tom's voice (his drug addiction)

In 1972 Bowie became Ziggy Stardust : one of his most influential character. A half-human half alien.
He shocked the audience when he appeared on stage on the TV programme Tops of the Pop as a cross-dressing pale thin alien.

He had openely stated to the press that he was gay and there was still a lot of taboo around gay rights.

He finally retired Ziggy Stardust abruptly because the role had become indistinguishable from his real self to the point that he doubted his own sanity.

He created a bunch of other characters :

·      The thin white Duke

·      Aladdin Sane : // a lad insane

·      Halloween Jack

He was an actor both on stage and in several movies. It was a way to hide his weaknesses and showcase his strength.

He mixed music with the theatre and story-telling.  He created something that impacted our culture for generations.

1.    Character-building aimed at helping  children to be emotionally stronger, more independent, and better at dealing with problems at a time when expressing emotions was considered as socially wrong.

To develop self-reliance, endurance, and courage in their personality, children were forced to endure frustration, to obey and to comply with discipline. It was thought that their personality was malleable (= soft). You had to remain mainstream / to avoid unconventional attitudes.

2.    Bowie was a disturbing / scary character because he kept reinventing himself. Not only did he change his physical appearance but he seemed to have an infinite number of alter egos. Cross-dressing was shocking for many people.

He cultivated an androgynous appearance and “played with homosexuality” (l.32). He embodied various personas throughout his career.

3. The 21st century is referred to as the century of the selves in the plural because with the growing importance of social networks, people tend to create fake selves on social media to appear in a better light in order to boost their self-esteem.

4.   Relentless self-reinvention can be risky because some key elements, which are necessary to your self-development must be anchored with fixed roles. For instance, a parent cannot reject his parent role for the well-being of the child. People need steady landmarks when they grow-up and not to be overwhelmed with insecurity feelings.

depression - insanity - schizophrenia

Translation 1

Cette idée s'énonce simplement : le caractère n'est pas quelque chose que l'on a / possède, c'est quelque chose que l'on invente. L'acteur est une figure protéiforme, un métamorphe. Et plus l'acteur est bon, plus cette figure devient effrayante.

Les grands acteurs perturbent quelque chose qui est au cœur de notre existence : l'idée du moi. Lorsqu’ils revêtent ou / et se dévêtent de différents ‘moi’, ils nous amènent à nous demander si le concept du 'moi' existe vraiment. Bowie était dérangeant parce qu'il poussait cette idée jusqu'à ses conclusions les plus extrêmes.

Translation 2 :

Ces créatures en lesquelles Bowie s'est transformé / se transformait n'étaient pas, comme (dans) les bonnes performances théâtraless, des personnalités / des ‘moi’ cohérents.

C'étaient des fragments de personnalités éclatées en mille morceaux, des personnages au bord de l'effondrement ou de la disparition.

Bowie nous présentait, en plein cœur de la culture pop, l'idée que cette chose que nous appelions le moi n'est pas du tout fixe / figé.

Il est, au contraire, multiple, malléable et surtout/ par-dessus tout fragile. Tout n'est qu'un jeu d’acteur. Au diable les / oublions les "je pense donc je suis", au profit de "j’incarne un rôle donc je suis". Et que se passe-t-il si la performance échoue ?

a)      Identify the structure of the poem.  Use the following definitions and guidelines to help you.

"Still I Rise" is a nine-stanza poem that’s separated into uneven sets of lines. The 1st seven stanzas contain 4 lines, known as quatrains, stanzas 8 has 6 lines and the 9th has 9

The first 7 stanzas follow a rhyme scheme of ABCB, the 8th: ABABCC and the 9th: ABABCCBBB

Travelling, territories and Frontiers + Construction and Expression of the self

• expressing emotions

• coming of age

• migration and exile

• heritage

Correction

Feelings for Rose :

We can feel Eilis' admiration for her (“proud of her sister” + “more glamorous every year” / “how much care she took with her appearance” =  signs of Eilis’ subjective perception of things.) She is her role model.

Rose is the breadwinner. She supports the family financially and provides for Eilis’s study costs. She has an office job. Rose is 30 and unmarried, although she has had boyfriends. She has connections in the town: she could have found a suitable position for Eilis if there had been any available. She seem

mature and cautious in her relatio

Atmosphere :

Rather joyful / all 3 women seem to get on very well, and care for each other, although each of them seems to have a clearly defined role. (void : absence of the father and the 3 brothers)

They would have a very depressing / dull / gloomy life if Rose went away.

// Cinderella’s family, with the glamorous sister getting ready for the ball whereas plain Cinderella stays at home.

Q. 4 : Religion : the Catholic church at the centre of people’s lives. Mass every Sunday = a rite that determines rhythm in people’s lives.

of paramount importance. (3 masses on Sunday)

at the basis of people's social life.

Miss Kelly : runs a grocery store in Enniscorthy and offers Eilis a job as a shop assistant. She is an unpleasant woman who acts differently with her customers according to their social position.

The country’s economy was in recession, unemployment struck hard at that time, and there was “no work for anyone in Enniscorthy, no matter what their qualifications”. Eilis feels obliged to accept, to help her mother since there is no better option.

Ms Kelly is mean /scornful / disdainful / arrogant / haughty. She despises Eilis. She offers her a ridiculously low wage for a few hours of work on Sundays.

7. Miss Kelly's attitude was so icy that Eilis wondered whether she had offended her in the past. Eilis doesn't seem to be aware of the real nature of Miss Kelly. She is naive.

Conclusion

The narration seems 3rd  person and neutral but we are given access to Eilis’s thoughts: "in a few minutes, Eilis knew, someone would call for her” (ll.4-5)

Eilis does not seem to have much to say / she is quite silent but she is established as the storyteller and the central focus of the novel. she remains quite passive and silent/speechless throughout the passage. On that evening, she will have dinner with her mother (says the mother) and she might go to the pictures (says Rose).

We have the semantic field of endings in this incipit, which gives a twilight atmosphere (“from sunlight into shade”/ “classes were almost ended” / “summer evening had faded”.) It reads like the gradual ending of this order of things, before changes occur. ( = happen)

4 characters are present in this scene : Eilis, her sister Rose and their mother have invited Father Flood to tea.

They are talking about

- Eilis’s current job at Miss Kelly's grocery shop

- her future prospects

- and her possible emigration to the US

Her situation is not satisfying : she has a low-paid job / she is underpaid / she has a low wage whereas she has  skills.

Moreover, she’s regulary humiliated / despised by her employer.

Before Father Flood's visit, she had intended to go to England, like her brothers.

But she didn't carry out her plans because it was not a good time according to her brothers. (rough times)

She would only get factory work  and her mother had been against this project.

Father Flood was invited by Rose and her mother:

- to talk Eilis into considering a job in Brooklyn

( talk someone into + V-ing / talk someone out of + V-ing)

- to convince her to go to the US

He came to convince Eilis to go to America because:

- she would be better paid

- she would get more interesting office work / qualified work

- she would be in safe community of Irish people there

- no unemployment / plenty of work there                      she is young = an asset

Father Flood’s general mission consists in:

- helping and recruiting Irish willing to emigrate

- convincing Irish to emigrate

- welcoming the Irish in his community in the US

- setting them up with work

Rose and her mother :

- they both feel guilty /  ashamed

- Rose feels nervous

- she’s thoughtful and must be wondering if she is doing the right thing

- the mother feels more concerned and worried

- neither of them dare to face her / to look her in the eye

- they’re trying to avoid a confrontation

Rose: (l. 23-24) “She twisted her ring and then her bracelet” / (l. 30) “It was Rose’s silence that

was new to her”

Mother: (l. 21-22) “She looked across at her mother who deliberately, it seemed to her, did not

return her glance but kept her gaze fixed on the floor.” / (l. 26) ““It might be very dangerous,”

her mother said, her eyes still fixed on the floor.”

Eilis :

- seems powerless, like a child - passive attitude

- doesn’t have the right to choose / to decide

- regrets having told her mother and sister about the problems she had at Miss Kelly’s

- feels partly responsible for her own situation

- doesn’t dare to question what is happening

(l. 34) “She realized, it had somehow been tacitly arranged that Eilis would go to America”

(l. 34-35) “Father Flood, she believed, had been invited to the house because Rose knew that he

could arrange it.”

(l. 38-39) “She regretted having told them so much”

Q. 6 Eilis compares the two countries  and weighs the pros and cons:

- the US seems more thrilling

- in America they make more money and seem happier

- success is possible in the US / land of opportunities

- it is more difficult to come back from the US / long journey

- the trip is more expensive

whereas

- Irish immigrants living in England are homesick

- England is near and practical, you can come back once or twice a year.

- in England people seem to have more ordinary lives

Les jours suivants / Dans les jours qui suivirent, on / personne  ne reparla pas de la visite du Père Flood

(Father Flood accepté)

ou du fait qu’il ait évoqué la possibilité qu’elle aille à Brooklyn /

et c’était ce silence lui même (persistant) qui amena

/ poussa Eilis à penser que Rose et sa mère en avaient discuté  et y étaient favorables.

Elle n’avait jamais envisagé de partir aux E.U. / d’aller en Amérique

Elle connaissait bon nombre de personnes  qui / de nombreuses personnes qui étaient parties en Angleterre et revenaient souvent pour Noël ou pour l’été.

Correction Extract 3

1.   

Physical aspect

Personality

Aged between 30 and 40

Blond hair

Fancy hair style

Well-dressed / elegant

Glamorous - attractive

Looks like a movie star

Self-confident / self-assured

Poised

Independent

Resourceful

Clever / smart

A seducer

Daring

outgoing

2.      What was the weather forecast ? Why was Eilis alone in the dining room ?

Eilis was alone in the dining room because the weather forecast was alarming and everyone expected a rough night. People knew that the sea would be agitated / raging and they would be sea-sick if they ate anything. She was the only one who ate mutton stew.

Sea storm – vomit - feel nauseous

3.      Describe the traveling conditions for 3rd class passengers.

The rooms are tiny, with no windows and two bunk beds, and a minuscule bathroom to share with the room on the other side. A cramped space . The light is too weak to read. Only activity : to watch the seascape on the deck.

There is only one restaurant with long tables with tightly spaced seating. Cheap and low quality food.  The cleaning is done only when they have finished in 1st class.

Except for the time you spend on deck getting fresh air, you are trapped in a congested, noisy, smelly place with absolutely no privacy, for about 6 days.

4.      Many coming-of-age stories feature a mentor—a wise, older character who guides the protagonist from immaturity to maturity. Explain why Georgina corresponds to that role.

Georgina is an experienced character compared to Eilis because she travels on ocean liners once a year to visit her mother in England.

She knows how to sneak into the first-class areas of the ship, how to unlock the toilets’ door, what to do in case of sea-sickness and to pass immigration customs when they arrive in America.

She provides the lessons Eilis needs to succeed. A mentor also gives the protagonist the emotional support he or she needs, often acting as a surrogate mother figure. 

5.      What advice did Georgina give Eilis for Ellis Island? Why?

She advises her to look elegant but not tarty. (No prostitution allowed)

She says she ought to wear some make-up to look healthier and try her best not to cough. People who had any signs of a contagious disease could be kept in quarantine. (Tuberculosis)

She should try to look independent and self-assured.

An immigrant could be denied admission on the grounds that they were likely to become a burden for society. Only 2% were refused

Correction extract 4

1.   Where does the scene take place? What’s the problem?

The scene takes place at Eilis’ work place, at Bartocci’s department store. Eilis is so homesick that her sadness is visible on her face. She seems on the verge of crying / about to cry. She is so depressed that customers will notice that there’s something wrong with her.

Her supervisor doesn’t accept such an attitude and asks her to meet her downstairs in the staff room to explain her what’s wrong.

2.   Describe how Eilis feels.

Eilis has felt miserable since she received her letters from home. She can’t help crying.

She wishes she were home with her family. She has no one to talk to.  She is lonely, homesick and lost.

She did not befriend any of her roommates at Mrs Kehoe. She is overwhelmed by her emotions and can’t share it in letters to her family. She fears her family will never be able to know her anymore (last line p.70)

3.   How do the people at work react? (Miss Fortini, Miss Bartocci, Mr Bartocci)

·        Miss Fortini is a very observant person and she notices immediately that there is something wrong with her. She isolates her from the customers, thus preventing her from making any fault. She questions her efficiently to identify her problem. She reassures her / comforts her : the sadness won’t last = she must have experienced the same homesickness feeling in the past.

·       Miss Bartocci seems understanding and talked to her father who was "a special friend to Father Flood" so  that Eilis would get help from him.

·       Mr Bartocci is nice and allows her some time to get a grip on herself. But his daughter clearly states that he won’t allow such a thing to happen one more time.

4.   What are Father Flood’s diagnosis and remedy?

He thought she was alright since he had positive echoes from her landlady Mrs Kehoe but he immediately realises that she is homesick and that the remedy is to keep busy.

Consequently he enrols her to night classes in book-keeping. It will keep her mind off her loneliness. It will be an opportunity to befriend new people.  It will also help her to move towards a promotion.

5.   What is implied by ‘It’s a funny place, Brooklyn”? l. 84

Brooklyn is a place where a lot of things are possible, even what you would consider as impossible.

The connections woven by the Catholic church enables a lot of things. A whole network was created to help Catholic immigrants and members of their community.

weave, wove, woven

Does the first reading of the poem convey an expression of simplicity or complexity? Justify your point of view by quoting the text.

The first reading of the poem conveys an expression of simplicity because the vocabulary is plain: “dogs”, “policemen”, “stars” and the metaphors are easy to understand.

2. Is the poem suitable to the expression of grief? Why?

The poem is suitable to the expression of grief as it puts forward the elements present at a funeral (“muffled drum”, “coffin”, “mourners”, “crepe bows”, “black cotton gloves”) and death is clearly mentioned (“He Is Dead”). Moreover, the imperative forms used all along the poem convey a feeling of urgency of somebody suffering who wants to put an end to other feelings: there is nothing but pain to express and communicate

(“Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone”, “Silence the pianos”, “Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead / Scribbling on the sky the message ‘He is Dead’.”). The poet intends to put an end to any signs of life (“Stop all the clocks”, “Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun, /Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood”). The poet is hopeless / despairing (“I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.”, “For nothing now can ever come to any good.”) and is left voiceless / speechless (“cut off the telephone”, “He was (…) my talk, my song”).

– the clocks, the telephone, the dog, the piano

The poet is so sad that he does not want to be disturbed by these noises or drawn back into the routine of life.

He wishes to withdraw from the world.

4. Is death present in the text explicitly, implicitly, or both? Justify.

Death is present explicitly as death is clearly mentioned (“He Is Dead”) and implicitly with the elements present at a funeral “coffin”, “mourners”, “crepe bows”, “black cotton doves”).

5. There is an evolution in the structure of the poem ranging from basic objects from daily life (clocks, telephone, and dogs) to a more spiritual sphere with the words, stars, moon and sun. What does this evolution represent?

This evolution represents the scope of the suffering of the poet, who first expresses his need for calm and mourning, then goes on to proclaim to the world the news of his beloved’s death, then returns into himself with what his beloved represented in his life and finally transmits his pain not only to the rest of the planet but to the universe.

→ Sense of the end of the world or the universe coming to a halt.

1. “The subway station was packed” (l.3) / “air was stifling” (l.4) / “everyone crushed together” (ll.4-5) / “no space for anyone” (l.5) / “no room at all” (l.8) / “squashed against the door” (ll.14-15)

2. “cries of horror as the first two trains went through the station without stopping” (ll.4-5) / “everyone… laughing and shouting and demanding that people move over” (ll.5-6)

The trains were so over-crowded that they didn't even stop. You have to wait / queue.

3. There are similarities between immigrating to America and arriving on the beach. You feel you won't find a place, you have to adapt / fit in your new environment and choose a spot to settle.

“there was no place for newcomers” (l.16) / “was to take a tiny spot that was empty and see if, by their very presence there, they could expand it so they both could unpack their belongings and lie in the sun.” (ll.17-19)

4. Italians don’t change on the beach because they put their bathing suits on under their clothes before they set out for the beach, this is a more elegant attitude whereas Irish people change on the beach in an “ungraceful and undignified” manner(ll.27-28)

5. For the first time in the novel we are given access to Eilis’s way of dealing with her body: Eilis thinks her thighs and bottom are too fat, her skin is too white and she has shaved with “a small pink-coloured razor”. She feels nervous about undressing in front of Tony. Once in the water, they get very close physically, he embraces her, touches her bottom and she can feel his erect penis.

Tony’s intentions are quite clear though initially unknown to Eilis: “he wanted to go into the sea” (ll.40-41) / “his plan” was to do “what the couples around them were up to” (ll.47-48) Then the comical clumsy undressing: Tony instantly stripping down to his trunks / Eilis wriggling out (ll.39-40) The back and forth moves / physical domination: “he was not to be a baby” (l.46) / “she motioned for him to follow her” (ll.45-46) / “he held her” (ll.49) / “swam away from him” (l.52)

Lexical field of sexual pleasure: “the big waves” (l.12) / “erect penis” (l.50) / “smile more than usual” (l.51)

6.The rope metaphor may allude to marriage, perceived by Tony as the only way for him to secure his relationship with her. He meant it as a compliment. We could imagine Tony turning into some kind of jealous  / possessive lover. He may expect her to be a housewife. It may also foreshadow Eilis’ desire to break free from a restrictive life imposed by conventions, morality or a sense of duty.

to tie the knot : attacher, nouer                          to propose : demander en mariage

2.   Familiar

3.   At first, the house looks both familiar and filled with her mother’s lively presence, but after visiting the bedrooms, a sense of death and emptiness comes through and Rose’s absence can be felt more intensely. She was not prepared for these feelings. She didn't expect that she would feel uneasy. Although her room feels familiar, she can't connect to it anymore.

4.     “felt almost nothing” (l.3) → emptiness

“suddenly felt immensely tired” (l.8) “All she wanted to was sleep” (l.31) →tiredness

she is upset at her mother's attitude (l.22)

“almost frightened her” (l.35) → fear

“all she could do was count the days before she went back” (l.38)→ homesickness

“This made her feel strange and guilty / she curled up in her bed” (l.39) →guilt and unease

She may be going through some sort of mourning after realizing more vividly Rose’s absence + realisation that she does not belong to this house anymore.

She wishes she were back in Brooklyn.

Wish + prétérit modal = regret

5.   “mother… had left the room as it was” (l.4) Eilis might wear Rose’s winter coat “I sometimes think that she’s still alive” / “slightest sound upstairs” (l.11) “Or else, she imagined, the glass in the window might break.” (l.20)

The house seems to be inhabited / haunted by Rose 's presence / ghost

6.   “she knew that her mother had been

 planning this moment when they would ...” (l.9)

“her mother seemed to have prepared in advance every word she said.” (l.14)

“Just as her mother seemed to have prepared things to say and show to her, she had been planning how this first day would go.” (l.22-24)

7.   Stage director: Eilis’s mother

Lead actress: Eilis  but lead role: the sister

Acts to perform: stand in the doorway and contemplate the room, cry and  Leave a wreath on Rose’s grave

Costume  : Rose’s clothes

8.   She expected her mother would have asked about “her time in America, or even her trip home”, Eilis would have given her “an account” of her two crossings, shown her the letter from Brooklyn College that said she had qualified as bookkeeper. Her mother would have paid more attention or appreciated her gifts. She must be frustrated and disappointed about not being able to share her experience

9.   The narration also contains Eilis’s fantasised / fictitious homecoming= mise en abime

This suggests her psychological fragility. = unable to assert herself - can't utter a word

By silencing potential emotions, it adds to Eilis’s trauma.

It creates further silences, taboos and repressed pains.

10.   “it was hard to speak”, so she barely said a word, and only managed to say she was tired. She did not dare “interrupt her mother”.

She did not inform her that she was married and had consequently to go back to her husband.

11.    She could not say all the things she wanted to share with her about her sea crossing and her life in America, let alone having married Tony.

12.   Eilis’s mother would have + p. passé / been able to give her daughter some advice / open up to her daughter/ found another reason not to grieve too much

Eilis would have …

Correction extract 9

1.   a. Jim vs. Tony

differences

JIM: “someone who had never lived outside the town” (l.9-10) “His innocence and his politeness” = “limitations” (l.10-12) “nice to be with” (l.11) “less eager”, “less funny, less curious”, (l.21-22) “more self-contained” “more sure of his own place in the world” (l.22)

Similarities

“smiling, warm, friendly, easy-going” (l.21)

b. Jim, who is sensible and well-behaved, would provide her with a safe life yet a life of limitations, of restraint, as Jim lacks impulse and offers less excitement whereas life with Tony would be more exciting.

c. At the end, Jim seems to have the upper hand, as Tony is losing ground in Eilis’s heart.  "She was sure she did not love Tony now." l.32

2. • “She could not stop herself wondering” (l.1)... whether she could possibly divorce

• (At the ceremony) “The best thing to do, ... was to put the whole thing out of her mind, but it was hard now, ... not to dream about... ” (ll.14-15)

• (After communion) “...tried to pray and found herself ...answering the question she was about to ask in her prayers. The answer was that there was no answer, that nothing she could do would be right.” (ll.18-20)

• (All in all) “No matter what she decided, ... there would not be a way to avoid the consequences of what she had done” (ll.29-30)

• (As the bride and groom walk out of the church) “she was sure that she did not love Tony now. He seemed part of a dream from which she had woken with considerable force sometime before, and in this waking time his presence, once so solid, lacked any substance or form; it was merely a shadow” (ll.32-34)

3.a. It all happens in the church as the sacred rites of marriage are being performed. Eilis turns to God to guide her and help her solve her dilemma. The conclusion she comes to “occurs to her”, as some kind of mystic revelation, in her prayers and during communion, as she finds herself facing judgment.

To receive Communion, which is a central part of the Catholic faith, Catholics cannot be guilty of grave sin.

sinner

b.

i. “nothing she could do would be right” (l.20) / “there would not be a way to avoid the consequences of what she had done, or what she might do now.” (ll.29-30)

ii. “she thought of her mother now beside her in the church, the devastation and shock of Rose's death” (ll.22-23)

iii. “she saw all three of them – Tony, Jim, her mother – ... as innocent people surrounded by light and clarity.” (ll.24-25)

4. Eilis feels guilty because she knows there is no way out. Whatever she decides to do, she will hurt the people she loves.

“feeling that she had done something foolish and hurtful”

(ll.28-29)/ “it was merely a shadow at the edge of every moment of the day and night.” (ll.34-35)

5. People in Ireland never got divorced in those days. Surprisingly, it is referred to as  something immoral. Divorce is non-existent in Eilis’s world, except in movies or in America. Eilis assumes it must be unthinkable to Jim . It is “unheard of” or “out of the question” (l.13).

Focus on Divorce

She does not mention divorce being outlawed. She got married in America and she has probably adopted the American way of thinking about it.

Correction sujet bac LLCE 2024 about Teachers and education

Doc  A :

Testimonies from former students about their inspirational teachers who significantly impacted their lives by showing care and support.

For instance, Adele describes her English teacher as someone who made the students feel cared for.

Another person said his teacher provided emotional support and injected life into her lessons.

The last person to testify said that her teacher was very supportive and believed in her.

The article emphasizes the emotional connection between students and teachers. Former students are very moved / emotional. (upset)

→ positive impact of education.

Doc C : Norman Rockwell

a cover that Norman Rockwell produced for The Saturday Evening Post in 1934 that featured a young boy and woman who is presumably the boy’s mother or teacher; she has been helping him change into a costume. He is holding a heavy book in one hand and a torch in the other. He is wearing a a sash that reads “The Spirit of Education.” The woman is probably encouraging the boy to go on stage for a school play . But the boy, dressed up, is clearly unhappy. He is grumpy / sulking. Frowning.

The book embodies knowledge and education. The torch symbolizes the freedom education brings forth that young students fail to recognize .

Young students are not necessarily mature enough to understand the goal or the importance of what they are taught. What seems boring and useless or ridicule can prove to be paramount skills for their future life.

A teacher can advise the student and show him/her the correct path to make sure that they don't get lost on their way towards their goals. It can be a difficult role to play when children are reluctant.

The document raises questions about the American educational system. Is it old-fashioned and has it become inadequate to post-war society?

Should we take more into account what students think and need?

Doc B  The Logical Song

In The Logical Song, Hodgson delivered a critique of the education system. The song shows how the innocence and wonder of childhood can quickly give way to worry and cynicism as children are taught to be responsible adults. It implies that logic can restrict creativity and passion. 

The Logical Song was “very autobiographical”. Its first-person narrative made specific reference to his years at boarding school as a ‘shy and sensitive’ boy, deeply affected by his parents’ divorce when he was 12.

→ school leading to a sense of confusion and loss of identity.

The documents in the file lead us to wonder how education in general and teachers more specifically have an influence on the adult person you become.

I / teachers and education can change a life : positive impact

II / inadequate education can ruin a life : negative impact

III / you need distance and perspective to assess the quality of your education

09.09.24

Conclusion

In conclusion, the impact of education on learners is complex and multifaceted. Inspirational teachers, as depicted in Document A, can profoundly influence their students by providing emotional support and believing in their potential. In contrast, Document B raises important questions about the possible negative effects of a too rigid and logical education system on individual identity and creativity. Document C's artistic portrayal of education encapsulates the idealistic view of teachers as guiding lights in students' lives. Together, these documents highlight the importance of a balanced educational approach that nurtures both the intellect and the emotional well-being of learners.

The Hold Out – Norman Rockwell

The document is a painting made by Norman Rockwell and published in 1959. It appeared on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post. (An American magazine).

In this painting, Norman Rockwell decided to deal with / tackle the lack of diversity in trials by jury.

The scene takes place in a jury room. The atmosphere is heavy and oppressive. (red colour = symbol of anger, warning, emergency, danger, blood)

The room is filled with smoke and tension = they can't breathe.

The floor and the table are messy = they must have been here for a long time.

Present perfect be + ing = lien passé présent

accent mis sur l'action en cours de déroulement.

For (= depuis) + durée

Since (= depuis) + point de départ.

They must have been deliberating for hours. They must decide whether the person is guilty or innocent.

They must disagree. The woman is crossed-armed and surrounded by men who are trying to make her change her mind.

They are pushy.

The defendant could be sentenced for life or executed = death penalty.

She is determined ( // her straight back)

Conclusion :

Norman Rockwell decided to make this painting to criticize the jury system in the USA.

The painting aims at denoucing gender and racial inequality in the jury composition.

Doc 2 : What happened to trial by Jury ?

Trial by jury dates back to Socrates' time. Some early societies decided that some disputes should be heard by a group of citizens to be settled.

Trial by jury became a fundamental feature of English society some centuries later. America kept the system after independence. 1776

It enables to :

·      check the government

·      involve people in decision-making

·      resolve monetary disputes

·      determine whether a defendant is guilty or not.

Only 4 % of criminal cases are judged by juries. Defendants are often asked to plead guilty before so that they get a shorter sentence. = pre-bargaining.

Trials by jury are costly, time-consuming and jurors can make mistakes or be prejudiced.

But they also have advantages : when they are properly selected : they are representative of society and are less biased than legislators or judges who seek re-election or promotion.

Trial by jury enables to check the power of all three branches of the government.

Question 3 :

The defendant’s lawyer argues that Jefferson only took the money because he was poor and stupid and that he was panic-stricken

He compares him to a fool who has no intelligence. (repetition / anaphora to highlight his lack of intelligence)

He argues that he is not a man and compares him to an animal (monkey)  whose ancestors come from “the deepest jungle”.

He even uses the word ‘hog’ l. 53. → more and more derogatory.

The dehumanization / reification is emphasized / reinforced /stressed by the use of the word “thing” which is repeated 4 times.

By dehumanizing Jefferson, the lawyer appeals to the jury’s deep-rooted racism and asks them to spare his life because he was not responsible of his actions.

Question 4 : cf l. 63

disbelief + hopelessness / despair / resignation

He refused to believe the verdict / could not believe that he would be executed for a crime he did not commit.

“Looking down” because he knows he has no prospect. He knows that whatever he would say, nothing would change.

Defeated / hopeless = desperate

It refers to the fact that jefferson is her reason for existence and if they take her life away, she has no more reason to live.

Question 7 :

Thanks to this extract we understand that in the 1940’s, a black defendant was very likely to be condemned even if he was innocent of all charges because the American judiciary system did not enable black people to be jurors. Consequently, black people were only judged by white people who could be extremely prejudiced against them.

Blacks were not judged by their peers.

The justice system was dysfunctionnal.

Translation : 

Le procureur prétendait / prétendit ( affirmait que )   (que Jefferson et les deux autres y étaient allés avec la ferme intention de voler le vieil homme et de le tuer pour qu'il ne puisse pas les identifier.

Après la mort du vieil homme et des deux autres voleurs, celui-là - ça prouvait bien quel animal il était en réalité- avait fourré l'argent dans sa poche et célébré l'évènement en buvant devant les corps qui saignaient encore.

La defense, de son côté, répliquait que Jefferson était innocent de toutes les charges qui pesaient contre lui et qu'il s'était simplement trouvé  au mauvais endroit au mauvais moment.

On ne pouvait absolument pas prouver qu'il y ait eu une entente / préméditation.   entre lui et les deux autres. Le simple fait que monsieur Gropé n'ait tiré que sur Brother et Bear prouvait l'innocence de Jefferson. Pourquoi monsieur Gropé aurait-il tiré deux fois sur l'un des garçon et pas une seule sur Jefferson?

Movie poster 

This document is the movie poster of 12 angry men released in 1957.

• Title & text

Adjective « angry » = who are they angry with? with each other / with one another

They are probably jurors who must decide whether someone is guilty or innocent of a crime

The defendant may be sentenced to death (USA) = an important decision to be taken.

“Death is on their minds”= They may send someone to death and it will be on their minds forever

“it explodes like 12 sticks of dynamite” = anger of the men = explosive / tensed atmosphere

the used fonts reflect this explosive atmosphere : shaky letters + figure 12 = sketched by an angry hand.

• Knife

- central element of the poster = the crime weapon

- Wavy / sinuous blade of the dagger. // hesitation of the jurors

• Background

Bright yellow background which attracts the eye.

An ambivalent colour

This colour symbolizes cowardice and duplicity (to turn yellow)

The colour of light, of God

• Characters

Top part of the picture: the Juror played by Henry Fonda is the only character who stands out contrary to the others who are sitting.

Top: 11 men sitting at a table and 1 man standing behind them

cf The Last Supper A late 15th century painting by Leonardo Da Vinci.

The man seems to have the upper hand, to be more important or to be against all the others

• Idea of justice / God

The other jurors look angry (clenched fist) / Furious, indignant, outraged

Symbolism

the scales of justice: on the left side, we can read “life is in their hands” and, on the right side, “death is on their minds”.

The knife introduces the idea of separation / division / being torn between 2 feelings.

The crime weapon, sword of Damocles (= thing or situation which causes a prolonged state of impending doom or misfortune), incarnation of justice?

A knife = a sharp cutting object as justice is supposed to be. Usually justice is depicted with a sword.

Shape of the blade // sinous path leading to the truth à difficult to make one’s mind

CONCLUSION:

We have 2 points of view / 2 conceptions of justice à Men are small in the face of justice (transcendent justice)

à human justice: leads to debates.

23/09

12 Angry men

The movie was directed by Sidney Lumet and released in 1957.

The opening scene takes place in a criminal court. The scene opens  with a low angle shot. It shows that justice is powerful.  The facade of the building and the pillars are huge and massive. Humans seem small and insignificant compared to the mighty institution of justice.

"The true administration of justice is the firmest pillar of good government. " George Washington.  = Motto written on the building. 

The camera follows many people inside the court house. There are many trials at the same time.

The case :

The defendant is a young boy / a teenager and he is accused of murder in the 1st degree / murder with premeditation. This is the most serious crime and death penalty is mandatory if he is declared guilty.

His life is at stake.

The judge is bored / exhausted.  He doesn't care.

The jury's task is to separate the facts from the fancy and to reach an unanimous decision. If there is reasonable doubt : a not guilty verdict.

It 's a very hot day : everybody is sweating.  (dog days). The fan is not working. 

It's difficult to breathe → oppressive / claustrophobic atmosphere. The windows are difficult to open.

All jurors don't take things seriously.

One of them is yawning = he is fed up with the trial. 

One is blowing his nose all the time because he has a cold. (blow, blew, blown)

Another is checking his watch. They are in a hurry to go home.

Camera techniques :

There is a close-up on the boy's face. The defendant is a teenager who doesn't look like a criminal.

There is a fade-in/ fade out. We can still see the boy's face while the setting of the next scene is appearing.

·        We keep in mind that his life is at stake.

·        a ghost-like figure : a sign of foreshadowing death.

Information about the case:

Defendant

- Boy is 18 – he  stabbed his father 4 inches into the chest (10 cm)

- Has been abused all his life long/ beaten by his father

-  Was born in a slum

- Lost his mother when he was 9, spent a year and a half in an orphanage while his father was in jail for forgery.  = not a happy childhood

17.10

Camera angles

The first third of the film is shot above eye level, we are somewhat looking down at all the men as they deliberate. Walls are visible.

The second third of the film is shot at eye level, closing in the atmosphere of the room.

The final third of the film was shot below eye level, with frequent close-up shots of the jurors’ faces, as if we were among them. The ceiling becomes visible in many shots and the walls close in, exaggerating the claustrophobia of the environment and increasing the tension.

Weather

Although the entire movie takes place indoors, the weather symbolizes the tension between the characters. In the first act / part, the weather is hot and the jurors cannot figure out how to work the fan. A thunderstorm is building outside and inside. 

When the storm begins, it releases some tension, but it is still windy and rainy outside. The last line of the script says, "The rain has stopped." With the tension resolved in the jury room, the weather outside also calms down.

06.11

OJ Simpson’s trial – Correction

Defendant

OJ Simpson, a famous football player and actor

Victims his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her (boy)friend Ron Goldman l.11

Date and length of the criminal trial : It lasted for 253 days ( = several months) in 1995.

Number of witnesses : There were 156 witnesses

Length of the deliberation : It lasted less than 4 hours

Result of the criminal trial : He was declared not guilty.

Elements used by the defendant’s lawyers

·        Bloody glove that did not fit him because he was wearing a rubber glove underneath. “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit” = slogan used.

They discredited the police officer who arrived first on the crime scene because he was heard saying racial slurs (abuse) about the defendant.

·       

·      The final jury was composed of 10 women out of twelve and  mostly black people who would sympathize with the defendant.

Cf l.40"some of us were predisposed to decisions beforehand"

Date and result of the civil suit

Cf l. 13 In 1997, he was condemned to pay $ 33.5 million to the Brown and Goldman families after a civil suit.

Feelings of jury members during the trial

They were under a lot of pressure. They felt oppressed / trapped / emprisoned. They were isolated and could almost not see their relatives. They were not allowed to read the newspapers or watch the news not to be influenced by the media.

“sequestered” + “strict curfew + "tension" + "stress"

To conclude, they were not able to judge things with impartiality. They were biased.

Reactions of the public after the trial

People came to his appartment to frighten him.

They came to threaten him. He had to leave and stay in a hotel.

To frighten : faire peur

avoir peur : be scared / be afraid

to fear : craindre / fear (noun)

  How was the racial issue used to alter the course of justice in that case?

The OJ Simpson’s case has often been called “the trial of the century” and it has fascinated people all over the world. It shows that American society  is extremely divided, especially as regards the race issue. Racial prejudice has been used to alter the course of justice by influencing a justice decision. This case shows that money also played an important part since O J Simpson was wealthy enough to have a whole team of excellent lawyers who enabled him not to be sentenced whereas a poor working-class black man was more likely to be heavily condemned.

*******

Rodney King was arrested by the L A police  for driving while intoxicated in 1991. The officers pulled him out of the car and beat him brutally, while an amateur cameraman filmed the scene. it was the first “viral” video of police brutality against an African American man. The video shows him unarmed on the ground, being kicked and hit repeatedly by the officers.

Cultural appropriation takes place when members of a majority group adopt cultural elements of a minority group in an exploitative, disrespectful, or stereotypical way.

When you appropriate a culture that is not your own.

→ subject to heavy criticism and debate. Critics note that the concept is often misunderstood by the general public

Cultural exchange is different from cultural appropriation. Things have been shared between different cultures throughout history.Cultural borrowings cannot be appropriation when they don’t involve power. When different cultures come together on an equal footing, exchange happens. But when dominant groups take from an oppressed group, this can be considered as appropriation.

It can perpetuate stereotypes and exploit groups that are discriminated against.

It can also cause confusion or distress for marginalized groups who want to learn about their culture and identities.

It can be disrespectful when it is reduced to "exotic" fashion or toys by those from the dominant culture.

The imitator does not experience any of the daily discriminations faced by the minority of this minority.

·         Don’t Adopt Sacred Artifacts as Accessories.

·         Don’t dress up as an ethnic stereotype. Someone else’s culture or ethnic origin should never be a costume.

·         It’s Important to pay homage to artists and ideas, and acknowledge their origins. Give Credit, and consider royalties.

·         Involve them.

The actress and activist Sacheen Littlefeather attended the ceremony in Brando's place, stating that the actor could not accept the award. Marlon Brando sent her to decline his Best Actor award in protest over Hollywood’s depiction of Native Americans in films. She was booed onstage and The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences only apologized in 2022, nearly 50 years after.