Cameron's Literature Blog

Summative Entry

“The Nineteenth Century gives me real insights into human and social issues that are still current in the 21st century”

Unintentionally I responded to this question within my first blog post, centred around the film “Pandaemonium”. Unaware that this would be the “pinnacle” of the blog process for this unit, I explored the various manifestations of political rebellion within the film, and thus within the earliest stages of the 19^th Century. I likened the plight of Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge to that of climate activist Greta Thunberg, especially in regard to Coleridge’s pivotal role in the British protests against Government endorsed slavery. Yet it was through further exploration of not only the Romantic Period, but the entirety of the 19^th Century, throughout the Victorian Age and well into the Fin de Siècle, that the links between the19^th Century and the current day, in regard to human and social issues, truly came to light.

The 19^th Century was a period of time typified by extreme class divides, and extreme disparity between the various classes that inhabited society. The Victorian period exemplifies this inequality between the rich and the poor. It was reading Charles Dickens’ satirical novel “Hard Times”, that these ideas were brought to the fore, as Dickens expertly created these flamboyant caricatures of upper-class sentiment. The character of Josiah Bounderby especially stood out to me in this respect. In particular, the outlandish claims that he makes in the presence of James Harthouse regarding the healthiness of his factories smoke, and the pleasant nature of the work within his mills, emphasised his complete disregard for the working class, and also the poor conditions that they worked in. He is so caught up in his own skewed perspective of the world, that his statements become wildly absurd. Further study of the Victorian period has revealed to me that viewpoints such as that of the character of Josiah Bounderby were common, if not to a lesser degree. The extreme disparity between the upper and lower classes of society created a sense of alienation that fed into their views of one another. 21^st Century society is still plagued by the same class inequality that was witnessed within the 19^th Century and amplified within Charles Dickens’ “Hard Times”.

When watching a performance of Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest”, I was once again struck by the comedically extravagant characters that Wilde had created. Figures such as Lady Bracknell and Algernon, in a way, replicated Dickens’ Josiah Bounderby. Once again, these characters become caricatures of upper-class sentiment and aristocracy, to the point of absurdity. One moment that stood out to me was Lady Bracknell’s passing comment on Algernon’s imaginary invalid “Bunbury”, stating that he should make up his mind “whether he was going to live or to die” and that “shilly-shallying with the question is absurd.” This complete disregard for the poor state of Bunbury, despite being non-existent, emphasises the class divide between the aristocracy and all other classes, in much the same way as Josiah Bounderby. Where Dickens’ “Hard Times” and Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” differ though, is crucial to crux of the “Fin de Siècle”. Where Bounderby toys with the lives of the working class for economic gain, Algernon creates the character of “Bunbury” for social convenience, as to excuse himself from matters he cares little for. The Fin de Siècle was a time of materialism, extravagance and social standing, and thus the class divide in this period manifests itself as such.

Hence, all throughout the 19^th Century political and class struggles dominated the societal landscape. Studying these closely, through their manifestation within relevant literature has been an interesting process, as these issues are still prevalent, and can be identified clearly, within the 21^st Century today.

Peer Review 3

Peer Review of Lauren Perry’s blog post which can be found here:https://australianliteratureblogbylaurenperry.home.blog/2020/04/16/blog-3-19th-century-literature/

Hi Lauren, I really enjoyed reading this blog post. The connections that you made between Eugene von Guerard’s artistic choices and the Romantic movement were quite insightful and added depth to this post. Further, connections that you made between your own personal experience and the landscape that von Guerard depicts made this a really interesting blog post to read. Overall, this blog post showed deep insight into “Milford Sound”, which was furthered by the links that you made not only to the Romantic movement, but also to your personal experience. This was quite an enjoyable blog post to read, and I look forward to reading more in the future.

Poem based on Line 142 of Matthew Arnold’s “The Scholar Gypsy”

For what wears out the life of mortal men?

Alas, but that which does tie them to it.

That burning pendant too quickly descends

And leaves men cold and breaks their spirit.

Afraid and alone, this dreaded ritual

Goes on. In the dark all hope is gone

The dread that ensues is habitual

And like fog, dissipates in the bright morn.

Endless moments, endless nights lived in fear

A cycle of terror, masked by the rays

Of the vibrant joy when daybreak draws near

That torment cast off in the spirited haze

But what now? Shadowy darkness a distant

Memory in the congealed glow of a

Streetlight, flashlight, phone torch in an instant.

Man now finds terror in his endless days.

Peer Review 2

Peer Review of Jessica Aramini’s blog post which can be found here: https://uniblogjessicaaramini.wordpress.com/2020/04/05/19th-century-literature-blog-3/

Hey Jess, I really enjoyed reading this blog post. The way that you broke down each aspect of the painting was quite detailed and made for an informative read. Your discussion of the symbolic significance of each section showcased your deep knowledge of Romanticism. What furthered this was your extensive linking of each idea. The fourth paragraph really stood out to me because of this. Not only did it open with your linking of the significance of the working class to prominent Romantic poets, you furthered this by exploring the Romantic ideal of the imagination from your own personal context. Overall, this was a really detailed and informative blog post, and an enjoyable read.

Cameron

In words (either poetry or prose) vividly describe one of the paintings that you saw on our virtual tour of the gallery last week.

The painting that I have chosen to describe is Richard Westall’s 1811 “Landscape-Solitude”.

“Immediately the viewer finds themselves truly alone in a dark, gloomy and somewhat morbid landscape. The shadowy midground of the painting emanates an almost unearthly aura, only interjected with slim pockets of blue sky. Each knotted, aging tree appears as some ghoulish figure, lurking in the deep shadows, reaching out with splintered, and decaying branches, leafless. The trees that keep their leaves find their foliage also in a state of decay, a deep auburn that juxtaposes against the gloom, yet still on the inevitable passage to dilapidation. Whilst some trees find themselves still green, the hint of browning that tinges their leaves alludes to the inevitability of their own deterioration.

The rocky floor of the clearing offers no haven for the greedy roots of the trees, who reach, claw and grasp for the murky water that sits just below. The stream winds slowly down, made clear by the sleek white bolts that litter the water, and the many boulders that jut out also. Upon the surface of the dark rocks that line the streams, moss grows, clumping here and there, patchily covering the ancient boulders.

Standing warily on one such rock, a solitary bird watches keenly over the flowing water. The pointed, menacing beak stands out against the dark shadows, as though some needle-thin glint against its surroundings. In no one area of this landscape does the viewer find any sense of solace, each aspect emits a menacing atmosphere of gloom. Even the contrast of the cheerful blue sky is inevitably overwhelmed by the complete darkness of the painting.”

Reflections on Wordsworth’s “The World is too much with us”

Does Wordsworth’s sonnet “The World is too much with us” apply in any measure to the contemporary 21st century world?

Wordsworth’s sonnet “The World is too much with us”, despite being written during the Early 19^th century, can be seen as an insightful commentary to the contemporary 21^st Century world. Wordsworth writes of a society in complete disregard for the natural world, which he himself holds in the highest regard. It is within lines three and four that Wordsworth remarks “Little we see in Nature that is ours;/We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!” Personification of nature emphasises Wordsworth own regard for nature, and when juxtaposed against the metaphor of the following line, his disdain for this societal dismissal of the natural world is made apparent. In much the same way, the 21^st Century is littered with statistics and stories of a societal disregard for the natural world, either through corporate pollution, or personal ignorance towards the environment. Similar to the previous blog post, where I likened the poet Coleridge to prominent climate activist Greta Thunberg, the core values of the climate movement are expressed within this sonnet; respect and care for the natural world and opposition to needless corporate greed (“Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers”). Despite this, what is made abundantly apparent, is that, to quote Wordsworth, the world remains “out of tune” with the natural world.

Peer Review 1

Peer Review of Dylan Versola’s blog post, which can be found here: https://dylanversola.home.blog/2020/03/12/wise-passiveness-describe-a-moment-in-your-own-life-where-such-a-phrase-might-apply/

Hi Dylan, I really enjoyed reading this blog post. I found it’s structure quite engaging, in that you opened with a definition of “wise passiveness” before diving into your own personal experience. As a reader, this gave me a greater depth into your own personal experience of “wise passiveness”, when reflecting upon the definition. Closing out the blog post with a comment on how one can achieve “wise passiveness” showed keen insight and a real depth of knowledge. Coming back to your own personal experience of “wise passiveness”, I found your description to be quite sophisticated. The way in which you brought every aspect of that moment to life, was really immersive and engaging. Overall, I found this to be a great blog post, and I look forward to reading more of your work throughout this semester.

Pandaemonium

Are the concerns expressed in the film Pandaemonium still relevant in the 21st century?

One of the most interesting things that I’ve noted, watching even only a small section of the film Pandaemonium, is its universality. Admittedly, a film made nearly two decades ago, based upon events that themselves occurred two centuries ago, isn’t going to fit like a glove to the concerns of 2020. Yet, whilst watching Julien Temple’s 2001 film, the core themes are what translate directly to the 21^st Century and are what give this film it’s sense of universality, that in turn makes it such an appealing story.

The main theme that stood out to me, was that of rebellion, manifesting itself in the political protests that protagonist Samuel Taylor Coleridge is deeply invested in. Protesting the slave trade that was active and flourishing in early 19^th Century England, Coleridge continually finds himself at odds with the English Government, and its many allies and counterparts. Similarly, the 21^st Century, has seen the rise of the Climate Change Movement, and has engulfed the media, and thus the political landscape. In much the same way as Coleridge, leaders of this movement, namely Greta Thunberg, amongst others, constantly find themselves opposed by leaders of nations, who themselves contribute heavily to the issue of climate change. In this way, the story of Pandaemonium becomes a universal narrative of the power struggle between passionate individuals leading movements in pursuit of justice and equity, and the various Government powers, wishing to dismantle them.

– Cameron Cole

Summative Entry

America is a nation of paradoxes.

“Speak what you think today in hard words and tomorrow speak what tomorrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict everything you said today.” (596)

This quote, in my opinion is crucial to the view of America as a nation of paradoxes. Ralph Waldo Emerson, alongside encouraging general self-reliance within the nation, urges his audience to speak their own subjective truth. America, has since, been built upon this idea, of each individual holding opinions that may differ completely from others, but is still innately true, to the individual.

The far spanning American experience is a testament to this contradiction and has been witnessed throughout this unit. Each author has presented various aspects, all innate to the American experience, but differing all the same.

For example, the letter I wrote to James Baldwin regarding his short story “Going to Meet the Man”(1331) (https://cameroncole.home.blog/2019/09/13/write-a-letter-to-james-baldwin-telling-him-what-you-think-of-the-power-of-his-writing-in-regards-to-going-to-meet-the-man/) is filled equally with praise and horror for his brutally accurate depiction of both a lynching and the common racism that existed (and still exists today) within American society. In short, the story that James Baldwin writes depicts the truth of the African American experience at that time, one filled with brutality, violence and cruelty. This truth is innate to the American experience, the plight of African Americans, plays a crucial role within American history, and has very much forged the nation into what it is today.

The works of e.e. cummings, almost in contrast, speak more of nature, love, and the innocence of childhood. I wrote an imitation poem (https://cameroncole.home.blog/2019/10/03/try-to-write-an-e-e-cummings-poem-using-your-own-subject-matter-but-sticking-to-his-language-and-form/), beginning with the same opening line as cummings “in just-“, and while not focussing on the same themes, rather I reflected the form of his poems, in its unpredictable spacing and punctuation. Despite this, the major themes of cummings are vastly different from the themes of Baldwin, yet both are innately integral to a depiction of the American experience. The works of both Baldwin and Cummings are majorly important to the portrayal of the American experience yet contradict one another. Where one speaks of brutality and violence, the other speaks of love and nature. Whilst being a testament to the wide and diverse American experience, they are also a key reminder of the paradoxical contradictions upon which the American experience is born and perpetuated.

In much the same way, my first blog post (https://cameroncole.home.blog/2019/08/22/critical-from-what-you-know-about-the-usa-has-anything-surprised-you-in-the-literature-that-has-been-introduced-to-you-so-far-in-this-unit/) reveals this same idea. Commenting on what it was that I had found surprising from the unit thus far, I spoke of how I now knew the “starting point” of many different ideas, that in current day I have been accustomed to. The example I used was the sentiment of Henry Thoreau’s “Resistance to Civil Government” (913), and the political ideology of “Libertarianism”. In the same way that both Baldwin and Cummings reflect aspects of the American experience, yet contrast thematically, politically Thoreau’s ideologies are crucial to one cornerstone of American political thought, whilst being in direct contradiction, for example, the socialist tendencies of Democrat candidate Bernie Sanders. Even in this small footnote, the paradoxical contradictions upon which the American experience is built, can be seen.

Hence, America is a nation of paradoxes. Inspired by Ralph Waldo Emerson’s urge to contradict, the US has become a society built upon contrast, upon difference, yet is a nation that displays, at times, a unity unparalleled. Hence, it is this contrast, these paradoxical contradictions, that ultimately represent the diversity of the American experience.

Works cited

Emerson, Ralph Waldo. “Self-Reliance.” The Norton Anthology of American Literature Shorter 9^th Edition. Beginnings to 1865. Levine, Robert: W.W. Norton & Company. Inc. 2017. 596-613. Print.

Baldwin, James. “Going to Meet the Man” The Norton Anthology of American Literature Shorter 9^th Edition. 1865 To The Present. Levine, Robert: W.W. Norton & Company. Inc. 2017 1331-1343. Print

Thoreau, Henry. “Resistance to Civil Government.” The Norton Anthology of American Literature Shorter 9^th Edition. Beginnings to 1865. Levine, Robert: W.W. Norton & Company. Inc. 2017. 903-918. Print.

Summative Entry

Australia is not a finished product.

This statement has underpinned every step that Australia has taken as a nation. Throughout this unit there has never been one specified point where I have seen no room for Australia to improve, so to speak. There has always been something new to achieve, to explore and to understand.

I think that this idea of being unfinished really finds its base in the ambiguity surrounding exactly what makes someone Australian. In my first blog post (https://cameroncole.home.blog/2019/08/18/australian-literature-1/) I spoke about exactly who I saw an Australian being as, yet even there I speak about how my different experiences have constantly changed what it is that makes someone Australian. This constantly changing view of who an Australian is, is symbolic of the “something new”, that I talked about above. At no one point can we definitively say that “x” is the epitomal Australian, because Australia as a nation is constantly evolving. This is shown through the evolution of the literature that Australia has produced, as seen within this unit.

The major differences between Banjo Paterson and Henry Lawson, that I discussed in my second blog post are a perfect example of this. (https://cameroncole.home.blog/2019/08/25/henry-lawson-or-banjo-paterson-explain-briefly-your-understanding-of-why-these-two-authors-were-so-different-in-their-views-of-the-australian-experience/). Banjo Paterson explored the, perhaps outdated, Australian experience of rural life, displaying heroic feats of bravery. The Australian that he depicted was a hearty man of the country, rugged and determined. In contrast, what Henry Lawson presented was a dreary urban Australia, the very societal landscape that Australia was quickly becoming. His “Australian” was the faceless urban character, solemn and dejected, merely a generic face in the street. The “Australian” that both Paterson and Lawson present us, are innately Australian, yet neither truly epitomised the entirety of the Australian experience, a feat I deem impossible, as the nation of Australia is constantly evolving.

The Australia that Patrick White presents is a far cry from both Lawson and Paterson, and yet is innately Australian all the same. In the letter written to him regarding his short story “Miss Slattery and her Demon Lover” (https://cameroncole.home.blog/2019/09/16/write-a-letter-to-patrick-white-telling-him-what-you-think-of-any-one-of-the-texts-you-have-read-this-week-miss-slattery-and-her-demon-lover/), I make note of his vivid, yet simplistic imagery, and it is in these descriptions that White depicts his “Australian”. The character of Miss Slattery, in my opinion is White’s “Australian”; a female protagonist, empowered, loosing herself of the shackles of a patriarchal society, within which she was forced to play a submissive role. This is representative of the evolution of Australia, especially in regard to the way in which women were treated.

Even today, Australia continues to evolve. The emergence of cross-cultural voices within Australia, and greater steps towards multiculturalism, has shifted the idea of the epitomal “Australia” away from just First Nations Peoples, or Europeans. Instead, the “Australian” of today, is multi-national.

Throughout its brief history, the nation of Australia has continued to evolve and change, and as such the idea of the epitomal “Australian” has changed accordingly. It is because of this ever-changing view, that Australia cannot be seen as a finished product.