My comment is not so much what I wrote in class but more what I shared with Bill at the end of class, and I thought that this would be a good way of sharing what I said with the rest of the class. I said to Bill that I see Buzena as a heroine. I say that she is a heroine because she is challenging the norms in the sense that she has a father that is "against the system" but yet she is brave enough to go out in the streets with that reputation. According to a dictionary definition a "Heroine- a woman admired or idealized for her courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities." I see these characteristics in Buzena, she is willing to sacrifice her education for actions that she is not responsible for that shows her nobility. She wants to stay in school, that shows her outstanding achievements. She is courageous because she is not willing to conspire against her dad. That is my response to Bill's question at the end of class.
Danny 1.Forges numbers about scrap metal collection which leads to him being promoted within the Party. 2. Watches what he says around others until he knows where they stand on political issues. Does this to not create problems with others. 3. As a form of resistance he attends underground literary groups 4. Questions the authenticity of "the miracle" 5. Very opportunistic, also seems like he has a lot of dumb luck.
Vixi 1.Seems like the most "real" character 2. Believes in "the miracle".....Does this make her a descender? 3. Becomes a catholic 4. Very shy, except when around Danny. She confesses to him that she doesn't like the communist party. 5. Has a sense of honesty about her though she acts in dishonest ways.
Bukavec 1. Conformer, is surviving through his marriage to a Soviet 2. Another Dr. Gellen?
Ivana 1. She tries to level the playing field for all her students no matter what their political beliefs 2. Stands up for Vixi during the chess match 3. She should embody the communist ideals but she doesn't.
Danny: - doesn't follow the rules but still gets praise or is able to get away with everything that he does 1. Scrap metal example 2. He gives a speech at the 500th anniversary which he copied straight out of the town guidebook and was praised for it 3. Is having an affair with a student and when Zdena finds the naked picture Vixi sent to him,Danny doesn't get in trouble
Vixi 1. Is young and therefore able to get away with things 2. Pretends to be interested in Catholicism just for Danny and everyone believes that she is interested in it 3. Is able to play a game with the chess master and convince Ivana that she was just nervous while playing with him in the tournament
Ivana 1. Has to follow the rules in order to keep her job 2. Still wants to help the girls and the educators, is always looking out for her students
From the reading, it seems as if it's easy for people to associate with the Party without believing in it and therefore not having to plan things or organize things. They can still be involved with it even if they don't believe that it will last, as is the case of Danny. He never offers his opinions about things, listens and participates when he needs to, and gives the smallest amount of effort.
As a whole, I think the interesting thing about the way the characters behave in response to the push of the system is that one authority can't expect an entire people to completely change. Instead, they just adapt. The characters all simply found ways to continue living their lives. Most of them just had to talk behind closed doors, or keep their head down like Danny. Some of them decided that the best way to keep their livelihood was to embrace the system, and let it do the work (i.e to allow them to be a member of society) for them, which may in fact have been easier.
Honestly, I think that Danny is the best example of this. He didn't jump to communism. He doesn't lunge for revolt. He simply keeps to himself enough to live a comfortable life, which is what I would think most of the country's citizens would do.
Danny is a different character from the others. He appears to conform with the state because of the lack of his vocal affiliation. With his recent discussions with Vixi we see that he might be a communist especially because he is willing to teach the communist education. However, when attacked by Vixi of being a communist he becomes defensive. He never denounces the idea, but does not accept it either. Also, Danny knows what the state has been doing to those who have not conformed because of what happened to his uncle who is a priest. In all Danny appears to be a conformer who only conforms to survive at the time, which is exactly what the green grocer does.
Vixi is in my opinion a dissenter. This especially evident in Chapter six. She denounces the communists multiple times. Apparently the communists, as she puts it, hassled her grandfather and beat him because of his ideas. Vixi calls them evil and shows digust with the teachings Danny is giving in class. I think what is keepign her afloat unlike other dissenters is the fact that she is still a student and she does not appear to be open to the public about her opinions or religion. Not to mention she believes in the miracle, which the state tends to fight agaisnt and cover up because of its religious aspects.
Bukavec is a shady character in my opinion. He appears to have conformed merely to gain; one of those characters that follows the flow to survive and prosper. He reminds me a little of Dr. Gellen in that sense. They both appear to have conformed to survive and live their lives. He shows a little remorse about the things he has done in his life, which is evidence that he was not completely persudaded by the state to do the things it wanted him to do.
I sense a bit of heroism in the character of headmistress Ivana. As a headmistress of a girl’s school, she is expected to be loyal and accountable for her actions to the authorities, but she does otherwise - she secures a trade-off for her students in the graduating class (= they can graduate as long as they publicly express apologies and renounce the actions of Boženka Stoklasová’s father), regardless of their class origin. Through the fact that she sacrifices her reputation (and possibly her job) for the future of her students, we learn that her intentions do not necessarily match those of the communist hardliners. Not only she stands up for her students, she also manages to tactically get rid of soudružka Milada - one of the most uptight and diehard members of the teaching staff. I see Ivana’s heroism in the fact that she - as an authority “in the spotlight” and under constant surveillance from her community - acts contrary to what is expected of her. I feel like Vixi emerges as another hero of the novel. She is living her own rebellion by maintaining an illicit love affair with her teacher. It is also her, who challenges Danny’s beliefs and way of life under the regime by pointing out and questioning his adherence to the communist ideology in the classroom. At first sight, Vixi can be seen as a rather shallow and naïve character, but when compared to others, she definitely stands out as the most authentic and honest one. The unresolved chess game incident might suggest that there is more to her than one would think.
Danny and Vixi have a romantic relationship that is secretive. If the wrong people find out about the teacher/student relationship it wouldn't have been good for either of them. They meet everyday at five behind Danny's apartment. Vixi has two children from different men and is married to another man. She can get by in a communist society by being avoiding authorities and staying somewhat secretive. She wanted to keep her identity concealed when playing the chess master prior to the Prague Spring. She has things she keeps to herself like her skill for chess. Unless she had some other secret behind why she was beating the chess master when they were not playing face to face, and lost in a few moves when she played him at the Prague Spring.
My comment is not so much what I wrote in class but more what I shared with Bill at the end of class, and I thought that this would be a good way of sharing what I said with the rest of the class. I said to Bill that I see Buzena as a heroine. I say that she is a heroine because she is challenging the norms in the sense that she has a father that is "against the system" but yet she is brave enough to go out in the streets with that reputation. According to a dictionary definition a "Heroine- a woman admired or idealized for her courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities." I see these characteristics in Buzena, she is willing to sacrifice her education for actions that she is not responsible for that shows her nobility. She wants to stay in school, that shows her outstanding achievements. She is courageous because she is not willing to conspire against her dad. That is my response to Bill's question at the end of class.
ReplyDeleteDanny
ReplyDelete1.Forges numbers about scrap metal collection which leads to him being promoted within the Party.
2. Watches what he says around others until he knows where they stand on political issues. Does this to not create problems with others.
3. As a form of resistance he attends underground literary groups
4. Questions the authenticity of "the miracle"
5. Very opportunistic, also seems like he has a lot of dumb luck.
Vixi
1.Seems like the most "real" character
2. Believes in "the miracle".....Does this make her a descender?
3. Becomes a catholic
4. Very shy, except when around Danny. She confesses to him that she doesn't like the communist party.
5. Has a sense of honesty about her though she acts in dishonest ways.
Bukavec
1. Conformer, is surviving through his marriage to a Soviet
2. Another Dr. Gellen?
Ivana
1. She tries to level the playing field for all her students no matter what their political beliefs
2. Stands up for Vixi during the chess match
3. She should embody the communist ideals but she doesn't.
Danny:
ReplyDelete- doesn't follow the rules but still gets praise or is able to get away with everything that he does
1. Scrap metal example
2. He gives a speech at the 500th anniversary which he copied straight out of the town guidebook and was praised for it
3. Is having an affair with a student and when Zdena finds the naked picture Vixi sent to him,Danny doesn't get in trouble
Vixi
1. Is young and therefore able to get away with things
2. Pretends to be interested in Catholicism just for Danny and everyone believes that she is interested in it
3. Is able to play a game with the chess master and convince Ivana that she was just nervous while playing with him in the tournament
Ivana
1. Has to follow the rules in order to keep her job
2. Still wants to help the girls and the educators, is always looking out for her students
From the reading, it seems as if it's easy for people to associate with the Party without believing in it and therefore not having to plan things or organize things. They can still be involved with it even if they don't believe that it will last, as is the case of Danny. He never offers his opinions about things, listens and participates when he needs to, and gives the smallest amount of effort.
As a whole, I think the interesting thing about the way the characters behave in response to the push of the system is that one authority can't expect an entire people to completely change. Instead, they just adapt. The characters all simply found ways to continue living their lives. Most of them just had to talk behind closed doors, or keep their head down like Danny. Some of them decided that the best way to keep their livelihood was to embrace the system, and let it do the work (i.e to allow them to be a member of society) for them, which may in fact have been easier.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I think that Danny is the best example of this. He didn't jump to communism. He doesn't lunge for revolt. He simply keeps to himself enough to live a comfortable life, which is what I would think most of the country's citizens would do.
Danny is a different character from the others. He appears to conform with the state because of the lack of his vocal affiliation. With his recent discussions with Vixi we see that he might be a communist especially because he is willing to teach the communist education. However, when attacked by Vixi of being a communist he becomes defensive. He never denounces the idea, but does not accept it either. Also, Danny knows what the state has been doing to those who have not conformed because of what happened to his uncle who is a priest. In all Danny appears to be a conformer who only conforms to survive at the time, which is exactly what the green grocer does.
ReplyDeleteVixi is in my opinion a dissenter. This especially evident in Chapter six. She denounces the communists multiple times. Apparently the communists, as she puts it, hassled her grandfather and beat him because of his ideas. Vixi calls them evil and shows digust with the teachings Danny is giving in class. I think what is keepign her afloat unlike other dissenters is the fact that she is still a student and she does not appear to be open to the public about her opinions or religion. Not to mention she believes in the miracle, which the state tends to fight agaisnt and cover up because of its religious aspects.
ReplyDeleteBukavec is a shady character in my opinion. He appears to have conformed merely to gain; one of those characters that follows the flow to survive and prosper. He reminds me a little of Dr. Gellen in that sense. They both appear to have conformed to survive and live their lives. He shows a little remorse about the things he has done in his life, which is evidence that he was not completely persudaded by the state to do the things it wanted him to do.
I sense a bit of heroism in the character of headmistress Ivana. As a headmistress of a girl’s school, she is expected to be loyal and accountable for her actions to the authorities, but she does otherwise - she secures a trade-off for her students in the graduating class (= they can graduate as long as they publicly express apologies and renounce the actions of Boženka Stoklasová’s father), regardless of their class origin. Through the fact that she sacrifices her reputation (and possibly her job) for the future of her students, we learn that her intentions do not necessarily match those of the communist hardliners. Not only she stands up for her students, she also manages to tactically get rid of soudružka Milada - one of the most uptight and diehard members of the teaching staff. I see Ivana’s heroism in the fact that she - as an authority “in the spotlight” and under constant surveillance from her community - acts contrary to what is expected of her.
ReplyDeleteI feel like Vixi emerges as another hero of the novel. She is living her own rebellion by maintaining an illicit love affair with her teacher. It is also her, who challenges Danny’s beliefs and way of life under the regime by pointing out and questioning his adherence to the communist ideology in the classroom. At first sight, Vixi can be seen as a rather shallow and naïve character, but when compared to others, she definitely stands out as the most authentic and honest one. The unresolved chess game incident might suggest that there is more to her than one would think.
Danny and Vixi have a romantic relationship that is secretive. If the wrong people find out about the teacher/student relationship it wouldn't have been good for either of them. They meet everyday at five behind Danny's apartment. Vixi has two children from different men and is married to another man. She can get by in a communist society by being avoiding authorities and staying somewhat secretive. She wanted to keep her identity concealed when playing the chess master prior to the Prague Spring. She has things she keeps to herself like her skill for chess. Unless she had some other secret behind why she was beating the chess master when they were not playing face to face, and lost in a few moves when she played him at the Prague Spring.
ReplyDelete